May 16, 2018
Congratulations to NDSU Alum, Clara Osowski, recent recipient of the McKnight Fellowship for Musicians award. The winners are selected through a process that began in January when 79 solo and ensemble musicians applied for the McKnight Fellowship with recordings, artist statements and resumes. From this group, nine finalists were selected by a panel of national judges to audition live on May 4. Following the audition, four recipients were awarded the $25,000 McKnight Fellowship for Musicians.
The McKnight Foundation, a Minnesota-based family foundation, seeks to improve the quality of life for present and future generations. The McKnight Foundation’s arts program is one of the oldest and largest of its kind in the country.
Clara Osowski, vocalist (mezzo-soprano), Brooklyn Center: Clara Osowski, who sings "from inside the music with unaffected purity and sincerity" (UK Telegraph), is an active soloist and chamber musician throughout the United States and Europe. In her most recent competition success in 2017, Clara became the first ever American prize winner when she placed second at Thomas Quasthoff's International Das Lied Competition in Heidelberg, Germany, and in September she was awarded the Richard Tauber Prize for the best interpretation of Schubert Lieder at the Wigmore Hall/Kohn Foundation Song Competition in London. Recent recital appearances include the Dame Myra Hess Series in Chicago and the Schubert Club International Artist Series in St. Paul. Active also as an educator, Clara will be on faculty at Aspen Music Festival's Professional Choral Institute in partnership with Seraphic Fire in August of 2018. She currently studies voice with Emma Small of Minneapolis.
Osowski received her Bachelor of Musical Arts degree with emphasis in Voice from North Dakota State University in 2008. She will be performing and collaborating with pianist, Tyler Wottrich, during the Chamber Music Festival, May 20-24th, 2018.