Carmen Knoll
Full Biography
Featured on popular radio programs such as NPR’s From the Top and Performance Today, Carmen Knoll attended The Juilliard School on a full scholarship from the age of 11. After Juilliard Pre-College, she earned both a Bachelor of Music and an Accelerated Master’s Degree in Piano Performance at Juilliard. With countless international competition awards under her belt, Carmen Knoll has a knack for captivating audiences across the globe.
From The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., to the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts and Carnegie Hall in NYC, she’s performed as a soloist in the most acclaimed concert halls and with renowned orchestras – winning over the toughest critics in Asia, Europe, and the United States. She is a three-time recipient of the New Horizons Fellowship and the one-year Simms Fellowship at the Aspen Music Festival and School, as well as the Susan W. Rose Fellowship and Richard R. Levien Fellowship from The Juilliard School. She received From The Top’s 2013 Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award, and has won the Juilliard Pre-College Nordmann Scholarship Competition, the 2nd Asia-Pacific International Chopin Piano Competition, the Minnesota International Piano-e-Competition, the Yamaha USASU International Piano Competition, the PianoArts North American Competition, and the LISMA International Music Competition. She has worked with leading chamber ensembles under the tutelage of Wu Han and David Finckel and has performed solo and with string quartets, trios, and wind quartets at famous festivals such as The Juilliard Series at Lincoln Center, Frost Chopin Academy and Festival in Miami, and the 68th International Chopin Piano Festival in Duszniki-Zdrój, Poland. Her performance highlights include Paul Hall (NY), Morse Hall (NY), Rosemary and Meredith Willson Theater (NY), Kodak Hall (NY), Weill Recital Hall (NY), Maurice Gusman Concert Hall (FL), Marcus Center for the Performing Arts (WI), Sharon Lynne Wilson Center (WI), Polish Center of Wisconsin, Benedict Music Tent (CO), Harris Concert Hall (CO), Chopin’s Manor (PO), Katzin Concert Hall (AZ), Chandler Recital Hall (VA), Ted Mann Concert Hall (MN), and Keimyung Arts Center (KR).
Carmen’s musical tastes are as diverse as her talents. From the delicate, enchanting melodies of Chopin’s Ballades to the electrifying sounds of Metallica’s Master of Puppets, she embraces all genres and personal tastes with open arms. Her non-judgmental approach allows her to appreciate and connect with music lovers from every walk of life. Carmen effortlessly transitions between jazz, classical, pop, and the blues - delivering groundbreaking performances that leave a lasting impression on her audiences.
When she’s not performing or teaching, Carmen spends her time writing. Her essay “Philosophies of Civilization” explores the perspectives of Aristotle, Hobbes, and Locke regarding what it means to be a political animal. This comparative work was selected by The Wolf Interval, an exclusive journal celebrating the achievements of Juilliard students. This recognition is just another testament to her multifaceted talent and dedication to the arts.