Claire Duff

Claire Duff is a renowned violinist and faculty member at the Royal Irish Academy of Music (RIAM), specializing in baroque violin and historically informed performance. She teaches and directs the RIAM Baroque String Ensemble, emphasizing exploration of musical interpretation and holistic techniques like Feldenkrais and mindfulness. Her leadership roles include Associate Leader of the Irish Baroque Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland, and prestigious ensembles like Florilegium and The King's Consort. Recognized for her artistic excellence, she received the Jurica Murai prize with Camerata Kilkenny (2022) and the Arts Council of Ireland Bursary (2021).

Education includes studies at the Royal Academy of Music (London) with Monica Huggett and at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam under Lucy van Dael. She has performed globally with leading artists such as Joyce Di Donato and John Eliot Gardiner. Her work extends to nurturing talent as Artistic Director of the Irish Youth Baroque Orchestra.

Claire’s research interests center on period instrument performance and pedagogy, combining technical mastery with expressive interpretation. She has premiered compositions by contemporary composers including Karen Power and Eoghan Desmond, further enriching the baroque music canon.