Assad has performed professionally since the age of seven. She holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the Roosevelt University in Chicago and a master's degree in Composition from the University of Michigan. She is a 2009 Latin Grammy nominee.
She comes from a musical family, which includes her father, guitarist Sergio Assad, her uncle, guitarist Odair Assad, and her aunt, singer Badi Assad.
Her works have been published in France (Editions Lemoine), Germany (Trekel), and in the United States (Virtual Artists Collective Publishing), and have been performed in Europe, South America, the United States and Japan.
Clarice Assad is a NSS Music and Adventure Music artist. Her music is licensed through ASCAP and Parma Recordings. She was the featured composer for the 2008–2009 season at the New Century Chamber Orchestra, where she currently works as the orchestra's primary arranger and orchestrator.
Clarice assad scattered concerto for scat singing piano orchestra
Her compositions and arrangements have been recorded on Sony Classical, Universal Music, NSS Music, Nonesuch, Cedille, Adventure Music, Chandos, Telarch, and Rob Digital in Brazil. She has been commissioned by Carnegie Hall, the Chattanooga Symphony Orchestra, the New Century Chamber Orchestra, the Rochester Chamber Orchestra, Concordia Chamber Players, Ethos Percussion Group, Pro Musica Chamber Orchestra, Cabrillo Music Festival, the Cavatina Duo, the LA Guitar Quartet, Aquarelle guitar quartet, pianist and Vail Music Festival's artistic director Anne-Marie McDermott.
Performances
Assad has performed extensively throughout the U.S., Brazil, and Europe. She sings in Portuguese, French, Italian, English, but is mostly known for her "Brazilian scat" vocals. She has appeared on Brazilian, American and European radio and television, including NPR's All Songs Considered as a favorite of the week, Marshal Vente's show on WDCB, and on Chicago's WLUW with Steve Shroeder. Her music is frequently featured on WNYC and the Columbia College Chicago radio station WCRX.
Press
"Her impassioned vocal work and her descent from one of Brazil's leading musical families have combined to enable her to offer an inimitable style—already matured—that's unlike anyone else's. In contrast to the expectation of Brazilian singers remaining within a narrow range of coolness expressing romantic ambivalence, Assad rejoices through singing, her multi-faceted talent uncontainable as she energetically bends music to her will and reshapes it with fascinating results." – Jazz Improv
"She has that trademark Assad style of flying-fingered aplomb. At times it sounded like she had eight hands on the keys while her scat style floated effortlessly above it." – Classical Guitar
"[This] siren's voice croons elegantly and seductively from the speakers on the very first note." – Indie-Music.com
"As Brazilian dynasties go, few can rival the breadth or depth of the tri-generational Assad clan." – JazzTimes
"...serious triple threat..." – San Francisco Chronicle
"An arranger and orchestrator of great imagination." – SF Classical Voice
"A charismatic singer." – The New York Times
Teaching
California Brazil Camp 2011 | Body Percussion & Vocal Workshop Improvisation – Private Composition Lessons
Conservatory, Rahway, NJ 2010–present
Private instruction in classical piano and theory, jazz piano, jazz theory Private Studio, 2004–present
Private instruction in composition, arranging, theory, jazz and classical piano University of Michigan, 2002–2004
Tutor in classical and jazz theory, aural skills, dictation Roosevelt University, 1999–2002
Tutor in classical and jazz theory, aural skills, dictation
Awards and fellowships
Van Lier Fellowship – Meet the Composer (2010)
Latin Grammy Nomination for Best Classical Contemporary Composition (2009)
The Bobby McFerrin Carnegie Hall Professional Workshop Series (For Vocalists) (2008)
Yaddo Composer Residency (2009)
MacDowell Colony Fellowship (2008)
Osvaldo Golijov | Dawn Upshaw Carnegie Hall Workshop Series (For Composers & Singers) (2007)
The Aaron Copland Award (2006)
ASCAP Plus Award (4) 2007–present
ASCAP's Morton Gould Young Composer Award (2005)
Encore Grant – Meet the Composer (2005)
RUMOS Itaú Cultural – São Paulo, Brazil (2005)
International Association for Jazz Education Award (IAJE) (2005)
All Songs Considered NPR (Best Song Competition) (2004)
University of Michigan (Graduate Fellowship) (2003)
Samuel Ostrowsky Humanities Award (2002)
Franklin Honor Society Award (2002)
Chicago College of Performing Arts (Undergraduate Scholarship) (2001)
Partial list of works
Opera
Ópera Das Pedras, Commissioned by the SESC Foundation, São Paulo, Brazil. Libretto by Denise Milan, directed by Lee Breuer, 2010
Ballet
Essentials of Flor Choreography, by Kristi Spessard Mabou Mines Suite Resident Artist Program. Premiere: January 2011
Impressions Suite – for String Orchestra, Choreographed by Steve Rooks – Masterworks Festival, Indiana, 2011
Steps to Grace, Commissioned by Lou Fancher, 2002
Plays
A Lição de Anatomia By Carlus Mathus, 2003
Large ensembles
Toward the Unknown Region, Commissioned by the Rochester Chamber Orchestra, 2010
Suite Back to Our Roots, (co-written by Sergio Assad) for strings, winds, guitar, and sazouki
Scattered Concerto, for scat singing, piano and orchestra (Possible through a grant by Meet The Composer's Van Lier Fellowship) 2009
Dreamscapes: Fantasia, for Strings and Solo Violin, 2009
Impressions: Suite for Chamber Orchestra, Commissioned by the New Century Chamber Orchestra, 2008
Circense: For Wind Ensemble, 2007
Brazilian Fanfare: Overture for Orchestra, Commissioned by the Chattanooga Orchestra, 2005
