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Draft:Claire Cowan (composer)

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Claire Cowan
Websiteclairesmusic.com

Claire Cowan is a New Zealand composer based in Auckland. She is best known for her original ballet scores for Hansel & Gretel, Cinderella, Possum Magic, and Macaroni, as well as composing music for the television series One Lane Bridge, Under The Vines, Hillary, and Runaway Millionaire. She has also written music for concert, film, and theatre.[1]

Early life and education

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After completing her secondary education, Cowan enrolled at Auckland University where she pursued a Bachelor of Music in Composition, and graduated with Honours in 2006. While studying she won the Auckland University Cultural Blue Award and the Auckland Philharmonia Young Composers Award.[2]

Career

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Concert Work

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Claire Cowan founded The Blackbird Ensemble in 2010, a 25 piece orchestra that performed an eclectic selection of classical and popular music by living composers.[1]

Among her many notable works is the 2013 piano trio "Subtle Dances," which was co-commissioned by NZTrio and Chamber Music NZ. This piece has become one of the most frequently performed New Zealand Commissions by NZTrio. [2]

In 2015, she took up a position as Composer-in-Residence with Orchestra Wellington, this led to the composition of “Stark – The Violin Concerto” for violinist Amalia Hall.[3]

Television and Film Scoring

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Cowan wrote the music for the 2011 TV Movie “Billy”, about the life of New Zealand entertainer Billy T James. She followed this up by scoring the documentaries "Waitangi: What Really Happened”, and "What Really Happened: The Women’s Vote" in 2011 and 2012, respectively.[4]

In 2017, Cowan was honoured with a Silver Scroll Award for her work on the miniseries "Hillary," which chronicles the life of the renowned mountaineer, Sir Edmund Hillary.[5] In 2018, Cowan scored the TV Movie "Kiwi," based on the famous New Zealand racehorse of the same name.[4]

Cowan had continued success writing music for television. She composed the score for the supernatural crime drama "One Lane Bridge," which aired for three seasons from 2020 to 2022.[6] She also wrote the music for the romantic comedy series "Under The Vines," which has had three series run from 2021 to 2024. [4] She was also recognised for her compositions for the telemovie, "Runaway Millionaires", which won the Best Original Score award at the 2020 NZ Television Awards. [7] Her ability as a screen composer was recognized when she won the 2023 Grand Prize Winner in the Oticons Faculty International Film Music Competition. [8]

Music for Ballet

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The Royal New Zealand Ballet commissioned two original ballets with the music for both productions to be composed by Claire Cowan, “Hansel & Gretel” and “Cinderella” in 2019 and 2022 respectively.[9] [10] In 2020, the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra collaborated with Cowan to produce a recording of the music from the original ballet "Hansel and Gretel”, which earned Cowan the title of Te Kaipuoro Inamata Toa/Best Classical Artist at the 2021 APRA Awards.[11] [12]

Cowan was commissioned to create two new ballets; "Possum Magic" in 2023 for the Australian Ballet School, based on the classic Australian picture book by Mem Fox, and "Macaroni" in 2024, for BalletX Company in Philadelphia. “Macaroni” had its debut in Philadelphia at the Wilma Theatre in July of 2024.[13] [14]

Collaborations with other artists

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Musicians that Cowan has worked with, in addition to those mentioned above, include Benee[15], Don McGlashan[16], Dave Dobbyn[17], Tim Finn[2], Phoenix Foundation[18], Tami Neilson[17], LEISURE[17], Marlon Williams[17], and Brooke Fraser[19]. Claire has also collaborated with Sean James Donnelly playing keyboards and backing vocals in the touring band SJD.[20]

Personal life

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In interviews, Cowan has expressed a desire in bringing inclusivity to ballet and sharing queer stories through this art form.[21] She shares this vision with her frequent collaborator, choreographer Loughlan Prior. Their joint efforts were highlighted in the 2022 ballet "Cinderella," which gained national attention for its reimagining of the classic fairy tale.[22] Regarding the production, Cowan stated, "Ballet as an art form is pretty traditional and it's got a long way to go in terms of that diversity and inclusivity. We’re hoping this production is a tiny step towards putting more queer characters into ballet stories."[23]

Awards

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  • NZTV Award “Best original score” for Runaway Millionaires[4]
  • NZ Classical Artist of the Year 2021 Aotearoa Music Awards[24]
  • Apra Silver Scroll for “Hillary” TV series[4]
  • Auckland University “40 under 40” selection 2021[2]
  • Auckland University Cultural Blue Award[2]
  • Auckland University Top Composition Scholar Award[2]
  • Auckland Philharmonia Young Composers Award[2]
  • NZ Symphony Orchestra Todd Young Composer Award[25]
  • Auckland Artist in Parks residency recipient[26]
  • APRA AMCOS Professional Development Award (Film and TV)[27]
  • The Performing Arts Network New Zealand FAME Mid-Career Award 2024[28]
  • Oticons International Film Music Competition Grand Prize Winner 2023 [8]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Claire Cowan - SOUNZ".
  2. ^ a b c d e f g "Claire Cowan - the University of Auckland".
  3. ^ "Claire COWAN: Legend of the Trojan Bird". Radio New Zealand. 20 October 2017.
  4. ^ a b c d e "Claire Cowan | NZ on Screen".
  5. ^ "APRA AMCOS NZ".
  6. ^ https://www.tvnz.co.nz/shows/one-lane-bridge/about
  7. ^ "Winners Announced in the 2020 New Zealand Television Awards | Scoop News".
  8. ^ a b "Oticons Faculty Previous Winners".
  9. ^ "The Royal New Zealand Ballet".
  10. ^ https://rnzb.org.nz/shows/cinderella-2/
  11. ^ "NZSO Recording Aotearoa | New Zealand Symphony Orchestra | NZSO".
  12. ^ https://aotearoamusicawards.nz/award-history/
  13. ^ "Possum Magic".
  14. ^ "Macaroni".
  15. ^ "Benee live with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra". Radio New Zealand. 5 April 2023.
  16. ^ "Interview: 'The Dead Lands' composer Don McGlashan".
  17. ^ a b c d "Claire Cowan".
  18. ^ "The NZSO & the Phoenix Foundation - Celebrate! Music Alive". Radio New Zealand.
  19. ^ "The Welcome Return of Brooke Fraser". 31 May 2024.
  20. ^ "SJD".
  21. ^ "Feature - Claire Cowan: Collaboration by Ballet".
  22. ^ "Same-sex love story makes ballet debut in Cinderella".
  23. ^ "In conversation with Claire Cowan: Composer of the Royal New Zealand Ballet's Cinderella".
  24. ^ "APRA AMCOS NZ".
  25. ^ "Previous Finalists | NZSO".
  26. ^ "Stuff".
  27. ^ "APRA AMCOS NZ".
  28. ^ "FAME Awards".
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