This then resulted in a further collaboration with choreographer Anna Clifford, by invitation from the Dance School of Scotland, with performance in 2012 and 2 further pieces performed at RCS later that year.
Recent commissions & performances include a piece for The Astrid quartet with guest RSNO principal trombone Davur Juul Magnussen for the Made-In-Scotland Edinburgh Festival Series, a piece for SATB & solo clarinet for Old St.Paul's church in Edinburgh, a song for soprano and voice for the composers concert at the International Kodaly Institute Symposium in Hungary, (where she also had the privilege of taking masterclasses with Professor Gyula Fekete, from The Liszt Academy In Budapest), and a Capella piece for children's choir in Ohio. A successful new collaboration was developed with choreographer /dancer Marc Brew, and visual artist Rachel Gadsden, involving a 20 minute sound creation (live percussion, electronic and re-recorded material music and soundscape) for “Cube of Curiosity” performed at the Liberty festival, part of National Paralympics day at Olympic Park, London (September 2013. In 2014/15 she worked again, individually, with both collaborators - on Marc Brew's new solo dance piece, "For Now: I Am", which previewed at Lilian Bayliss Studio, Sadlers Wells, premiered at Tramway in May 2015 and went on to a run at the Edinburgh fringe festival, and with Rachel Gadsen on a visual art / short film / live cello performance collaboration, "Shamal", performed in Liverpool and London. Other compositions have been performed by The Fidelio Trio, Red Note Ensemble, Musiclab, Alba Brass, The Astrid Quartet, Flercussion, Flutes En Route and Northern lights.
In 2015 Claire was the winner of the Cottier chamber music festival composition competition in collaboration with the RSNO, with a piece for string quartet. She also previously won the title with a brass quintet.
Alongside composing, Claire is an active music educator interested in the Kodaly teaching approach for developing musicianship skills and specialising in early years and middle years education. She currently teaches piano on the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland's Early Years programme, and has worked on a range of projects for a variety of music education and outreach projects for Glasgow Concert Hall’s, NYCoS, YMI Falkirk and Wee Inspiration Festivals.
Prizes & Awards
West End Chamber music festival composition competition winner, 2015
West End Chamber music festival composition competition winner, 2012
Dinah Wolfe Prize for Composition, RCS 2011
Patrons Prize for Composition, RCS 2011
RCS Special Award, 2011
RCS Trust Fund Scholarship 2010
RCS Trust Fund Scholarship 2009
Alexander Stone Award for Excellence, 2007
Biography
Born in Glasgow, Claire originally gained a first class BSc(hons) in Maths Statistics & Management science before returning to her passion for music. With support from the Ian McGlashan trust fund, she completed a BA Applied Music, studying a range of subjects including piano, trombone and composition, and playing in the university orchestra and Big Band. She graduated with 1st class honours and was awarded the Alexander Stone award in her final year.
Following that, she then studied composition at Masters level, with Rory Boyle, at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, thanks to two generous scholarships from RCS. She graduated in 2011 with MMus Composition, with distinction, and was also awarded 3 prizes. During her final year, Claire composed a piece for PLUG 2011 at BBC Hear & Now, which was conducted by Ilan Volkov and received a BBC Radio Three broadcast.
Claire also enjoys collaborative work and working with other artforms, particularly dance (having always danced as a hobby). She initiated collaborations with several choreographers on the BA Modern Ballet, creating works which were performed at RCS PLUG new music festival.