Clarice Assad

Clarice Assad (b. 1978) is a Brazilian-American composer, pianist, arranger, singer, and educator whose music bridges classical, jazz, and Brazilian traditions. Drawing on folk, popular, and Romantic influences, her compositions include orchestral overtures, concertos, chamber works, and vocal music, often integrating improvisation, scat singing, and electronic elements. Assad has collaborated with major ensembles such as the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, Albany Symphony, and the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, and her works have been recorded by artists including Yo-Yo Ma, Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, and Anne-Marie McDermott. A sought-after educator, she leads residencies and interactive programs worldwide, fostering creativity and audience engagement. Assad’s recordings, including Archetypes with Third Coast Percussion and Sérgio Assad, have earned Grammy and Latin Grammy nominations, reflecting her vibrant and genre-defying approach to contemporary music.