Claire Chase

Claire Chase, described by the New York Times recently as “the North Star of her instrument’s ever-expanding universe,” is a musician, interdisciplinary artist, and educator. Passionately dedicated to the creation of new ecosystems for the music of our time, Chase has given the world premieres of hundreds of new works by a new generation of artists, and in 2013 launched the 24-year-long commissioning project Density 2036. Now in its 12th year, Density 2036 reimagines the solo flute literature over a quarter-century through commissions, performances, recordings, education, and an accessible archive at densityarts.org. Chase cofounded the International Contemporary Ensemble in 2001, was named a MacArthur Fellow in 2012, and in 2017 was awarded the Avery Fisher Prize from Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. A dedicated teacher, she is currently a professor of the practice of music at Harvard University’s Department of Music, and a creative associate at the Juilliard School. Chase served as the Richard and Barbara Debs creative chair at Carnegie Hall for the 2022–23 season and will serve as music director for the 2025 Ojai Music Festival. She lives in Brooklyn.