Internationally renowned baroque violinist Claire Duff is in demand as soloist, chamber musician, leader and director. Her ‘stylish solo violin playing’ (Gramophone) has been described as having ‘all the excitement of a high-wire act’ (The Irish Times). As leader Claire has worked with the National Symphony Orchestra, Florilegium, I Fagiolini, English Touring Opera, The King’s Consort and Camerata Kilkenny and co-led the Academy of Ancient Music and The English Concert. Claire has toured Europe, Asia and America extensively with these baroque ensembles. As leader of the Irish Baroque Orchestra, Claire has regularly performed as soloist and recorded a highly acclaimed CD of Bach’s Double Violin Concerto with Monica Huggett and IBO. Claire has worked as director of the Irish Baroque Orchestra, the Irish National Opera and she is the Artistic Director of the Irish Youth Baroque Orchestra, which won the Ivan Werner award for its performance at the Varazdin Baroque Evenings Festival in Croatia in 2022.
In 2016 Claire was elected Associate of the Royal Academy of Music, London (ARAM) for her significant contribution to the music profession. Claire is a fervent exponent of period instrument performance and is teacher of baroque violin at the Royal Irish Academy of Music. Claire has had many solo works composed for her including pieces by Karen Power, Eoghan Desmond and Sean Doherty. In 2019 she performed Jane O’Leary’s Fantasia as part of a Music Network Bach recital tour with the award-winning French harpsichordist Benjamin Alard, and with Diane Hunka she performed Sam Perkins’ The Copy and the Original at the Killaloe Chamber Music Festival. In 2021 Claire was the grateful recipient of an Arts Council of Ireland Bursary Award.
