[8] After graduating from high school by the age of 16,[3] she studied music and drama at the University of Southern California.
There, she was under the tutelage of Rosina Lhévinne and Eduard Steuermann for piano, as well as Vittorio Giannini and Bernard Wagenaar for composition.
[11] Claman's two best-known compositions, "A Place to Stand" and "The Hockey Theme", were also orchestrated by Jerry Toth.
[12] Claman commenced legal action against the CBC in 2004, alleging that the network had been making unauthorized use of "The Hockey Theme" in many ways over a long period of time.
Among the allegations were the network's long-term non-payment of normal licensing fees; use of the music in many programs not covered by their agreement with her, including NHL Centre Ice; renaming her composition to make it look as if the network owned it; selling it as a cellular phone ringtone; and using it outside of Canada after agreeing not to.