COURTENAY CLEARY
concert violinist
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Courtenay is fast becoming one of Australia’s brightest young soloists, who burst onto the world stage with her solo performance at Westminster Abbey for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, which was broadcast live on BBC television. She has appeared as a soloist at other prestigious venues including Wigmore Hall, Buckingham Palace, Colston Hall, The Regent Hall and The Lincoln Centre. Courtenay recently completed her Master of Music Degree at The Juilliard School in New York.
“Cleary’s playing of this extremely demanding and virtuoso piece [Beethoven’s Violin Concerto] was ravishing at times soaring like an aria , other times wistful ,shimmering and delicate. Her playing was finely nuanced balancing an imposing fullness of tone with feather like softness. ”
“Her left hand danced up and down the fingerboard. Her performance was powerful and subtle, with her vibrant tone filling the concert hall.”
“The playing by Cleary and Raineri was so empathetic to the style of the composer’s writing, it sparked in my mind’s eye vivid images of a ship sailing on a smooth, gently swelling ocean in the first movement, lively village dances with respite in between in the second, and a delightful lightness and airiness to the lively melodies in the last.”
