What I offer
VOICEWORK
Vocalist and bands: Lead & solo work; female vocal trio bookings, gigs and workshops; Latin duos, trios or full band bookings; collaborations; recording sessions; BV’s
Styles: Contemporary, jazz, Latino, folk
WORKSHOP FACILITATOR
Voiceworks, body percussion & improvisation
Choirs - guest director
Children’s singing workshops
Orisha Music & the Healing Power of Singing - song cycles, drone circles, chants for mind, body & spirit
EVENT/ TOUR MANAGER & TRAINER
Event & Tour Management - Design, Operations, Assessment and Compliance
Tour Leader Trainer - Training for Tour Leaders, Sustainability, and Responsible Travel.
Experienced Presenter & Educator
After exploring a variety of singing genres, Clarita's travels to Mexico and Central America in her late teens forged a deep connection to Latin American music and dance. For over two decades, as a fluent Spanish speaker, Clarita has immersed herself in the region's musical cultures, particularly in Cuba.
She has a deep understanding of Regla de Ocha (Santería), the Afro-Cuban spiritual practice that connects with the natural elements. She has studied music and dance with Cutumba Folklorico Dance Company, one of Cuba's oldest and most respected ensembles. Between annual trips to Cuba, she has performed and recorded with various bands in Australia, including The Third Voice, Son Veneno, Jose Prates Big Band, Sandunga, Errol Renaud & Caribbean Soul, Charanga Libre, and, for nearly 2 decades, with the a cappella group BLINDMAN'S HOLIDAY, touring nationally and internationally.
Clarita's life has been a journey between singing, dancing, and playing instruments. In her teens, singing came to the fore as she honed her skills in harmony groups, musicals, and with ska and reggae bands in Sydney venues, even before she was old enough to enter a pub, and in a brief band collaboration with Tim Freedman. After travelling to Japan as an exchange student at 15, her early world travels followed a musical path from classical singing studies in India to performing Indian songs with her harmonium on the streets of Japan, eventually leading to Latin America.
Beyond the creative arts, Clarita studied Event & Tour Management and worked on events around Australia with the City of Sydney, the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority, and International World Youth Day. Previously, she had worked in the UK & Europe at Nyon Jazz Music Festival, Montreux Jazz Festival, Glastonbury Festival, and Basel World Music Festival.
She studied Training and Development and worked in Music Education with Musica Viva and the Smith Family Life Long Learning Program for the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.
Her methodology centres on inclusive collective harmony, active listening, and sustainable tourism that directly honours and compensates regional master musicians. Every expedition and workshop Clarita designs rests on three interconnected pillars of vocal discovery and community respect.
NOMINATED FOR AN AUSTRALIAN WOMEN MUSIC AWARD 2025
The Third Voice
VOCAL TRIO
The Third Voice trio consists of three talented female vocalists - Clarita Derwent, Gemma Turner, and Christina Mimmocchi. Each member is an experienced soloist in their own right, who first met early in their careers in the popular group Blindman's Holiday. They all share a passion for well-written songs, harmonious voices, and music that engages both the body and the mind. In The Third Voice, they collaborate to create original songs and curate material from a variety of sources that they love. They arrange these songs as a cappella pieces or add new elements with guitar, live-looping, concertina, cello, and percussion.
BRAZILIAN & CUBAN LATIN JAZZ
A dynamic collaboration that brings together some of Sydney’s most talented Latin musicians, led by the stunning Clarita, known for her smooth Brazilian tone (José Prates Big Band) and powerful Latin vocals (Charanga Libre, Sandunga, and Son Veneno), an accomplished singer for over 30 years. The band is led by the exceptionally talented multi-instrumentalist Amaru (Milan Ring, Thundamentals, Lime Cordiale, Ziggy Ramo), whose Ecuadorian roots, Cuban schooling, and Sydney Uni jazz degree take the sound to new heights through his mastery of keys and trumpet. Finally, congas, cajon, percussion and saxophone complete this Latin group’s eclectic conjunto sound.
Siakara means “moving forward with good intentions & to wash away the past”
This is a musical journey you don’t want to miss!
Love In Transmission VOL 25
Playing in the folds of poetry, film, music and art, Vessels of Love 2025 maps the complex emotional geography of transnational identity across its shifting modes. Through cross-cultural connections and movements between love and home, our curation charts our artists' lived experiences and how they navigate the worlds through which they move. Within this, the program celebrates the artist's integral role as keeper, conduit, and communicator of cultural and familial memory.
WATCH - Clarita Derwent - ENTRE DOS LUGARES (BETWEEN TWO PLACES)
When she embarked on a trip to India at 19 to study Indian classical singing, Clarita had no idea that in Latin America she would find a sense of home and a deep connection to traditional music, dance, and culture. For three decades, Clarita has immersed herself in the music and traditions of Latin America, particularly with Cuba. She has studied music and dance with Cutumba Folklorico Dance Company, one of Cuba's oldest and most respected ensembles and has a profound understanding of Lucumí (Santería), the Afro-Cuban spiritual practice that involves a connection with the natural elements.
Experience upcoming vocal immersion tours in Cuba and Latin America, or participate in transformative choir leader workshops.