Education & background. Ava Nazar is an Iranian-American pianist and educator based in New York. She is a graduate of the Juilliard school where she received her Master’s degree in Collaborative Piano, and Manhattan School of Music where she received her Bachelor’s degree in Piano Performance.
Performance. Ava has performed extensively at notable venues such as the United Nations, Merkin Hall at Lincoln Center, the American Museum of Natural History, National Sawdust, Duke University, Santa Clara University, Sam Mazza Castle, and Stanford Jazz Workshop. Her festival appearances include the Aspen Music Festival, the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara, and the Académies Internationales d'été du Grand Nancy in France.
Ava is distinguished for her frequent collaborations with accomplished musicians. One of her recent highlights includes touring with renowned Iranian singer Homayoun Shajarian across the U.S., with performances at prestigious venues such as the Chicago Symphony Center, Davies Symphony Hall in San Francisco, Jacobs Music Center in San Diego, and Benaroya Hall in Seattle.
Mentors. Ava has also had the privilege of working with many distinguished musicians including Jonathan Feldman, Margo Garrett, Andrew Harley, Cameron Stowe, Roger Vignoles, Rita Sloan, Anne Epperson, J.J. Penna, Diane Richardson, Henri Barda, Franz Helmerson, and David Finckel.
Contribution to community. Passionate about expanding musical access across communities, Ava has volunteered as a pianist with the Sing for Hope organization, which brings art to communities in need. She also served as an AmeriCorps fellow through ArtistYear, where she taught music to underserved middle schoolers in New York. Ava continues to foster a love for music education through the Prelude Music Program, which she co-founded in NYC to teach group piano lessons to kids. Ava is also the assistant conductor and pianist at the Bronx County Chorus, the longest-running chorus in the Bronx.
New music. Ava’s interest in new music has led her to work with many living composers, particularly contemporary Iranian composers. As part of this exploration, she has collaborated with the Iranian Female Composers Association (IFCA), where she has premiered and performed works by various composers from her home country.