Dr. Ann Cleare
Assistant Professor, Electronic & Elect. Engineering
Biography
Ann Cleare is an Irish composer working in the areas of concert music, opera, extended sonic environments, and hybrid instrumental design. Her work explores the static and sculptural nature of sound, probing the extremities of timbre, texture, colour, and form. She creates highly psychological and corporeal sonic spaces that encourage a listener to contemplate the complexity of the lives we exist within, exploring poetries of communication, transformation, and perception.
A recipient of a 2019 Ernst von Siemens Composer Prize, her work has been commissioned and presented by major broadcasters such as the BBC, NPR, ORF, RTÉ, SWR, WDR for festivals such as Gaudeamus Week, The Wittenertage fur Neue Kammermusik, International Music Institute Darmstadt, Bludenzer Tage zeitgemäßer Musik, IMATRONIC Festival of Electronic Music at ZKM, MATA Festival, Taschenopernfestival, Sound Reasons Festival in India, Shanghai New Music Week, Transit Belgium, GAIDA, Totally Huge New Music in Perth, Trattorie Parma, Rainy Days in Luxembourg, Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival, and Ultraschall. Through working with some of the most progressive musicians of our time, she has established a reputation for creating innovative forms of music, both in its presentation, and within the music itself. She has worked with groups such as Ensemble SurPlus, The Crash Ensemble, Quatuor Diotima, The International Contemporary Ensemble, Collegium Novum Zürich, ELISION, The National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland, JACK Quartet, Ensemble Nikel, The Curious Chamber Players, Yarn/Wire, ensemble mosaik, The Experimental Ensemble of the SWR Studios, Talea Ensemble, österreichisches ensemble für neue music, The BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, ensemble recherche, TAK, Ensemble Garage, Argento Chamber Ensemble, The Fidelio Trio, Distractfold, Longleash Trio, Riot Ensemble, Ekmeles Vocal Ensemble, Ensemble Contrechamps, Ensemblekollektiv, and WasteLAnd.
Recent projects have focused on creating experiential environments where sound is given a visual as well as sonic dimension, such works include eyam i-v, a series of five attacca pieces, centred around clarinet and flute writing in various solo, ensemble, electronic, and orchestral settings, spanning just over two hours of music that is continuously transformed in shape, time, and motion around the listener; rinn, a time travel chamber opera involving a multichannel sonic sculpture that the singers and actors wear, interact with, and are amplified by; spatially choreographed chamber pieces such as I should live in wires for leaving you behind, anchor me to the land, and on magnetic fields; a newly-designed instrument that a musician simultaneously wears and plays in eöl.
Current and future projects include new works for a series of songs for voice and piano for The Irish Language Art Song Project, a choral work for Galway European City of Culture 2020, a chamber piece for the National Concert Hall of Ireland's Beethoven 2020 celebrations, a solo flute work for Claire Chase, an evening-length work for ELISION, a large scale work for soloists, chorus, orchestra, and electronics for New Music Dublin 2021, a DVD of filmed works released by Kairos, a video opera version of her opera rinn, and the creation of outdoor sonic sculptures with sculptor Brian Byrne.
Ann studied at University College Cork, IRCAM, and holds a Ph.D. from Harvard University. In October 2019, she received an Honorary Doctorate from the National University of Ireland for her contribution to music. Her scores are published by Project Schott New York and she is represented by the Contemporary Music Centre, Ireland (CMC). As an artistic collaborator with Dublin Sound Lab, she will work on developing their programming and production of electronic music over the coming years. Ann is Projects Officer with Sounding the Feminists (#STF), a collective championing principles of equality, fairness, inclusivity, and diversity in Irish musical life.
