Clara Engen

Violinist and Co-Founder of Lakewood Suzuki Strings Clara Engen maintains a varied career as a performer, teacher and advocate for the arts in the Northeast Ohio area. Clara is a graduate of Oberlin College and Conservatory with Bachelor’s degrees in violin performance and history; she earned her masters as an orchestral fellow with The Orchestra Now, at Bard College. Clara’s passion for sharing classical music has led her to make musical connections across the world; she has taught and performed with the National Concert Association of Panamá, served as a teaching artist with Cuerdas Para Cali, a Bard College residency in Colombia, and was a Teaching Fellow with MusAid Organization in Belize. In the U.S., she has worked with students of all ages, from children as young as age 4 through adults, and levels in a variety of settings—private lessons, group classes, and chamber music ensembles.

Clara is based on the west side of Cleveland, where she teaches through her home studio, Lakewood Suzuki Strings, and the Westlake Academy of Music. She is a strong believer in the benefits of musical education to foster curiosity and courage in students of all ages.