Claire Wells

American violinist Claire Wells (b. 2001) is praised for her expressive musicality and rich, singing tone. She has appeared as a soloist at major venues including Wigmore Hall, Konzerthaus Berlin, and the Meyerson Symphony Center. A prizewinner in leading international competitions, she received First and Commission Prizes at the 2021 Mendelssohn Competition, Second Prize at the 2023 Michael Hill International Violin Competition, and additional honors at the Indianapolis, Mirecourt, and Lynn Harrell competitions.

Raised in a musical family, Wells began violin and piano at age three and studied with Brian Lewis, Sandy Yamamoto, Emanuel Borok, Lutsia Ibragimova, and Mihaela Martin. She has performed with orchestras such as the Dallas Symphony, Konzerthausorchester Berlin, Belgrade Philharmonic, and Shenzhen Symphony, and is an active chamber musician, collaborating with artists including Enrico Pace, Nobuko Imai, Christian Tetzlaff, and Steven Isserlis. She has also participated in major festivals such as Verbier, Gstaad, and Music@Menlo.

Since 2022, Wells has studied at Kronberg Academy with Mihaela Martin, supported by the von Opel/Dr. Schaefer patronage. She performs on a Giovanni Battista Guadagnini violin on loan from a generous donor.