Claudia Schaer

Violin

Violinist Claudia Schaer is recognized for beautiful and insightful interpretations, alongside intriguing programming. Her recording of the Bach Sonatas and Partias for solo violin is hailed for its “elegant, light touch and lucid timbre … a wonderful performance” (Japan Bach Review) and unique “small softness at the beginning of the bowstroke” (American Record Guide). She is a versatile recitalist, chamber musician and soloist.

Claudia Schaer concertizes extensively throughout Europe and North America, including many all-solo-violin performances spanning the repertoire from Bach through Paganini, Ysaÿe, Bartók, Boulez, Honegger, Eckhardt-Grammaté, Peterson, Contreras, Semegen, Lifchitz, and Tower, among others.

An advocate of creativity in music, Claudia Schaer has inspired many composers to write for her. Last season, she gave debuts of concerti by Andrew Thomas, Winnie Yang, and Margarita Zelenaia, and she has given the New York, American, and world premières of countless other compositions, including Alexander Liebermann’s Après la pluie, the Lifchitz violin concerto, David Farrell’s Re-Callings, and Zosha di Castri’s La Forma dello Spazio.
Other recent highlights include her Carnegie Hall Weill Recital debut, recital tours of Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, the USA, and China; chamber music performances in England (Prussia Cove), Denmark (Thy), France (Fontainebleau), and Italy (Barga, with Berlin Philharmonic members). In New York City, she performs as soloist and concertmaster of the North/South Chamber Ensemble, and is on faculty at the Bloomingdale School of Music.

Claudia Schaer earned a Doctorate of Musical Arts from Stony Brook University, working with Phillip Setzer, Ani Kavafian, and Pamela Frank, and writing about Varèse, Boulez, and the intersection of philosophy and music, under the mentorship of Judith Lochhead and Lydia Goehr. She earned Master’s and Bachelor degrees from the Juilliard School, where she was assistant to her teacher, Sally Thomas.

Dr. Schaer’s writing on music is available at www.ClaudiaSchaer.blogspot.com. Her Bach recording is available in person after concerts, as well as at www.ClaudiaSchaer.com/discography, and on iTunes, Amazon, and Bandcamp.

For details about upcoming performances, and further information, please visit www.ClaudiaSchaer.com