Born in Lancashire Claire Ormshaw initially studied with Lesley Thompson, and then with Honor Sheppard at the Royal Northern College. She went on to study at the NOS 2002-2003. Claire was awarded the 2005 Sir John Christie Prize from Glyndebourne.

She joined the Glyndebourne Chorus in 2002. Since then she has performed Barbarina Le nozze di Figaro and Papagena Die Zauberflöte (Glyndebourne Festival). Other engagements include Papagena (Buxton Festival); Despina Così fan tutte, Fire L’Enfant et les sortilèges Nannetta Falstaff (RNCM); Barbarina (ENO); Ines Il trovatore (Stowe Opera); Norina Don Pasquale (Mananan Festival); Dalinda Ariodante (ETO), and Amor Orfeo ed Euridice (Opera North).

Recent oratorio work has included Handel’s Messiah, Dixit Dominus, Judas Maccabaeus; Rossini's Petite Messe Solenelle; Faure's Requiem, Orff's Carmina Burana and Mozart's Requiem.

Recent engagements include Papagena (the Opera de Paris Bastille and Glyndebourne Festival Opera); Handel’s Samson/Delilah (2005 London Handel Festival); Clorinda La Cenerentola (Glyndebourne); Tina in Jonathan Doves’ opera Flight (2006 Adelaide Festival); Lauretta Betrothal in a Monastery and covers of Despina Cosi fan Tutte and Louisa Betrothal (Glyndebourne Festival Opera); Despina Cosi fan Tutte (Glyndebourne On Tour); Nannetta Falstaff (Grange Park Opera) and Blonde Entfuhrung (Frankfurt Opera).