Spotlight On Claire Cope: Orchestrating Stories of Brave Women
Today, the Spotlight shines On Claire Cope. This British composer crafts music that combines the freedom of jazz with the precision of classical music, drawing inspiration from women whose stories are often overlooked in history books.
Caire’s new album Every Journey dropped in March to coincide with International Women's Day. On it, she expanded her original septet to an 11-piece band, giving her more colors to paint with as she tells stories of female explorers and their brave first steps.
Claire’s writing has been described as “beautiful and reflective,” earning praise for how she creates space for each musician to shine within these rich musical landscapes.
(The musical excerpts heard in the interview are from Ensemble C’s album Every Journey)
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Dig Deeper
• Visit Claire Cope's official website at clairecopemusic.com
• Listen to Claire Cope's Ensemble C on Bandcamp, Qobuz, and your streaming platform of choice
• Claire's new album Every Journey was released on March 7, 2025 via Adhyâropa Records
• Listen to Michael Brecker's "Wide Angles" album that influenced Claire's approach to ensemble composition
• Follow vocalist Brigitte Beraha, a key collaborator in Ensemble C
• Listen to tenor saxophonist Matt Carmichael's "Dancing with Embers" album that Claire recommends
• Explore composer Mark-Anthony Turnage's "Blood on the Floor", which combines classical and jazz elements
• Dig into this episode's complete show notes at spotlightonpodcast.com
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