Clarke Alonzi

I discovered my love of the violin as a child in a very unlikely circumstance. I was watching a cartoon on the TV as a child. One of the main characters was learning to play the violin. I thought “I’d like to do that.” and then I began my journey as a musician. I began modern violin lessons at the age of seven in Scotland, UK, with various teachers. Later, I was accepted into Guildhall School of Music & Drama, London in 2009 as a Junior student. During this time I was lucky enough to be taught by Professor Mark Knight and was awarded the first Guildhall Violin Scholarship Prize. During my time as a junior at Guildhall, I performed multiple times as a soloist, chamber musician and orchestral musician in venues such as the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, the Barbican Centre and the Southbank. From Guildhall, I went to the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in my home city of Cardiff, to begin my Bachelor of Music on modern violin. After completing year one, I went on to finish my degree at The Royal Birmingham Conservatoire with Simon Smith. During my time at Birmingham I performed multiple times as a soloist, chamber musician and orchestral player. During the final year at Birmingham I went to Italy on an Erasmus exchange on baroque violin in the Bruno Maderna conservatoire. After the exchange I transferred and became a full-time student on a degree on baroque violin in the Bruno Maderna Conservatoire Cesena, Italy, with Luca Giardini, where I also received tuition on the harpsichord with Carmen Leoni and Roberta Pari. During my time in Italy, I performed multiple times in various venues as a soloist, chamber musician, session player, orchestral player and harpsichordist. In my spare time I also enjoy composing. I have been composing since I was 7 years old. I also play the piano. Aside from my classical musical activities, I have a great interest in music from around the world from Mongolian throat singing to Sami joik from Norway, Finland, Sweden and North Russia. I play jazz, klezmer, rock and some pop. I am very keen on fitness and health, mental and physical. I also have a keen interest in music technology. I was in charge of lighting in a 2019 production of Verdi’s La Traviata. Nowadays, as well as regular concerts, I am working with dementia charities in South Wales, working closely alongside multiple organisations who specialise in building communities and making connections, including the Hafod charity. I have extensive teaching experience, teaching all ages from children to seniors. Study History: Private violin tuition (2003 - 2006) Junior student RWCMD, Cardiff (2006 - 2009) Junior student Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London (September 2009 - July 2014) Enrico Onofri Summer Masterclasses (2014 - 2018) Bachelor of Music Degree: (Year 1) Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, Cardiff (September 2014 - 2015), Masterclasses on baroque violin with Rachel Podger (2015), Enrico Gatti (2018) and Amendine Beyer (2019) Private violin studies with Professor Mark Knight in Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London [September 2015 - July 2016) Bachelor of Music Degree Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, Birmingham (September 2016 - 18) Bruno Maderna Conservatoire (2018 – 2022) Performances Highlights: Junior Guildhall Symphony Orchestra co-principle, Junior Guildhall String Ensemble (Principle violin, co-leader and section 1st and principle 2nd violins and viola) st Chamber music groups (1 and 2nd violin and viola) Cardiff Philharmonic Orchestra Portuguese Youth Orchestra (Principle Violin and 1st violin sectional) San Leo String Ensemble (soloist on baroque violin) RWCMD Symphony Orchestra Badinerie baroque ensemble Collaboration orchestra in Discover Dudamel project with Gustavo Dudamel Cardiff Chamber Orchestra (1st violin sectional and leader) Leader of the second violin section in an orchestral project in France, 2018 Roath Chamber Orchestra Principle second violin in Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro in Birmingham, 2017 Solo recital at Friends Meeting House, Birmingham. Numerous performances in baroque ensembles during the degree course on baroque violin in Bruno Maderna Conservatoire from 2018-2022 During my years at Guildhall I was leader of the String Ensemble and co-leader of the Symphony Orchestra and had the privilege of performing in many venues all over London with the String Ensemble in venues such as Charlton House and the St. Martin In The Fields. I have also participated in several workshops with Gustavo Dudamel in the Barbican and LSO St. Lukes in London. I was privileged to lead the Guildhall String Ensemble at the 75th birthday celebration of Philip Glass in The Barbican Centre, London. I performed Summer from Vivaldi’s Four Seasons in St Martin in the Fields, London as the solo violin. I played solo violin in a performance of Vivaldi's La Stravaganza in Italy at the Accademia Filharmonica in Bologna in 2015. I have also participated in masterclasses with Pamela Frank, Diana Cummings, Enrico Onofri and Luca Giardini. I was leader of the second violin section in a project in France in November 2018, playing mostly the music of Georg Fredric Handel. I performed solo baroque violin in a performance of Vivaldi’s Winter, La Stravaganza no. 1 and Concerto for 2 violins and 2 cellos in D major RV564 in Cesena, Italy in December of 2019. My graduation performance in the Bruno Maderna Conservatoire was of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons in its entirety as solo violin and director. I have played in 3 concerts in Cardiff and Bristol with the Camanae de Cymru ensemble. I play regularly for the Llantwit Major Dementia Cafe charity. I play in Open Mic Nights in various venues.