Claire Cowan

Claire Cowan is a New Zealand musician, composer and orchestrator, working across television, film, ballet and chamber music. In 2024 she was awarded the status of Arts Laureate by the Arts Foundation of New Zealand.

Education

Cowan completed an honours degree in composition at the University of Auckland.

Career Cowan became the first New Zealand woman composer to score a full-length ballet, when she adapted Hansel and Gretel for the Royal New Zealand Ballet in 2019. She also composed Cinderella for the RNZB and Possum Magic for the Australian Ballet School.

Cowan has orchestrated work for a number of popular musicians, including Benee, Tami Neilson and Dave Dobbyn.

Critical assessments Cowan has been described as "one of New Zealand's most prolific composers".

Honours and awards In 2024 Cowan was awarded the Joanna Hickman, Waiwetu Trust Award, making her one of the Arts Foundation's Arts Laureates. She was awarded a Performing Arts Network Aotearoa New Zealand (PANNZ) FAME Mid-Career Award in 2024.