Clare Howick
Described by The Strad as “playing with beguiling warmth and affection” and by American Record Guide as “simply spectacular”, Clare Howick is at the forefront of a generation of inspiring violinists.

Clare’s debut CD, Cyril Scott – Sonata Lirica and Other Violin Works (on the Dutton Epoch label) won great acclaim and was awarded ‘Editor’s Choice’ in Gramophone magazine. Subsequent recordings (for Naxos) of violin works by British Women Composers and Cyril Scott – Violin Sonatas 1-3, have also received much praise, including ‘Editor’s Choice’ in Classical Music magazine, ‘Recording of the Month’ on Music Web International, and 'Recommended Recording' on BBC Radio 3 Record Review, Building a Library. Clare's latest disc, British Music for Violin and Piano, which includes the Elgar Violin Sonata and many popular salon pieces by Bridge, Scott, Delius and John Ireland, has just been released by Naxos.

As a champion of new music, Clare has premiered many new works, both on disc and in performance. She recently gave the world premiere performance at St John’s Smith Square of Violin Concerto No.2 ('Serenade') by Paul Patterson, a song-like, wistful and exuberantly sparkling work, which was specially written for her. Clare's concerto disc, to be released in December 2017 on the Naxos label, includes the world premiere recordings of the Patterson and two other major British violin concertos with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and conductor Grant Llewellyn.

Clare has performed most of the violin concerto repertoire (encompassing 48 concerti and works) with several orchestras including the Philharmonia Orchestra, and has performed at major festivals in the UK, such as the Covent Garden, Buxton and Cheltenham International Festival. She has broadcast on BBC Radio 3 and Classic FM, as well as worldwide, including in the US, Canada, New Zealand and Sweden, and has collaborated with many artists, including Lynn Harrell, Marin Alsop, Kazushi Ono, Jaap van Zweden, Radoslav Szulc, Alexander Shelley, Sam Haywood, Leon Bosch, Philip Dukes and Sophia Rahman.

Clare combines solo and chamber performances, at venues such as the Royal Festival Hall and Wigmore Hall, with appearing as a Guest Leader of many orchestras, including the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, the Philharmonia Orchestra, BBC Concert Orchestra, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Ulster Orchestra, Northern Sinfonia, and the Orchestra of English National Opera.

Clare was a student of Maurice Hasson at the Royal Academy of Music. She also studied with Anne-Sophie Mutter, Zahkar Bron, and participated in masterclasses with Ida Haendel and Dorothy DeLay. Clare won First Prize at the Jellinek Competition as well as many other prizes and has received awards from The Worshipful Company of Musicians, The Tillett Trust and the Countess of Munster Trust, which also sponsored many concerto and recital performances around the UK.