Rowan Meade is a masters graduate in performance clarinet with highest honours from the Sibelius Academy of Music in Helsinki, Finland.

 

During his education Rowan studied with clarinetists such as Asko Heiskanen, Olli Leppäniemi and Harri Mäki. He has been frequently invited to play with orchestras such as the Finnish Radio Symphony Conductors Orchestra and Sibelius Academy Symphony, and since his return home to New Zealand he has performed with orchestras such as the New Zealand Symphony and Auckland Philharmonia.

 

Rowan has taught clarinet at the University of Waikato, and has had a successful teaching studio in Auckland for the past decade. He has tutored multiple chamber music groups to win prizes in the National Finals of the New Zealand Secondary Schools Chamber Music Contest, and was also an adjudicator for the competition in 2023. He has also had students win the Auckland Youth Orchestra Concerto Competition, and many school music competitions.

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Rowan is an active chamber musician having won a number of competitions including the Auckland Chamber Music Competition, and has traveled around Scandinavia touring with the chamber music group Marinis Quintet. He has also toured New Zealand with Trio Éclat as part of Chamber Music New Zealand's Encompass Tour. Rowan has performed as a concerto soloist with orchestras such as the Hawkes Bay Orchestra, Auckland Youth Orchestra and the Waitakere Orchestra.

 

As an enthusiastic contemporary music performer, Rowan has won the Lilburn Composition Competition Performance Prize. He has been part of many collaboration projects with New Zealand composers, and this will be a particular focus in his performing schedule over the coming year.

 

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