"Touching the Ether" for flute and piano

Ian Clarke (1964) is one of the most original and widely performed British composer-flutists of his generation, known for expanding the expressive and technical boundaries of the modern flute.
Born in Broadstairs, Kent, he studied mathematics, physics, and music at Imperial College and the Guildhall School of Music & Drama in London, where he later became Professor of Flute. Clarke’s dual background as performer and composer gives his music a distinctive blend of virtuosity, imagination, and immediacy.

His works — including Zoom Tube, The Great Train Race, Spiral Lament, The Mad Hatter, and Touching the Ether — are now performed and taught around the world. They combine extended techniques (multiphonics, microtones, percussive articulation, singing and playing, jet whistles) with lyrical phrasing and strong melodic appeal. This balance of the experimental and the expressive has made Clarke’s pieces staples of modern flute recital repertoire, bridging the worlds of contemporary art music, jazz, and rock.

Clarke’s output includes solo, flute-and-piano, and chamber works, all characterized by his ear for color and rhythm. As a performer, he has appeared at major flute conventions and festivals across Europe, North America, and Asia, where his workshops and masterclasses are praised for their clarity and creativity. Many of his scores are published by Just Flutes and IC Music, often accompanied by the composer’s own recordings that demonstrate his intended sound palette.

Deeply rooted in melody and emotion, Clarke’s music celebrates the flute as a voice capable of far more than traditional lyricism — it can groove, whisper, shout, and sing. His compositions continue to inspire a generation of flutists to explore the full expressive potential of their instrument.