Claire Caldwell

Claire was for many years the Performing Arts Manager and Director of Choral Music at Dilworth School where she curated the next generation of musical talent. She is now expanding that kaupapa in a newly created role as director of Musicatalyst, a studio and coaching programme established to allow access to the highest level of performance and learning environments. She has been privileged to work with the country’s finest operatic talent both in the rehearsal room and on the concert platform through her work at the University of Auckland, Dame Kiri te Kanawa Foundation, Auckland Opera Studio, New Zealand Aria Competition and New Zealand Opera. This has marked her as one of the country’s most sought-after accompanists, exclusively in collaboration with singers.

Diverse career highlights include:

• Chorus Director at NZ Opera for the 2022/3 season including performances of Il Trovatore, Macbeth, Cosi fan tutte and Die tote Stadt.

• Sourcing and training a youth choir for the Aroha Nui concerts in both Auckland and Christchurch in 2019 which raised over $3 million for those affected by the Christchurch tragedy.

• Training the choir for Sol3 Mio’s arena concert in March 2021, as well as accompanying them as part of their orchestra. Her collaboration with Sol3 Mio goes back to their inception, and she features as Musical Director on their acclaimed DVD “Ladies and Gentlemen, Sol3 Mio Live”, released in 2014 by Universal Music.

• Having her students make their mark on international stages including winning the Lexus Song Quest and being selected for prestigious Young Artists programmes in London and New York, and recently making their operatic debuts at the Royal Opera House in London, The Metropolitan Opera House, Opera and Paris Opera amongst others, and in the music theatre realm in productions all around the world, notably in Miss Saigon and Hamilton.

• Providing the choir for Six60’s record-breaking stadium concert at Western Springs in 2019.

• Dilworth’s auditioned choir Fortissimo gaining a place at the New Zealand Choral Federation’s Big Sing National Finale every year since 2013.

• Training the choir for the Andrea Bocelli concert at Spark Arena in 2008.

In 2023, Claire began a collaboration with the Auckland Youth Choir as their Assistant Musical Director with David Squire at the helm. Another real passion of Claire’s is working with those who feel that singing is out of their reach, and helping them find their voice.

At Musicatalyst Studio, her focus is on musical collaboration and ensuring that the next generation of singers in Aotearoa have access to the best musical experiences and training available. The studio concerts “at home” are a way for younger singers to observe and be inspired by those who have gone before them as well as for audiences to be able to hear these glorious voices in an intimate setting.