Pianist

Claire began playing the piano and violin at the age of six and whilst at school in Manchester received piano tuition from David Smith at the Royal Northern College of Music. She has studied more recently with Peter Noke and Clifford Benson. After graduating from the University of Leeds with a degree in English, she was admitted to the Licentiate of the Royal Schools of Music – in both teaching and performance.

She has recorded three CDs with flute/oboe/piano trio intriplicate  – and performed with them since 2000 across the UK, from Perthshire to St Martin-in-the-Fields, London.  Claire works with vocal duo Jill Taylor and Julia Morley as Voci Dolci , was engaged by the BBC to accompany bass-baritone Simon Bailey in December 2007, and her work as an accompanist for instrumentalists has included appearances at Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall and St George’s Hall, Liverpool. Claire is a keen educationalist, adjudicating at music festivals in the north-west and working as a committee member and accompanist for Alderley Edge Festival. She has a thriving private teaching practice as well as pupils at Manchester High School for Girls.