VC ARTIST

American violinist Claire Wells is acclaimed by audiences and press for her expressive musicality and rich, singing quality of sound. Solo concert engagements have brought her to halls like the Wigmore Hall, Konzerthaus Berlin, the Meyerson Symphony Center, Bass Performance Hall, and Teatro Degollado.

Having won major prizes in international competitions, Wells is the Mendelssohn-Prize 1st Prize winner and Commission Prize winner at the Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy Competition 2021, 2nd Prize winner at the Michael Hill International Violin Competition 2023, and has taken top prizes at the Indianapolis International Competition and Mirecourt International Competition,  among others.

Claire Wells grew up in a musical family, playing both violin and piano from the age of three. Now studying at the Kronberg Academy with Mihaela Martin since 2022, Claire Wells studied privately with Brian Lewis, Sandy Yamamoto, and Emanuel Borok, and in 2017 attended the Yehudi Menuhin School with Lutsia Ibragimova. In 2020, Claire Wells studied with Mihaela Martin at the Hochschule für Musik und Tanz Köln.

Wells has performed with major orchestras such as the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Konzerthausorchester Berlin, the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, the Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra, the Jalisco Philharmonic, Shen Zhen Symphony Orchestra, among others.

A passionate chamber musician, Claire Wells has worked alongside major artists such as Enrico Pace, Noah Bendix-Balgley, Nobuko Imai, Frans Helmerson, Christian Tetzlaff, and Steven Isserlis. Wells has also taken coaching from the likes of Ana Chumachenco, Boris Kuschnir, Andras Schiff, and Robert Levin.

Claire Wells has performed at festivals such as the International Holland Music Sessions, Music at Menlo, Chamber Music Connects the World, Tibor Varga Music Academy Masterclasses, Verbier Festival, Gstaad Festival, and others. Wells plays on a Giovanni Battista Guadagnini, on loan from a generous donor.