Nan Avant

Nan Avant’s music embraces thematic and rhythmic intentions often reflecting her Latin heritage, encompassing her passion for classical, jazz, world, and ethnic music.

Avant’s music has been honored with numerous accolades and awards including her most recent recordings on the Navona Records label with the London Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and the Zagreb Festival Orchestra garnering her three Silver Medals in the Global Music Awards 2022–2023, The American Prize: Winner – Pops/Light Orchestral Composition 2023, and Winner in two categories of the Clouzine International Music Award 2023.

Avant’s concert music has been performed in the United States and internationally. She has collaborated with indie filmmakers creating soundtracks for short films, documentary, feature and animation. Ever interested in new experiences, Avant’s most recent collaboration is with poet and psychiatrist Dr. Frank Alexander Clark, author of three children’s books of Positive Haiku. These published books include QR codes to Avant’s original music.

“Recording Avant’s Tributum with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra was a particular delight. One doesn’t often get the chance to record bagpipes and orchestra, and even rarer is the opportunity to record two different types with orchestra.” – GRAMMY^®-winning Session Producer and PARMA Senior Producer, Brad Michel

A native of the Pacific Northwest, Avant was brought up in a peaceful pastoral setting amidst artists on her maternal side and the rich South American heritage of Peru on her father’s side. Music was constantly playing in the background of her early years. Symphonies, musicals, South American music, Tangos, and Peruvian waltzes all contributed to her love of music. At an early age, she began studying piano and subsequently composing.

These early life experiences — eclectic musical listening, international living in Lima, Peru, and studying music — established her identity as an Artist and became a catalyst in composing music with melodic intention.

Avant’s Tributum is a “…traditional orchestral tone poem with gorgeous melodic writing and rich string sound (it has that Braveheart / Far and Away quality).” – Cinemusical

Avant holds a B.F.A. degree in Piano Performance from California Institute of the Arts. Avant’s further studies include film scoring at the Pacific Northwest Film Scoring Program, under the direction of two-time Emmy winner Hummie Mann with additional classes in orchestration, contemporary composition and jazz arranging at Berklee School of Music online.