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.