Publications and Further Research Outputs
Peer-Reviewed Publications
Places in my Music/My Music in Places in, editor(s)John Zorn , Arcana IX: Musicians on Music, New York, Hip Roads, 2021, pp47 - 55, [Ann Cleare]
Ann Cleare, 'Portrait Concert at Musikfest, Berlin Philharmonic, Main Hall, performance by Musikfabrik', 2021, -
Ann Cleare, 'Tintrí (Lightings) for Mezzo-Soprano and Piano', Commissioned by Kissinger Sommer, Germany. Premiered 11 July 2021, 2021, -
Ann Cleare, 'Fossil Lights for quartet', Commissioned by the Office for Public Works and the National Concert Hall. Premiered by Musikfabrik, Berlin Philharmonic, 5 Sept., 2021, -
Ann Cleare, SPARK OFF A FIRE MEMORIES OF MY COMPOSITION TEACHER CHAYA CZERNOWIN, NEUE ZEITSCHRIFT FUR MUSIK, 2020
A Silent Building Sings and Radically Changes its Matter: On Ann Cleare's a Sonic Theatre in, One Here Now: The Brian O'Doherty / Patrick Ireland Project, Ireland, co-published by Sirius Arts Centre and Paper Visual Art, 2019, pp74 - 88, [Mary-Ruth Walshe & Ann Cleare]
Ann Cleare, 'Ceo, Glór, Eitilt', Ireland, Contemporary Music Centre, 2019, -
Ann Cleare, 'the physics of fog, swirling ', the physics of fog, swirling for large ensemble and live electronics, Premiered at Wittener Tage für neue Kammermusik 2019, 2019, -
Ann Cleare, 'Solo Portrait Concert performed by Musikfabrik, Cologne, October 2019', Cologne, Germany, 2019, -
Electronic Theatre in eyam iv (Pluto's Farthest Moons) in, editor(s)Dániel Péter Biró, Jonathan Goldman, Detlef Heusinger, Constanze Stratz , Live Electronics in the SWR Experimentalstudio, Germany, Hofheim Wolke Verlag, 2019, pp293 - 301, [Ann Cleare]
Ann Cleare, 'Solo Portrait Concert performed by Riot Ensemble, Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival', 2019, -
Ann Cleare, 'where cobalt waves live ', where cobalt waves live for solo piano , The Contemporary Music Centre Dublin, 2018, -
Ann Cleare, 'Earth Waves', for Solo Trombone, Spatialised Vocal Ensemble, and Moving Electronics, Commissioned by The Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation for William Lang and Ekmeles Vocal Ensemble. , 2018, -
Ann Cleare, 'One Here Now: A Sonic Theatre ', One Here Now: A Sonic Theatre for voices, percussion, and electronics , Sirius Arts Centre Commission, 2018, -
Ann Cleare, 'teeth of light, tongue of waves ', teeth of light, tongue of waves / soprano and bassoon for bowed guitar, viola, cello, and double bass, Miller Theatre, New York, 2018, -
Ann Cleare, 'fiáin', fiáin for violin, viola, cello, electric guitar, electric bass guitar , National Concert Hall Dublin, 2017, -
Ann Cleare, 'surface station #2: the relighting of the sun ', surface station #2: the relighting of the sun for double bell trumpet, electronic sculpture and lights , Berlin, Australia, 2017, -
Ann Cleare, 'ore', ore for single reed wind instrument (cl/ob/sax) and string trio, 2016, -
Ann Cleare, '93 million miles away', 93 million miles away for violin, cello, and piano, 2016, -
Ann Cleare, 'surface station #1: in the upper atmosphere ', surface station #1: in the upper atmosphere / multi-belled, electronic French horn solo with video , 2016, -
Ann Cleare, 'eyam ii (taking apart your universe)', eyam ii (taking apart your universe) / Solo Contrabass Clarinet and Large Ensemble , 2016, -
Ann Cleare, 'eyam v (woven)', eyam v (woven) for contrabass flute, contrabass clarinet and orchestra, 2016, -
Ann Cleare, 'eöl ', eöl for Sonic Sculpture and Chamber Ensemble, 2015, -
Ann Cleare, 'rinn', rinn / Chamber Opera with Electronic Staging, 2015, -
Ann Cleare, 'anchor me to the land ', anchor me to the land for Large Ensemble , 2014, -
Ann Cleare, 'the square of yellow light that is your window ', the square of yellow light that is your window for Mixed Quartet , 2014, -
Ann Cleare, 'luna/lithe/lair ', luna/lithe/lair for Spatialised Large Ensemble , 2014, -
Ann Cleare, 'luna (the eye that opens the other eye)', luna (the eye that opens the other eye) for Solo Alto Saxophone, 2014, -
Ann Cleare, 'eyam iv (Pluto's farthest moons) ', eyam iv (Pluto's Farthest Moons) for contrabass flute, spatialised ensemble, and electronics, 2014, -
Ann Cleare, 'I should live in wires for leaving you behind ', I should live in wires for leaving you behind for Theatrically Choreographed Piano/Percussion Quartet , 2014, -
Ann Cleare, 'mire | | veins ', mire | | veins for Brass Quintet , 2013, -
Ann Cleare, 'to another of that other', to another of that other for Triple Concerto , 2013, -
Ann Cleare, 'phôsphors (...of ether)', phôsphors (...of ether) for orchestra, 2013, -
Ann Cleare, 'eyam i (it takes an ocean not to) ', eyam i (it takes an ocean not to) for Solo Bb Clarinet , 2013, -
Ann Cleare, 'on magnetic fields ', on magnetic fields / Large Ensemble divided into Three Chamber Groups (c.15'), 2012, -
Non-Peer-Reviewed Publications
Derek Scally/Ann Cleare, Loud and Cleare: The Offaly woman wowing audiences with breakthrough sounds, Irish Times, (11/09/2021), 2021
