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internationally renowned Australian percussionist
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dedicated to the promotion and
performance of contemporary percussion music
ABOUT
Welcome
to the official website of Claire Edwardes.
Australian percussionist Claire Edwardes is a passionate advocate of
contemporary music. For the past seven years she has been based in
the Netherlands and she now divides her time between Australia and Europe. She
is known for her strong, personal musical interpretation and engaging
presentation. Press have described her performances as riveting and
enthusiastic, combining energy with great sensitivity. Career highlights include
solo performances at the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival,
recording Harrison Birtwistle's The Axe Manual
with the composer,
prize-winner as part of Duo Vertigo at the 2005
International Gaudeamus
Interpreters Competition and being named Symphony Australia's Young
Performer of the Year (1999). Claire is the 2005
MCA/Freedman Fellowship recipient.
2008 Season
In 2008 Claire will once
again be featured as soloist and chamber musician in festivals and concert
series throughout Australia. These include the
Aurora Festival (Western Sydney),
The Camden Haven Festival
(Nth NSW), The Australian Festival of
Chamber Music (Townsville),
Selby and Friends (Angel Place, Sydney) and
The Blue Mountains
Music Series. As concerto soloist she will appear this year with
The Queensland Orchestra and will premiere a new double concerto for flute
and percussion by Stuart Greenbaum with the
Sydney Omega Ensemble.
This year Ensemble Offspring
also has another exciting year of events - the Sydney season will be launched in
March 2008 and will feature concerts in May (Bangarra Dance Theatre), June (Chauvel
Cinema), October (Sydney Conservatorium) and December (Carriageworks). For the
first time the ensemble will also perform at the
Canberra International Chamber Music Festival and will tour to Melbourne for
a collaboration with Aphids.
Claire's international touring will recommence in 2009 due to the fact that she
will give birth in May 2008.
More
details coming soon on the "Upcoming concerts" page.
NEWS
Music Forum Magazine CD Review (Vol. 14 No.2
Feb - April 2008)
COIL review by Michael Hooper
"This is one of the best CD's I have listened to this year,
in its high quality of performance, and interesting choice of pieces, it
demonstrates that Tall Poppies remains one of Australia's premiere labels.
There are several aspects to this disc that mark it as unusually important.
Firstly, it records some of Claire Edwardes' best playing. The performances are
assured, fluid, coherent (where necessary), and pleasantly, refreshingly,
straightforward."
To read
the rest of this review please go to www.
mca.org.au
Claire Edwardes at the Classical Music Award - on
Wednesday September 12th Claire had a big night - not only was she a panel
member on Spicks and Specks but she was also a nominee at the AMC/APRA
Classical Music Awards. Much to her surprise she the winner in the category
of "Outstanding Contribution by an Individual" for the Duyfken Project - the
tour around Australia with Niels Meliefste - Duo
Vertigo (details can be found throughout this website). The awards were
broadcast live around Australia on ABC Classic FM. It was a great night with
fabulous performances by Halcyon, Topology, Taikoz and Roger Smalley.
Congratulations also to fellow percussionists Rebecca Lagos and Ian Cleworth for
their awards - these two players were especially influential in Claire's early
career as a percussionist so it was very special to share the night with them!
Claire accepting the award
Claire with husband, Sam and Kate Lidbetter (ozco)
COLLABORATIONS
A major part of Claire's musical life involves playing with other inspiring and
like minded musicians. She is constantly seeking out new collaborative
possibilities. Her long term collaborations include her percussion duo with
Niels Meliefste, Duo Vertigo as well as
her violin and percussion duo with violinist Sarah Oates,
Antipoduo. She is also very passionate
about her co-artistic directorship of Sydney based contemporary music group,
Ensemble Offspring.
These initiatives are an extension
of her commitment to and deep interest in quality new contemporary music. Personal and musical challenge, inspiration and passion are
often the result of these unique collaborations.
Duo Sol
Duo Vertigo photo Prospero
WHAT THE PRESS SAY
at home
“.
.amazingly voluptuous
percussion performance on multiple instruments created an astonishing effect.."
Adelaide
Festival 2006 -
City Messenger
“…electric from start to finish.”
The Age, Melbourne
“Performs with
spellbinding intensity.”
The
Sydney Morning
Herald
“… the young and already
renowned soloist Claire Edwardes … responded with faultless self-possession and
technical brilliance.”
The
Sydney Morning
Herald
world wide
“Claire Edwardes was a fine soloist who played with
sensitivity and unusually focused concentration.”
The Washington Post
“Pianist Nicolas Hodges and percussionist Claire Edwardes'
performance of The Axe Manual had an improvisational freedom and a
funky rhythmic power…the result was an infectious immediacy that carried
through the whole piece.”
The Guardian,
London
"(She) is a rising star in the percussion world. She
plays everything cold blooded and exact but is
never clinical or routine in her approach. Add to this her positive
presentation and it is clear that she is the sort of musician who composers
would be inspired by."
NRC Handelsbad, Amsterdam
CD's
Her CDs include
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Harrison Birtwistle "The Axe Manual" with pianist Nicolas Hodges
Duo Vertigo "Vertigo One"
Claire Edwardes "COIL"
Australian works for solo percussion
TO COMPOSERS
I
am constantly
seeking out new works for solo percussion and percussion in a chamber music
context. If you have a work which you would like to send me or are interested in
a potential collaboration, don't hesitate to get in touch with me via email.
Contact Information
You can contact Claire
directly via email claire@claireedwardes.com
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Claire Edwardes
Percussion 
