Clarice Assad facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Clarice Assad
Background information
Birth name	Clarice Vasconcelos da Cunha Assad Simão
Born	(1978-02-09) February 9, 1978 (age 47) Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Genres	Jazz, classical, pop, world
Occupation(s)	Singer, composer, orchestrator, arranger
Instruments	Piano, bass, voice
Years active	1996–present
Labels	Adventure Music, Cedille
Associated acts	Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, Yo Yo Ma, Evelyn Glennie, Third Coast Percussion, Marin Alsop, Keita Ogawa

Clarice Assad (born February 9, 1978) is a talented Brazilian-American musician. She is a composer, pianist, arranger, singer, and teacher from Rio de Janeiro. Her music is inspired by Brazilian culture, Romanticism, world music, and jazz. Clarice comes from a very musical family. Her father, Sergio Assad, and her uncle, Odair Assad, are famous guitarists. Her aunt, Badi Assad, is also a well-known singer and songwriter.

Clarice Assad has been performing since she was just seven years old. She studied music at Roosevelt University in Chicago. She also earned a master's degree in composition from the University of Michigan. There, she learned from the composer Michael Daugherty. Clarice has been nominated for both a Latin Grammy (in 2009) and a Grammy Award (in 2022).

Clarice's Early Life and Musical Journey

Clarice Assad was born in Campo Grande, a part of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Her parents named her after a famous Brazilian writer. She started making music when she was six years old. Her father, Sergio Assad, helped her a lot.

When Clarice was young, she had a condition called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. This made it hard for her to play instruments. But it didn't affect her voice! So, as a child, Clarice sang many jingles for TV and radio. She also sang on albums for pop stars. As she grew older, her joints became stronger. She then started playing the piano by ear. She became very interested in jazz music. After that, she trained intensely in music, piano, composition, and arranging.

In 1993, Clarice and her younger brother, Rodrigo, moved to France. They lived there with their father. Clarice studied piano and improvisation. She also learned a lot from her father. She composed and arranged many pieces during this time. Later, she returned to Brazil with her brother.

Back in Rio de Janeiro (1995-1997), Clarice worked as a pianist and arranger. She played keyboards for several musicals. Even though she loved music, she wasn't sure about going to college for it. She thought about studying marine biology! But then, her father moved to Chicago. A year later, Clarice got a chance to study film scoring. She left Brazil in 1998 to attend the Berklee College of Music.

Clarice's Music Career

Orchestral and Chamber Music Works

Clarice Assad writes music for many different instruments. She creates pieces for piano and guitar. She also writes for large and small groups of instruments. Her music is mainly classical, but it has strong influences from Brazilian music, jazz, pop, and world music.

For example, her pieces Nhanderú and Terra Brasilis show her Brazilian roots. These were commissioned and first performed by the Orquestra Sinfônica do Estado de São Paulo. They use Brazilian folk styles. Earlier works like O Saci-Pererê (for guitar and orchestra) also show her Brazilian influences.

Clarice became well-known in 2004. Conductor Marin Alsop featured Clarice's violin concerto. Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg was the solo violinist. This piece was recorded when Clarice was only 26 years old. Since then, Clarice has received many requests to write new music. She also finds ways to combine her composing with her performing.

One of her big projects is a concerto for scat singing, piano, and orchestra. She wrote Scattered for herself to perform. It has been played by many orchestras. Other important works include The Disappeared. This powerful piece for orchestra and concert band was inspired by stories of people who disappeared during a conflict. More recently, she wrote Ad Infinitum. This is a percussion concerto for Dame Evelyn Glennie. It even includes improvisational techniques for the musicians!

Many famous groups and performers have asked Clarice to write music. These include Carnegie Hall, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and Yo-Yo Ma. Her music has been recorded by top classical musicians. She has also worked with groups like the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet.

Clarice has been a "composer-in-residence" for many organizations. This means she works closely with them to create new music. She has worked with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra and the Albany Symphony. Currently, she is the composer-in-residence for the Allentown Symphony Orchestra.

Other Exciting Projects

Clarice has added many new pieces to the world of classical guitar. She has written solos, duos, and quartets. Her piece Bluezilian is now a favorite for guitar quartets. She also wrote two concertos for guitar. O Saci-Pererê is for solo guitar and orchestra. Folk Tales is for two guitars and string orchestra.

Her recent album, Archetypes, was a big success. She performed it with her father, Sérgio Assad, and Third Coast Percussion. It was nominated for two Grammy Awards in 2022. The album explores different human "archetypes" through music.

