Claire Chase is a renowned American flutist, entrepreneur, and arts advocate. She was born on August 10, 1978, in California, USA. Her parents were both musicians, and her father was a composer. Chase grew up in a musical family and started playing the flute at the age of nine. She showed exceptional talent and dedication to the instrument, and her parents encouraged her to pursue a career in music. Chase attended the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, where she studied with Michel Debost and Kathleen Chastain. She graduated with a Bachelor of Music degree in 2001. She then went on to pursue a Master of Music degree at the University of Michigan, where she studied with Amy Porter. She completed her master's degree in 2003. Chase's career as a professional flutist began to take off in the early 2000s. She quickly gained a reputation as a virtuoso performer and an advocate for contemporary music. She has premiered hundreds of new works for the flute, many of which were written specifically for her. She has collaborated with some of the most prominent composers of our time, including Kaija Saariaho, John Luther Adams, and Marcos Balter. One of Chase's most significant achievements was the founding of the International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE) in 2001. ICE is a collective of musicians dedicated to performing and promoting contemporary music. Chase served as the group's executive director and flutist for many years. Under her leadership, ICE became one of the most respected and innovative new music ensembles in the world. The group has performed at major venues and festivals around the globe, including the Lincoln Center, the Barbican Centre, and the Ojai Music Festival. Chase has also been recognized for her solo performances. In 2012, she was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship, also known as the "genius grant." The fellowship is awarded to individuals who have shown exceptional creativity and promise in their field. Chase was the first flutist to receive the award. She used the grant to fund a project called "Density 2036," which aims to commission and premiere 100 new works for the flute by the year 2036, the 100th anniversary of the birth of Edgard Varèse's groundbreaking composition "Density 21.5." Chase has performed as a soloist with many of the world's leading orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. She has also performed at major music festivals, including the Tanglewood Music Festival, the Mostly Mozart Festival, and the Ravinia Festival. Chase is also an advocate for music education and outreach. She has worked with young musicians through programs such as the New York Philharmonic's Very Young Composers program and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra's MusicNOW program. She has also taught at the University of California, San Diego, and the University of Chicago. In addition to her work as a flutist and arts advocate, Chase is also a writer and speaker. She has written articles and essays on music and culture for publications such as The New Yorker, The Wall Street Journal, and The New York Times. She has also given lectures and talks at universities and cultural institutions around the world. Chase's contributions to the world of classical music have been widely recognized.

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