Claire Duff

Claire Duff is an internationally acclaimed violinist, in demand as a soloist, chamber musician, leader and director. She teaches baroque violin and historically informed performance at the RIAM and directs the RIAM Baroque String Ensemble.  Claire helps students to approach performing music in a historically-informed way. She encourages students to question, research and explore different ways of approaching music and to perform with their own unique voice and with conviction.

Claire has a holistic approach to performance and teaching, and has extensive experience in Feldenkrais and mindfulness and is currently training to become a Body Mapping Educator.  She is therefore well-equipped to help students suffering with such issues as stage fright and tendonitis.

Claire has worked as Director of the Irish Baroque Orchestra and the Irish National Opera, while also nurturing emerging talent as the Artistic Director of the award-winning Irish Youth Baroque Orchestra. Claire is Associate Leader of the Irish Baroque Orchestra, with whom she has performed and recorded as soloist to critical acclaim for over twenty years.  Claire has worked as leader of the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland, under the batons of Sinkovsky, Hill and Davies.  Claire’s leadership extends across prestigious baroque ensembles such as Florilegium, I Fagiolini, and The King's Consort and she has co-led the Academy of Ancient Music and The English Concert.  She has toured extensively across Europe, Asia, and America with these distinguished period instrument ensembles.

Claire was elected an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music (ARAM) in London in 2016 and received the Arts Council of Ireland Bursary Award in 2021. In 2022, Camerata Kilkenny earned the prestigious Jurica Murai prize at the Varazdin Baroque Festival in Croatia and received the following review from the jury; "The concert master of the Irish Baroque Orchestra and the first violin of the Camerata Kilkenny, virtuoso violinist Claire Duff has a particularly high level of artistic preparation. Her way of playing music, technical bravura and way of conducting each of the interpretations are truly exemplary."

Claire has had many solo works composed for her including pieces by Karen Power, Eoghan Desmond, Sean Doherty, Jane O Leary (performed with harpsichordist Benjamin Alard) and Sam Perkins (The Copy and the Original performed with Diane Daly).  

Claire studied baroque violin with Monica Huggett and Pavlo Beznosiuk at the Royal Academy of Music, London and baroque and classical violin with Lucy van Dael at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam.