20 Apr 2024

Born in New Zealand, Clare gained a Bachelor of Music at Victoria University before studies at the Royal Northern College of Music, UK and a scholarship to the National Opera Studio in London.

She has worked with conductors from Glyndebourne Opera, English National Opera and has sung with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. Her opera roles include: Donna Elvira (Mozart’s Don Giovanni), Elisabetta (Donizetti’s Roberto Devereux), Fiordiligi (Mozart’s Cosi fan Tutte), Contessa (Mozart’s La Nozze di Figaro), Elvira (Verdi’s Ernani), Leila (Pearl Fishers) and Abigaille from Verdi’s Nabucco:

“Clara Martin (Abigaille) has an outstanding voice, especially effective in the coloratura passages…” Opera Magazine (UK)

Clare has performed as an opera, recital and oratorio artist in UK and NZ most notably the Queen Elizabeth Hall, South Bank, London. In NZ she has performed with NZ Opera and with the NZ Symphony Orchestra.

Since 2008 she has moved into other repertoire, performing in jazz duos making her Auckland Jazz and Blues Club debut in 2020 . Clare also performs with Imperfect Offering, a Leonard Cohen experience band performing to full houses around the New Zealand.

Since 1996 Clare has been teaching singing, first in the UK and then returning to NZ. This has included extra teaching at the Royal Northern College of Music, private teaching in Manchester, for West End singers in London, and Guildford. Since 2008 she has been based in Auckland New Zealand teaching from her own music studio.

Clare has coached award-winning choir Sublimitas and has worked with Sisters of Song barbershop group, becoming national finalists in 2019. She coaches music theatre for the Auckland Performing Arts Academy. And in 2021 Clare become the music director for the North Shore women’s choir, Belle Canto.

Clare has been the itinerant vocal teacher at Massey High School since 2017 and with Baradene College of the Sacred Heart since 2020. Between 2016 and 2018 she was on the council for the NZ Association of Singing Teachers. In 2017 and 2019 Clare appeared on TVNZ1 as a vocal mentor in The Naked Choir television series.

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