Profile

Andrea Clearfield's compositions for orchestra, chorus, instrumental and vocal soloists, mixed chamber ensembles, and dance are performed internationally at venues such as Merkin Hall, Disney Hall, Jordan Hall, Royce Hall, the Kimmel Center, the Curtis Institute of Music, Juillard, Theurmer Sall in Bochum, Germany, Festival of Women Composers International, International Horn Symposium in Beiging, Conservatoire de Musique in Luxembourg, Norges Musikkhogskole in Norway, Svenska Hornsallskapet in Sweden, Cologne Chamber Music Series, Teatro Maddalene in Padona, International Tanzwochen in Dresden, International Performance Art Symposium in Kyoto, Live Arts Festival in Philadelphia, Mersinio Arts Centre in Cyprus, South Bay Chamber Music Society, the International Double Reed Convention, the International Double Bass Convention and the Sarasota, Norfolk, Banff, Bowling Green, Kiowee and Aspen Music Festivals. 

She has been awarded residencies at Yaddo where she was the recipient of the Aaron Copland Residency for an American Composer, the MacDowell Colony, Blue Mountain Center, Ucross Foundation, Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, Ragdale, Banff Centre, Tyrone Guthrie Centre, Millay, I-Park, the Kimmel-Harding-Nelson Center for the Arts and the Helene Wurltizer Foundation. The Philadelphia Inquirer has praised her "compositional wizardry," 'virtuosity" and "mastery with large choral and instrumental forces."

Dr. Clearfield has received numerous grants and awards from organizations including the NEA, ASCAP, the Leeway Foundation, the American Music Center, the American Composers Forum, the Independence Foundation, the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, and the International Alliance for Women in Music.

A commission from the Philadelphia Orchestra for spoken word, chorus and orchestra premiered  in July 2008 and "Dream Variations," a cantata to poetry by Langston Hughes commissioned by the Debussy Trio, premiered with the Los Angeles Master Chorale at Disney Hall in Los Angeles in  February 2009. "Fire and Ice," an hour-long cantata to the poetry of Robert Frost commissioned by the Handel Society of Dartmouth College in celebration of their 200 Year Anniversary, was premiered in May 2007 at the Hopkins Center at Dartmouth College with David Arnold, baritone, Beth Keutsch, soprano, Robert Duff Music Director. Her "Violin Concerto, Romanza" was commissioned and premiered by Orchestra 2001 with soloist Gloria Justen in April2007. Her cantata, "The Golem Psalms," to texts by Ellen Frankel, commissioned and premiered by the Mendelssohn Club with Sanford Sylvan, baritone, and the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, was premiered in Philadelphia. Her hour-long cantata on breast cancer, "The Long Bright," commissioned by David Wolman who wrote the poems, was premiered at the Kimmel Center in 2004 with soprano Hila Plitmann, the Temple University Music Prep Children's Chorus and Orchestra 2001. The River of God, commissioned by the American Guild of Organists for chorus and organ, was premiered at the inaugural ceremony for the new organ at Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church, Pa., and the West Coast premiere took place at Disney Hall with the LA Master Chorale, 2006. Her "Concertino for Marimba and String Orchestra" was premiered in 2005 by the Philadelphia Classical Symphony and her cantata, "The Rim of Love," commissioned by Astral was premiered at the Kimmel Center, Philadelphia in 2006 with Disella Larusdottir and the Handdonfield Symphony, Rossen Milanov, Music Director. Her oratorio, "Women of Valor" was premiered at Royce Hall, LA in 2000, and excerpts were broadcast nationally on NPR's "All Things Considered."

In 1998, Dr. Clearfield received an award from the American Composers Forum for Outstanding Achievement. She was awarded the 2005 Theodore Front Prize for Orchestral Music from the International Alliance for Women in Music for "The Long Bright," and the 1996 Nancy Van De Vate Prize for Orchestral works for her cantata to poetry by Maya Angelou, "On the Pulse of Morning." Her works are published by Oxford University Press, Jomar Press and International Opus and have been recorded by Sony Classics, MSR Classics, Crystal Records, 2L Norwegian Label and Centaur Records.

Dr. Clearfield has served on the music faculty at the University of the Arts since 1986. She is also the pianist in the Relâche Ensemble for Contemporary Music. She has performed and recorded with numerous ensembles in a wide range of styles, including a performance with the Court of the Dalai Lama. 

A native of Philadelphia, she received a DMA in Composition from Temple University, where she was honored as a Distinguised Alum, an M.M. in Piano from the University of the Arts and a B.A. in Music from Muhlenberg College, where she graduated with Summa Cum Lauda and Phi Beta Kappa awards.

A strong believer in creating community through music, Dr. Clearfield is also the host, producer and founder of the Philadelphia SALON Concert Series featuring contemporary, classical, jazz, electronic and world music, now celebrating its 22nd year.

aclearfield@uarts.edu