Mary Clark at Carnegie!
Lakehead Student Plays at Famed Carnegie Hall
Musician Mary Clark Hit All the Right Notes and Wowed the Audience
Pianist Mary Clark recently accomplished what most musicians spend their lives dreaming about—performing at New York City's Carnegie Hall.
"It was incredible," Mary says.
"Sitting backstage seeing the Steinway piano being polished and knowing I'd be playing it soon was so exciting."
On January 24, this third-year student in Lakehead's Honours Bachelor of Music Program played the first movement of Maurice Ravel's Sonatine to an enraptured audience.
"I was nervous because I was the last performer on the program—the mental buildup can sometimes be too much for a performer.
But I was able to block out everyone, relax, and have a special moment at the piano. The acoustics took my breath away."
Mary plays Ravel's Sonatine at Carnegie Hall. "Ravel had been on my bucket list of composers for a long time," Mary says. "When I heard Sonatine, I fell in love with the beautiful sound and knew immediately that I wanted to learn this piece."
How did this incredible experience come about?
Mary won second prize at the prestigious 2025 Crescendo International Music Competition, which showcases aspiring musicians from North America, South America, Asia, Europe, and Australia.
As one of the finalists, Mary was invited to play in the Crescendo Winners' Concert at Carnegie Hall.
Mary's longtime instructor Dr. Evgeny Chugunov, Associate Professor and Chair of Lakehead's Department of Music, calls her win a milestone in her artistic journey.
"We were very proud to see Mary representing Lakehead University on such an internationally recognized stage," he says.
"As her instructor, it was especially moving for me to see her reach this moment. Opportunities to perform at Carnegie Hall are rare, even for advanced performers, so this is truly a special accomplishment."
Mary waits outside Carnegie Hall on the day of the Crescendo Winners' Concert.
Mary auditioned virtually from Thunder Bay for the Crescendo competition. Three weeks later she found out that she'd earned a spot onstage at the historic concert venue.
"I've always wanted to see how I would do on an international level," Mary says.
"I just did it for fun. I thought, 'If I win, that's great, and if I don't win, I'll learn and grow.'"
A Musical Prodigy
Mary began taking piano lessons at age three.
"Music has always been part of my life," she says, noting that one day after her older siblings finished their music lessons, their instructor—a family friend—offered to teach her, too.
Since then, Mary has dedicated countless hours learning her craft. She also plays the violin and has been studying with violinist Olga Medvedeva for over 10 years.
Mary grew up in Calgary before moving to Thunder Bay over a decade ago. Above, Mary enjoys a trip to Alberta's Waterton National Park.
Mary is especially fond of Romantic and post-Romantic composers.
"I love playing Beethoven and Tchaikovsky. The most complex piece I've ever played is the one I'm working on now: Chopin's Ballade No. 2 in F Major.
When I first listened to the piece, I was a little scared, but I've realized it's attainable if I work hard."
Mary also enjoys upbeat music and often listens to Christian music.
"I'm drawn to anything with interesting harmonic colours, melodies, or unique production effects. My playlist is constantly changing as my music tastes change," she explains.
Fostering Exceptional Performers
Dr. Chugunov, who taught Mary privately, encouraged her to study with him at Lakehead.
"He's been incredible to work with, and I really enjoy the small community in the music department. It feels like a family here," she says.
Mary warms up for her Carnegie Hall performance at a church in the New York area.
Dr. Sean Kim's organ class is another favourite of hers, along with Dr. Dean Jobin-Bevans's conducting course.
"Conducting helped me a lot because you're not focusing on your instrument. You're focusing on the music, and you're connecting music theory, music history, practical music knowledge, and musicality.
The course has taught me to be more thoughtful in how I prepare my own pieces."
Mary wants to share her musical knowledge with others through teaching and performing.
"I want to encourage a new generation of musicians who love classical music. I also want to make classical music more accessible to everyone so that they'll realize how cool it is," she says.
