Laura Hassaram

BIOGRAPHY

 

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Melbourne-based pianist Laura Hassaram commenced her musical studies aged 3. Since then, her love of music has taken her to many corners of the globe.

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Over the years, she has been recipient of numerous awards including First Prize Winner of the Bradshaw and Buono International Piano Competition 2015 and subsequently gave her debut performance at Carnegie Hall in May 2015. Other awards include Melbourne University J.S. Bach Prize, Bernstein Piano Scholarship, First Prize Winner of Chris Krans Memorial Award, Banyule Young Artist's Award and the VCE Premier’s Award for Music Solo Performance after achieving top score in the state (50/50).

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Laura's mentors have included such eminent teachers as Rita Reichman, Ukranian concert pianist Dr Mikhail Solovei and Julian Quirit. Her musical teaching lineage can be traced back to Frederic Chopin, Jascha Spivakovsky, Rudolf Serkin and Dorothy DeLay.

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Abroad, Laura has undertaken specialised studies as part of the Salzburg Mozarteum Summer International Academy in 2012, receiving masterclasses from Frank Wibaut and Daniel Pollock. She has participated in Vienna Meisterkurse under Martin Hughes (Professor Emeritus University of Music & Dramatic Arts, Vienna). Back home, she has appeared in Australian National Academy of Music masterclasses led by international artists Piers Lane (Royal College of Music), Professor Phillip Kawin (Manhattan School of Music) & Nina Seryogina (St Petersburg Conservatory).

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In 2006, Laura studied piano under Austrian concert pianist Janna Polyzoides (University of Music & Dramatic Arts) in Graz, Austria and received masterclasses from members of the Arcus ensemble including the late Martin Hornstein. She was subsequently invited back to Austria to perform in the Internationale-Musiktag Festival.

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Laura has toured Paris, Florence, Rome, Barcelona, Moscow, St Petersburg, Estonia, Helsinki and Copenhagen as piano soloist and principal violinist with the Chamber Strings of Melbourne (under the baton of the late Christopher Martin). She has appeared as piano soloist with the orchestra at such venues as the Sheremetev Palace in St Petersburg and the Academy of Music in Tallin. She has also performed as piano soloist with Corpus Medicorum (Chamber Orchestra of Australian Doctors' Orchestra) and violinist with the Australian Doctors’ Orchestra, raising money for Royal Melbourne Hospital, Cystic Fibrosis Australia and National Heart Foundation.

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Laura holds Associate Diplomas in Music in both piano and violin, both with High Distinction as well as LMusA in piano. She graduated from Melbourne University with a Medical degree and Diploma of Music Performance (piano & violin) in 2008, being awarded the Melbourne University J S Bach Prize in her final year.

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She works as an Emergency doctor and has been teaching music for 20 years. She is married with two young children.