Role

:

Composer

 

Rhona Clarke is a contemporary classical music composer who was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1958. She grew up in a musical family, with her mother being a pianist and her father a singer. Clarke began playing the piano at a young age and later studied music at Trinity College Dublin, where she earned a Bachelor of Music degree in 1980. After completing her studies, Clarke worked as a music teacher and composer. She has composed works for a variety of ensembles, including orchestras, choirs, and chamber groups. Her music has been performed in Ireland and internationally, and she has received numerous awards and commissions for her work. One of Clarke's early works is her String Quartet No. 1, which was composed in 1985. The piece is characterized by its use of dissonance and unconventional harmonies, and it showcases Clarke's interest in exploring new sounds and textures. The quartet has been performed by several ensembles, including the Vanbrugh Quartet and the ConTempo Quartet. In the 1990s, Clarke began to incorporate electronic elements into her music. Her piece, "The Singing Earth," for soprano, flute, and electronics, was composed in 1994 and explores the relationship between humans and the natural world. The piece features recorded sounds of birds and other natural elements, which are manipulated and processed through electronic effects. "The Singing Earth" has been performed by several ensembles, including the Crash Ensemble and the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra. Clarke's interest in exploring new sounds and textures is also evident in her choral music. Her piece, "The Light of Other Days," for choir and electronics, was composed in 2000 and features a text by the Irish poet, Seamus Heaney. The piece is characterized by its use of layered textures and shifting harmonies, and it has been performed by several choirs, including the National Chamber Choir of Ireland. In addition to her work as a composer, Clarke has also been involved in music education. She has taught at several institutions, including Trinity College Dublin and the Royal Irish Academy of Music. She has also served as a mentor for young composers through programs such as the Irish Composers' Collective and the Contemporary Music Centre. Clarke's music has been recognized with several awards and commissions. In 2003, she was awarded the Irish Arts Council's Composer Bursary, which allowed her to travel to the United States to study with the composer, John Corigliano. She has also received commissions from several organizations, including the National Concert Hall in Dublin and the Cork International Choral Festival. One of Clarke's most recent works is her piece, "The Only Jealousy of Emer," which was composed in 2016. The piece is based on the play of the same name by the Irish playwright, W.B. Yeats, and features a text by the composer. The piece is characterized by its use of Irish traditional music elements, including the use of a bodhrán (a traditional Irish drum) and the incorporation of Irish folk melodies. "The Only Jealousy of Emer" has been performed by several ensembles, including the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra. Overall, Rhona Clarke is a composer who has made significant contributions to the contemporary classical music scene in Ireland and internationally. Her music is characterized by its exploration of new sounds and textures, and her work has been recognized with numerous awards and commissions.

More....