Artist Biography

Catherine McCorkill: Clarinettist

Originally from Perth, WA, Catherine began clarinet lessons with Duncan Abercromby and Jack Harrison. She graduated with the Performance Prize from the Canberra School of Music, studying with Donald Westlake, after which she received a 1984/5 Churchill Fellowship to study in Europe & the USA with Hans Deinzer, Anthony Pay, John McCaw, Guy Deplus and Elsa Ludewig-Verdehr.

In 1985 Catherine became principal clarinettist in the Queensland Philharmonic Orchestra, subsequently taking up positions at the WA Conservatorium of Music as a member of Ensemble Vasse, and at the Victorian College of the Arts, before joining the Australia Ensemble in 1995.

Catherine has performed as a soloist with the Australian Chamber Orchestra and most of the Australian Symphony Orchestras. Principal clarinettist with the ACO since 1994, she has also appeared as guest principal with the Melbourne, Sydney and WA Symphony Orchestras. She performs regularly at major Australian chamber music festivals, including Huntington and the Australian Festival of Chamber Music. During 2005 Catherine began teaching and performing at the Australian National Academy of Music in Melbourne.

Her CD recording with her colleagues in the Australia Ensemble of the clarinet quintets of Mozart and Brahms was highly acclaimed in ABC 24 Hours magazine.

www.ae.unsw.edu.au/profiles/CatherineMcCorkill.html
www.mva.org.au/2004/touring/performer.asp?id=167

see the list of Four Winds Festival 2012 artists

see a list of artists that have performed at previous Four Winds Festivals