In 2010, Clarice wrote Scattered, a unique concerto for scat singing, piano, and orchestra. She continues to explore new sounds with her voice. In 2019, she wrote Synthetico, which uses vocal electronics. Clarice also likes to involve the audience in her music. Her 2019 work, É Gol!, was inspired by the famous Brazilian soccer player Marta Vieira da Silva. In this piece, the audience sings, makes sounds, and does body percussion!

Clarice has also written music for the stage. Her first soundtrack was for a play in 2001. She has also written for ballets like Iara and Sin Fronteras. Her works often tell a story.

Clarice loves working with young people. She often leads programs where kids get to perform with large groups and orchestras. She has partnered with organizations like ZUMIX and the Boston Landmarks Orchestra. Her projects often focus on helping and empowering young women.

On November 20, 2022, a new trumpet concerto by Clarice debuted. It's called Bohemian Queen. Trumpeter Mary Elizabeth performed it with the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra.

Arranging Music

Clarice Assad is also a talented arranger. This means she takes existing music and changes it for different instruments or groups. For ten years, she was the main arranger for the New Century Chamber Orchestra.

After college, Clarice moved to New York City. She worked as a freelance composer and arranger. From 2007 to 2017, she arranged over 25 major works for string orchestra. These included famous pieces like Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition. She is known for her clever way of arranging music. She uses techniques from famous composers like Maurice Ravel. But she always adds her own unique touch.

Performing Live

The LA Times newspaper called Clarice a "dazzling soloist." She is an amazing singer and pianist. She often performs with orchestras and chamber groups. She plays her own music and also arrangements of classical, Brazilian, jazz, and modern songs.

In 2010, Clarice started performing more often. She formed a group called Off the Cliff. It's an energetic group of four talented musicians from around the world. They have performed at many famous places. These include Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City and the Savannah Music Festival. They have also played with special guest artists.

Teaching and Education

Clarice created an award-winning program called VOXploration in 2015. This program makes music education fun and easy to understand. It uses interactive experiences. In a world where we use digital devices a lot, this class encourages people to use their bodies and voices. They create music, write songs, and improvise together. It's for people of all ages and musical backgrounds. The program has been presented all over the world.

Awards and Recognitions

Clarice Assad performing at the New York Festival of Song

Clarice Assad has won many awards for her compositions. Some of these include:

• American Composers Forum National Composition Competition (2016)
• McKnight Visiting Composer Award (2015)
• New Music Alive Partnership program (2014–2015)
• Van Lier Fellowship (2010)
• Latin Grammy nomination for best contemporary composition (2009)
• Aaron Copland Award (2007)
• Morton Gould Young Composer Award (2006)
• All Songs Considered - NPR (2004)

Clarice's Albums (Discography)

• Invitation: Introducing Clarice Assad (2004)
• Love, All That It Is (2008)
• Home (2011)
• Imaginarium (2014)
• Clarice Assad & Friends: Live at the Deer Head Inn (2016)
• Reliquia (2016)
• Archetypes with Third Coast Percussion and Sérgio Assad (2021)
• Window To The World: A Tribute to Milton Nascimento (2022)

Recorded Compositions

Arrangements & Guest Appearances

Clarice's Personal Life

Clarice Assad lives in Chicago, Illinois. She lives with her partner, Andrea Santiago. They have two daughters, Antonia and Stella Assad-Santiago.

Interviews with Clarice

• Breaking Barriers at Ravinia highlights women composers- Chicago Tribune
• Indicados ao Grammy 2022, Clarice e Sérgio Assad aliam a paixão pela arte e o carinho de família em composições reconhecidas mundo afora- Revista 29 HORAS
• A família de virtuoses do piano e violão que pôs o Brasil no Grammy - Revista VEJA
• Clarice Assad radio interview on UEL, Londrina. Modos de Vida - Comportamento e Cultura
• Dreamscapes Q&A with Clarice Assad – SoundAdvice.
• Chicago Sinfonietta Commissions CLARICE ASSAD's SIN FRONTERAS Preview – Insights to Assad and her Work.
• SONiC Composer Spotlight – Clarice Assad – SoundAdvice.
• University of Chicago Presents: An interview with Clarice Assad
• ABODE MAGAZINE: From Brazil to Carnegie Hall to Doha (p. 106-107)
• REVISTA 29 HORAS: DNA Musical
• The Portfolio Composer: Ep 8-Clarice Assad on the Endless Possibilities of New Music and Letting Go
• 1TrackPodcast: Season 2, Episode 3.
• Composer Clarice Assad was born and raised in Brazil, but has spent the last few decades in the United States. When she's asked where home is, she says, "The Americas."
• Brazilian and classical music merge in performance from Clarice Assad and two Houston ensembles.