Rhona Clarke was born in Dublin. She studied music at University College, Dublin, pursued composition studies with John Buckley and James Wilson, and completed a Ph.D at Queen’s University, Belfast under the supervision of Michael Alcorn. She is a lecturer in music at Dublin City University and her output includes choral, chamber, orchestral and electronic works. Clarke has received commissions from RTÉ, the Cork International Choral Festival, Concorde, Music Network and the National Concert Hall, among others, performed by groups such as The RTÉNSO, The Fidelio Trio, The Vienna Mozart Trio, Concorde, Chamber Choir Ireland, The Tyrolean Ensemble and ConTempo Quartet. Amongst her orchestral works, in 2014 SHIFT was premiered in the Horizons series at the National Concert Hall, Dublin and later that year represented Ireland at The International Rostrum of Composers in Helsinki. Her choral music has been commissioned and performed by choirs in Ireland and worldwide, from school choirs to amateur and professional adult choirs. The latter include Chamber Choir Ireland, The Sydney Philharmonia Choir, The BBC singers, State Choir Latvija, The University of Minnesota, Duluth, Cantairi Avondale, New Dublin Voices, Laetare, Bella Voce and The Mornington Singers. Since 2009 she has been collaborating with visual artist Marie Hanlon, including short experimental films with music, live music with visual projections and joint exhibitions; a joint exhibition with Hanlon at Draíocht, Dublin, took place from July-September 2014 containing six new sound installations and also Hanlon’s exhibition at Solstice Arts Centre contained three collaborative works including an installation ‘Everything we see…’ which is based on a painting and text by René Magritte. Rhona Clarke is a member of Aosdána, Ireland’s state-sponsored academy of creative artists. Photo: Frances Marshall © March 2022

Recordings

Works List:

1. 3 Carols on Medieval Texts
2. Con Coro
3. Do Not Stand at my Grave and Weep (Laetare Vocal Ensemble)
4. Do Not Stand at my Grave and Weep (State Choir Latvija)
5. Gleann Da Loch
6. In Umbra
7. The Kiss
8. Marian Anthems
9. O Vis Aeternitas
10. The Old Woman (Laetare Vocal Ensemble)
11. The Old Woman (State Choir Latvija)
12. Piano Trio No. 2 (on Clarke album)
13. Piano Trio No. 2 (on album of Irish trios)
14. Piano Trio No. 3
15. Piano Trio No. 4
16. Requiem
17. Rorate Caeli
18. A Song for St. Cecilia’s Day
19. smiling like that …