Biography

Rachel Clement studied composition with John Rimmer and John Elmsly at the University of Auckland, graduating with a Bachelor of Music with honours in 1995 and a Master of Music (composition) with distinction in 1997. She has worked extensively as a composition tutor in secondary schools in both Auckland and Christchurch and in 1998 held the position of Composer in Schools for the Auckland area. Her children’s opera ‘Jam’ (funded by Creative NZ) with libretto by Margaret Mahy, was performed in 2002 by Canterbury Opera Youth and was selected to feature as part of the 2002 Wild Opera project. Rachel has composed for some of New Zealand’s most significant contemporary performers and groups, including 175 East and Stroma. She was the recipient of the 2001 Trust Fund Award from the Composers’ Association of New Zealand and has been a South Island representative on the CANZ committee since this time.

She has lectured part-time in Composition at the University of Canterbury, managed the library of the Christchurch Symphony, and worked as the National Secondary Schools Arts Co-ordinator for Music (on behalf of the Music Educators of NZ, Aotearoa) under contract to the Ministry of Education. In 2005 and 2006 she held the position of Mozart Fellow at the University of Otago in Dunedin, and she is currently living in Christchurch.

• Works (13)
• Awards (4)