"Admirers of the music of Edward MacDowell...and of piano music of the late 19th-Century...have been waiting for years for a record such as this. ...this outstanding new SOMM release...will come as something of a revelation...{Sandra Carlock's} exceptional playing, allied to a fine recording made in London, is a disc that is very strongly recommended."
©Sandra Carlock
Sandra Carlock holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, with a Master of Music degree from the State University of New York and further graduate study at The Juilliard School. Her teachers have included Rosina Lhevinne, Arthur Dann and Martin Canin. She is well known throughout the United States as a recitalist, master teacher, lecturer and recording artist. Sandra has also performed frequently in Great Britain and in Europe, both in recital and as soloist with orchestra. She has presented numerous recitals on the British early and historic piano collections at Finchcocks and at Hatchlands Park, near Guildford (The Cobbe Collection). She was the first artist ever to perform the music of American composer Edward MacDowell at Troldhaugen in Bergen, Norway, the former home of MacDowell’s friend and mentor, Edvard Grieg. Sandra was also honored by being asked to perform on the 1892 Steinway, which belonged to Grieg and which remains in the villa at Troldhaugen.
Sandra’s CD “Sandra Carlock In Recital,” music of Liszt, Bach and Chopin, was recorded in live performance at St. John’s, Smith Square, London. Her most recent CD “Piano Music by Edward MacDowell,” was released, to great critical acclaim, by SOMM Recordings of London. www.somm-recordings.com She has been heard frequently as featured artist, and has been interviewed, on WRTI in Philadelphia, and also on Classic FM in London and WQXR in New York City.
Throughout her career Sandra has been active as pianist in various chamber music ensembles….notably and for the past five years as a member of The Carlock-Combet Duo with French violinist Guillaume Combet. The Duo’s debut CD, a disc of French Sonatas for violin and piano recorded for SOMM Recordings of London, England, was chosen as CD of the Month upon its release, also being accorded the honor of selection in the final list of CDs of the Year by Music Web International. thecarlockcombetduo.com
Sandra is known as an authority on the piano music of composers Clara Schumann and Edward MacDowell. She has presented lecture recitals on these composers at The Juilliard School, Oxford University in England, and the North Carolina School of the Arts – to name but a few. She holds the Arthur Judson Distinguished Faculty Chair in Piano at Settlement Music School in Philadelphia, PA, where she teaches piano and chamber music by Special Arrangement smsmusic.org. She has recently been recognized once more with Steinway & Sons' annual Top Teacher Award of 2018, along with her previous recognition in 2016. The awards were given for outstanding instruction and leadership in piano education.
Sandra Carlock received her Bachelor of Music degree from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, Oberlin, Ohio, U.S.A. She did graduate work at The Juilliard School, completing her Master of Music degree at the State University of New York at Stony Brook. She has studied with Rosina Lhevinne, Arthur Dann and Martin Canin. Sandra was a prizewinner in the first international Emma Feldman Memorial Competition, and was selected, by competitive audition, to be one of only five pianists represented by the National Music League, New York City, under whose management she performed throughout the United States. Born and raised in McAlester, Oklahoma, Sandra began her piano study at the age of three with her Mother, a professional musician. For many years, she has resided in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area, and she is well known throughout the United States and Europe as a recitalist, soloist with orchestra, lecturer, dynamic chamber music player, and master teacher.
Sandra has frequently been heard on radio and TV broadcasts in the USA and abroad. She has been interviewed on Classic FM radio in London, England, on WRTI’s Crossover in Philadelphia, and on WQXR, the radio station of the New York Times in NYC, and her recordings and live performances have also been aired on those stations.
Sandra performs regularly in Britain and Europe. She has often appeared at St. John’s, Smith Square, London, and her CD “Sandra Carlock In Recital,” music of Liszt, Bach and Chopin, was recorded in live performance at St. John’s. The album is notable in that it was recorded in its entirety in live performance, all tracks appearing without editing of any kind.
Although Sandra typically performs on the modern grand piano, her numerous recitals on the early piano collections at Finchcocks, Kent, England; the Cobbe Collection, Hatchlands Park, England; and the E.M. Frederick Collection in Massachusetts have been enthusiastically received. Her interest in the music of the American composer, Edward MacDowell, took her to Troldhaugen, the former home of Edvard Grieg in Bergen, Norway. It was Grieg, along with Franz Liszt, who most influenced MacDowell’s style. Although Grieg and MacDowell never met, they held each other in great esteem and corresponded affectionately. At Troldhaugen, in addition to performing on the 1892 Steinway which belonged to Grieg and remains in the villa there, Sandra became the first artist ever to perform the music of Edward MacDowell on the prestigious summer series at the Troldsalen, Troldhaugen’s beautiful concert hall. Her recent CD “Piano Music by Edward MacDowell” was released by SOMM Recordings of London www.somm-recordings.com to great critical acclaim, both in America and abroad. The disc was named Classical CD of the Week by the London Evening Standard and earned a Pianist Recommended Stamp of Approval from Pianist Magazine.
Sandra is known, as well, as an authority on Clara Schumann. She has presented recitals and lecture/recitals featuring the music of Clara Schumann throughout the United States and in England in venues such as the Jacqueline du Pré Hall at Oxford University, the Juilliard School, New York City, and the North Carolina School of the Arts..
Sandra has been active as pianist in various chamber music ensembles….notably and for the past five years as a member of The Carlock-Combet Duo with French violinist Guillaume Combet. In May of 2017 the Duo released their debut CD, a disc of French Sonatas for violin and piano recorded for SOMM Recordings of London, England. The disc was widely praised by reviewers, and was chosen as CD of the Month upon its release, also being accorded the honor of selection in the final list of CDs of the Year by Music Web International. thecarlockcombetduo.com
Sandra holds the Arthur Judson Distinguished Faculty Chair in Piano at Settlement Music School in Philadelphia, PA, where she teaches piano and chamber music by Special Arrangement and also coaches both Advanced Study Piano Trios smsmusic.org. She has recently been recognized once more with Steinway & Sons' annual Top Teacher Award of 2018, along with her previous recognition in 2016. The awards were given for outstanding instruction and leadership in piano education.
Sandra’s piano playing projects deep feeling, drama and excitement, illumined by imagination and intelligence. Yet her considerable virtuosity remains consistently at the service of her art. In addition to her career as a pianist, teacher, and lecturer, Sandra is an avid photographer. She has found many similarities between building and projecting a performance of a musical composition, and assembling the elements of a well balanced photographic image. Her photography may be seen at images.sandracarlock.com. She is versatile, working with landscape images, ‘cityscapes’ and wildlife; and, most accurately, anything that catches her eye!
©Sandra Carlock
©Sandra Carlock