Ann Cleare, Guest Composer at Summer Institute for Contemporary Performance Practice, New England Conservatory, Boston/Online, 16-25/06, 2020
Ann Cleare, Guest Composer at Yarn/Wire Summer Institute, Stony Brook University/Online, Stony Brook University, USA/Online, June , 2020, Yarn/Wire Ensemble
Ann Cleare, Guest Composer at lineuponline's Composer Talks, Online/Texas, 16/10, 2020, lineuponline
Ann Cleare, Guest Presenter at Webinar on 'Re-Making the Creative Arts Canon, Re-Imagining the Creative Arts Curriculum', Online, NUI Galway, 12/02, 2020, The National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, Ireland
Ann Cleare, Guest Composer at The University of Buffalo Colloquia, The University of Buffalo, USA/Online, 16/11, 2020
Ann Cleare, Guest Composer, Royal Academy of Music, London, London/Online, 12/03, 2020
Dr. Ann Cleare, Guest Composer at Escola Superior de Música de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain, December 2 & 3, 2019
Dr. Ann Cleare, Guest Panelist, Fremde/Heimat - Komponieren im Exil, Bochum Concert Hall, Germany, October, 2018
Dr. Ann Cleare, Guest presenter at Columbia University, New York, February, 2018
Dr. Ann Cleare, Guest composer at the Irish Composition Summer School, Dublin, July, 2018
Dr. Ann Cleare, Guest Panelist, 'are we there yet?': discussion on current composition trends, performance practice, critical perspectives, and new directions as part of Dublin Sound Lab's Music Current Festival, Ireland, April , 2018, Dublin Sound Lab
Dr. Ann Cleare, Guest Presentation at DIT Conservatory of Music, Dublin, December , 2018, DIT Conservatory of Music, Dublin
Dr. Ann Cleare, Irish Artist-in-Residence at SoundSCAPE Festival, Italy, July , 2018
Dr. Ann Cleare, Guest panelist for New Opera in Ireland in the 21st Century, CMC, Dublin, Contemporary Music Centre, Ireland, March, 2017
Dr. Ann Cleare, Guest Presenter at University of Western Australia and Sydney Conservatorium , October , 2017
Dr. Ann Cleare, Guest artist, CultureSummit, Manarat Al Saadiyat, Abu Dhabi, April, 2017
Dr. Ann Cleare, Guest composer/lecturer, DJBFA Course, Engelsholm Castle, Denmark, May, 2017
Dr. Ann Cleare, Guest presentation at CeReNeM, University of Huddersfield, UK, March , 2017
Dr. Ann Cleare, Guest presentation at Musik-Akademie Basel, Switzerland, January, 2017
Dr. Ann Cleare, Guest presenter at University of Western Australia and Sydney Conservatorium , October , 2017
Dr. Ann Cleare, Guest Composer (presenting, teaching and curating) at Music Current, Dublin Sound Lab's new Festival of Electronic Music, Smock Alley Theatre, Dublin, April, 2016
Dr. Ann Cleare, Guest Discussant with Roger Reynolds, Shaping Form, Darmstadt, Germany, August, 2016
Dr. Ann Cleare, Guest Artist at Campus Musikfabrik, Cologne, Germany, February, 2016
Dr. Ann Cleare, Guest Panelist for Can Music Change the World? Dublin Piano Festival, July , 2016
Dr. Ann Cleare, Guest Presentation at Maynooth University's Department of Music, December, 2015
Dr. Ann Cleare, Guest Composer at NUNC!2, presenting, teaching, and coaching at Northwestern University's Festival of New Music, Chicago, November, 2015
Dr. Ann Cleare, Guest Presentation at the University of California, San Diego's Music Department, USA, April, 2014
Dr. Ann Cleare, Guest Presenter at University College Cork's Music Seminar Series, Ireland, February, 2013
Dr. Ann Cleare, Guest Composer (presenting and teaching) at The New England Conservatory's Composer Presentations, Boston, USA, April, 2011
Research Expertise
Description
timbre; psychogeography; choreographed playing/sonic motion; morphology; temporality; ecological entanglement; the post human; the politics of noise; extended sonic environments; hybrid instrumental designRecognition
Awards and Honours
Solo Portrait Concert at the Berlin Philharmonic, Musikfest, Berlin
International Society for Contemporary Music - work selected from International Call for New Zealand Festival 2020
Honorary Doctorate from the National University of Ireland for Contribution to Music
Solo Portrait Concert performed by Riot Ensemble, Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival, UK. Broadcast on BBC Radio 3
Solo Portrait Concert performed by Musikfabrik, Cologne
Ernst von Siemens Composer Prize
Solo Portrait Concert at Miller Theatre, Columbia University with The International Contemporary Ensemble
Recipient of MATA Commission for 2015 Festival, one of three composers chosen from over 950 applications
Staubach Honorarium recipient from IMD (Darmstadt Music Courses), Germany
Derek C. Bok Excellence in Teaching Award, Harvard University
Named one of NPR's top composers under 40, WQXR, New York
Shortlisted for the Gaudeamus Prize, Holland
Received the title of College Scholar from University College Cork for achievement and excellence in academic studies
Memberships
Contemporary Music Centre, Ireland
Association of Irish Composers
Irish Music Rights Organisation (IMRO)