Majella Clarke is an Australian conductor, oboist, pianist and sound artist based between Sydney, Australia and Helsinki, Finland. She holds a Bachelor of Music from the University of Sydney, and went on to complete a Master of Music with principal studies in conducting, as well as a post diploma certificate in advanced studies in conducting contemporary repertoire with Maestro Arturo Tamayo at the Swiss Italian Conservatory in Lugano. Majella has been coached by mentors including Atso Almila, Rüdiger Bohn, Uros Lajovic, Colin Metters, Jorma Panula, Douglas Bostock and Sasha Mäkila. Majella also furthered her musical training on period instruments including harpsicord, baroque oboe, baroque violin, and block flute. In 2020, she co-founded Helsinki Art Ensemble (HAE!) for creating multisensorial immersive experiences using new media and exploring new performance formats, and directs the Korvat Auki Ensemble as part of a society for contemporary music in Finland.

 

As a conductor, she has led professional ensembles and orchestras including Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra, Dubrovnik Symphony Orchestra (Croatia),  Seinäjoki City Orchestra (Finland), Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra (Australia), Bohuslav Martinu Philharmonic Orchestra (Czech Republic), BDB Musikakademie Wind Symphony (Germany), Ensemble900 (Lugano Switzerland), Pärnu City Orchestra (Estonia) and was a conductor at the 2019 Soundscape Festival in Cesena, Italy,  and the 2021 San Marino New Music Festival premiering several works by living composers. 

 

Her artistic achievements include include winning the 2018 Vienna Waves Music Festival Hack Day track sponsored by Universal Music Studios in Austria, and was a finalist in the EU S+T+ARTS fellowship prize in 2022. Her artistic work has featured in artistic venues including the Espoo Museum of Modern Art, Finland, The Living Art Museum, Iceland and Ars Electronica in Linz, Austria.

 

Majella also holds degrees in Science, Economics and an MBA and advocates for balanced and diverse programs. She has been an invited speaker and has been published extensively on sustainability, climate change, artificial intelligence, leadership and conducting, and performing contemporary music.

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