Among his teachers were George Laughlin, Eric Rollinson, Kenneth Ross, Healey Willan, and S. Drummond Wolff.
From 1957–58, he conducted the St. Catharines Civic Orchestra (now the Niagara Symphony Orchestra), before moving to Kingston and taking up the role of organist-choirmaster at Sydenham Street United Church, a role he served from 1958 until his retirement, after which he served as Organist Emeritus.
Clarke's better-known compositions include "Bel and the Dragon" (1954), "Sing a New Song to the Lord" (1960), "Psalm 145" (1966), which won the 1967 CBC prize for choral music, "Festival Te Deum" (1972), and "Reginae" (1991).
His was commissioned to write "Saugeenia" performed by the Georgian Bay Symphony and the Centennial Singers in 1981.
[2] Clarke also chaired the committee that produced The Hymn Book (1971) shared by the Anglican Church of Canada and the United Church of Canada, contributing several hymn tunes (including Concrete, Sydenham Street, Causa Divina, Tradition, Kingston, Orbis Terrarum and A Blessing) and arrangements.