Clara lyon, violin

Co-Artistic Director
clara@decodamusic.org

Three-time GRAMMY-nominated violinist Clara Lyon is an accomplished musician, artist, and curator whose work connects sonic languages and artistic disciplines to create new pathways for imagination. Known for stylistic versatility, she is a sought-after collaborator in numerous contexts. A prizewinner of the Irving M. Klein International Competition and the Schadt International Competition, Clara has performed as a soloist and a chamber musician around the world in venues such as Carnegie Hall, The Kennedy Center, the Library of Congress, Reykjavik Arts Festival, NPR’s Tiny Desk Concerts, the American Academy in Rome, Miller Theater, the Banff Centre. She is the recipient of a Music Academy of the West Alumni Enterprise Award, and was also awarded a Ragdale Foundation Themed Residency along with the Theorem Collective in 2022. She was recently featured as an improvising soloist with musicians of the San Francisco Symphony on their SoundBox series.

Clara is currently the Co-Artistic Director of Decoda, Carnegie Hall’s only Affiliate Ensemble. In this role, she curates concert hall performances, oversees artistic residencies and creative community projects in diverse venues like correctional facilities, hospitals, and shelters, produces the group’s flagship program the Decoda Chamber Music Festival, and manages multi-year artistic ventures for a roster of 34 exceptional artists.

Clara also joined the Lydian Quartet in September 2024 and was appointed Professor of the Practice at Brandeis University, where she teaches violin, chamber music, and community engagement through music. Additionally, she is on faculty at Greenwood Music Camp, where she mentors outstanding middle school and high school-aged musicians.

Clara’s interest in interdisciplinary collaboration has forged ongoing connections and projects. Her sonic and visual installation with cellist Hannah Collins and artist Antonia Contro was shown at Secrist Beach gallery’s Only Connect exhibit in Chicago. She is also the only performing member of the Theorem Collective, adapting the fine art book Theorem by Antonia Contro and Elizabeth Bradfield for the stage in 2025. Thus, the Night, a short art film inspired by Henri Dutilleux's Ainsi la Nuit, was developed by Clara with Contro and Four/Ten Media, and features Spektral Quartet. The film received its premiere at Aspen Film in March 2024 after selections at festivals including the Montreal Independent Film Festival and the Rome Music Video Awards.