Violinist Claire Niederberger Gallagher is a dynamic performer, collaborator, and educator based in the Pittsburgh area. A versatile musician, Claire is active as an orchestral and chamber player, and is a fierce advocate of contemporary music in all settings. She has premiered new works in Canada, Italy, and across the United States.
Claire was recently appointed to the position of Associate Concertmaster with the Johnstown Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Maestro James Blachly. Additionally, she performs with the Pittsburgh Opera and the Wheeling Symphony Orchestra, and was a first violin section member with the Symphony of Southeast Texas.
Dedicated to education and community engagement, Claire is a passionate teacher and maintains a busy private teaching studio working with students of all ages and levels. She is regularly invited as a sectional coach and clinician to school orchestra programs in the area. While living in Houston, Claire worked in the Education and Community Initiatives department at DACAMERA, a nonprofit dedicated to creating transformative musical experiences for all audiences. She assisted in organizing and presenting over 500 hours of arts-integrated lessons to students across the Houston area. She was also a Teaching Artist for the Houston Youth Symphony’s CODA program, teaching weekly group lessons to elementary age students.
Claire was a member of the Carya String Quartet, which is dedicated to promoting the works of women composers in vibrant community-based chamber music performances and educational programs across greater Houston. In addition to sharing the works of women composers, Carya is active in commissioning and premiering new works for the string quartet and frequently blends musical ideas with those of other art forms or the natural world in programming.
At the University of Houston, Claire played with the AURA Contemporary Ensemble and frequently led the Moores School Symphony Orchestra as concertmaster. Claire has had the opportunity to perform in both solo and chamber music masterclasses for acclaimed musicians Rachel Barton Pine, Kristóf Baráti, the Aizuri Quartet, and the Calidore String Quartet, among others. She has had the opportunity to collaborate with composers including Stacy Garrop, Stephen Montague, Rob Smith, and Renato Miani.
Claire received her Master of Music and Certificate in Music Performance from the University of Houston, and Bachelor of Music from the University of Michigan. Her primary teachers include Dr. Kirsten Yon, Stephen Shipps, and Lorien Benet Hart. Recent festival appearances include Fresh Inc, Bang on a Can Summer Music Festival, Cortona Sessions for New Music, Texas Music Festival, and Orford Academy. She plays a Joseph Curtin violin built in 2000.
Outside of music, Claire loves to perfect her dessert baking skills, travel to new places, decode the New York Times Sunday crossword, and spend time with her husband and daughter and their little dog, Bruce.