British/Irish conductor Olivia Clarke is the current English National Opera Mackerras Fellow. The two-year bespoke conducting fellowship is supported by the Philip Loubser Foundation and mentored by ENO’s Music Director Martyn Brabbins. She recently conducted Finish this!, an educational project for ENO Baylis, and worked as Assistant Conductor to Martyn Brabbins for La Bohème. Coming out of the British lockdown she conducted the Southbank Sinfonia in one of the first concerts with an audience at St. John Smith's Square. Next to her assistant work at the English National Opera she is working as cover conductor for Glyndebourne’s new Fidelio production on their Autumn tour in the 2021/22 season.
A recipient of the DAAD (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst) scholarship for her conducting studies, Olivia Clarke trained at the International Conducting Academy Berlin, Universität der Künste, graduating in 2020. During her studies she conducted concerts with the Neubrandenburger Philharmonie, Hradec Králové Philharmonie, Magdeburgische Philharmonie, and Brandenburger Symphoniker who reinvited her immediately. She jumped in at the Nordharzerstädtebundtheater to conduct Léhar's Der Zarewitsch and has worked with Errico Fresis for l’heure espagnole, Angélique, la voix humaine performed at Unit Theater, Universität der Künste.
From 2018-2019 Olivia Clarke held the position of principal conductor of the semi-professional Orchester Benjamin Franklin Berlin, with whom she was praised for her innovative programming. She also conducted in masterclasses with the Deutsche Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Bochum Symphoniker, Komische Oper Berlin and the Kammerakademie Potsdam.
Before moving to Berlin, Olivia Clarke completed her Masters in singing at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. Clarke is an Associate of the Royal College of Organists and completed her Bachelors in Music with an Organ Scholarship at the Queen's College, University of Oxford. Passionate about environmental preservation, Olivia Clarke practises a vegan lifestyle and lives with her rescue dog Lucy in London.
Olivia is represented worldwide by Keynote Artist Management.