Zana Clarke facts for kids
Zana Clarke is an Australian composer, born on October 13, 1965. She started playing music at a young age. When she was 12, she joined youth orchestras. She studied the recorder with Ruth Wilkinson and Hans Dieter Michatz. She also learned to play the violin with Anne Martoni and Marco Van Pagge. Zana went to Melbourne University. There, she earned degrees in Latin, Classics, and Music.
A Move to Armidale and Teaching Music
In 1991, Zana Clarke moved to Armidale, a town in New South Wales, Australia. She completed a teaching degree there. Zana then taught violin and recorder in her own music studio. She also gave lectures at the University of New England.
Zana loved working with young musicians. She created a youth recorder group called Batalla Famossa. She also performed with two other music groups: Weird Sisters from 1991 to 1997, and Cantigas starting in 1995. With these groups, she recorded several music albums.
Orpheus Music: Helping Composers
Zana Clarke became the first director of a company called Orpheus Music. This company helps new Australian composers. Orpheus Music has a "Young Composer Series." This series publishes music written by young artists. The company also asks Australian composers to create new pieces, especially for the recorder, and then publishes their work.
Zana's Musical Creations
Zana Clarke mainly writes music for the recorder. Her music often includes sounds from the Middle Ages and the Middle East. She also uses special techniques, like "vocalized recorder." This is when the player makes vocal sounds while playing the instrument.
Here are some of her musical pieces:
- Dreams Inside the Air Tunnel
- Aerial View of the Boarder Bridge (for vocalized recorder)
- Cold Honey (for a solo tenor recorder)
- Mind your Step (for two guitars)
