I muse and compose alone, usually listening to birdsong and, frequently, to lovely people tearing up our street for what must be the 105th time since we’ve moved to this house. It seems they keep forgetting something. Really, they could just leave it open - I wouldn’t mind. The sort of patchwork patterns they leave behind are not necessarily a prettier sight. And you have to really watch where you put your foot when wearing high heels. But I’m getting side-tracked here. .. yes,
now for performing, there is Cartridge, theee band. That’s with Henri Vaxby and a very nice bass player and super drummer that we’re on the look-out for. We’re super-hunting so with a bit of luck you’ll see us in action in a month or so.
Occasionally I also perform experimental improvisations with Henri. We’ve done quite a few of these over the last years, and we now go under the name of ’une cartouche’. We perform nights such as Interlace, Happenings and other free new music gatherings in galleries and churches and such places that can bear the sound of experiments. Anyway, it’s often grand piano stuff (because I do lots inside...) and electric guitar and noise things. The only rule we have is to try not to bow too many things :-)
I also play with Mika Sellens from time to time when she needs the warmth of my Wurlitzer to envelop the room.
Ahhh, I used to be in Woodchuck. Good old woodchuck. It was fun while it lasted. Especially the video filming in the morgue. Hmmm, yeah, the smell of chopping, eh, wood?Aww.. I have to stop watching so much CSI things. Really the best one is the Grissom one. Horatio is a little to sleazy for me. A lot actually. The shades are good though. And New York, they are just charmless. I don’t even know what they are called. And everything’s white. Get some colour in your film, people!
I think that’s all the regular ’ensembles’ I play in. For the irregular stuff check out the blogs and bulletins on here as well as my website.
Influences
Alessandro Baricco -
Hayao Miyazaki -
Japanese Kabuki theatre -
David Lynch -
Gilles Deleuze -
La Grande Vadrouille (the best film ever ever ever) -
sea sounds and smells -
Tim Burton -
11 o'clock tea (it helps me think like Mma Ramotswe) -
Mathematics -
dEUS -
Charlies Angels -
John Tilbury -
Seagulls and Bugs-
Murder She Wrote
Ben Folds -
Jigsaw Puzzles -
Maxence Fermine -
côte d'or chocolate -
Irregular Choice shoes
Sounds Like
Here are a few songs by my band Cartridge. For my other stuff refer to the myspace player.
Hi! I'm a composer, writing and collaborating with musicians and visual artists in London and sometimes abroad. I have recently written music for Henri Vaxby, Rhodri Davies, BJ Cole and Kate Ryder and collaborated with designer Ellan Parry (MiE, Neige, Electra, Slamon Stories, Dead-Eye PArry and the Blindfold Cat) and animator Ebba Erikzon (The Wound). Also, as part of my PhD in Composition at Goldsmiths College I produced and directed my new large-scale music theatre work (MiE) at the Space in November 2006 for a set of six sold-out perfromances. MiE is written for 8 mimes/acrobats and 39 musicians and also features a glass harmonica. A DVD of the show is now available from this site.
I have also been commissioned by the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival, Rational Rec, CNA Dudelange/Luxembourg and by the Banque centrale de Luxembourg.
I have studies the piano with John Tilbury and Michele Ries and the cello with Ivan Andrews. I regularly perform within the contemporary music and free improvisation scene with appearances at Interlace(www.incalcando.com/interlace), the Music We'd Like To Hear concert series, Cafe Oto, Happenings, 'Assembly' Cornelia St Cafe NYC, Seeds&Bridges/Hull among others. When this happens alongside French For Cartridge guitarist Henri Vaxby, we call ourselves 'une cartouche'.
I also record and perform regularly with my experimental rock band French For Cartridge and our first cArtridge record 'Cases' came out in 2006 and is available from Rough Trade shops and from our website www.cartridgetheband.com and on www.myspace.com/frenchforcartridge. The folow-up will be out in September 2009.
I occasionally also record and perform with Icons of Elegance (www.iconsofelegance.com) especially when they do gigs in the UK, and I play now and again with Mika Sellens (www.mikasellens.com). I was a member of Woodchuck (www.myspace.com/thewoodchuckband) from 2001 til the end and I have done sessions for the Wedding Present and AG Dolla.
For more information please contact me or have a look at my website www.catherinekontz.com
Also, you can now buy a DVD of my music theatre production MiE, filmed at the Space/London in November 2006 here:
DVD: MiE - live at the Space - featuring Alasdair Malloy on glassharmonica, conducted by Emily Wilkins - (Catherine Kontz Productions - DVD0107 - released 24/09/07) - £10 (£1.50 postage)
Hi Catherine, thanks for the friendship, it's a pleasure having you among my friends. My best compliments for your music! I wish you freat success in all your pursue. Greetings from Italy. Federico Martello
avec / with : Carbonic, Ray Rumours, John Trap (solo), Gregaldur, Kate Fletcher, Christophe Petchanatz / Klimperei, OoTiskulf, G.W. Sok, GaBLé, Alice, Bacanal Intruder… and a lot of musical toys…..
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Hi Catherine Kontz, 'appy new year! Our debut album 'Hope Is Not Enough' has been nominated for the XFM New Music Award 2009. If you like it please click on the banner to vote for us. Thanks! Sam & rtP p.s. Come and see us play tomorrow Friday 16th Jan at Bush Hall, 310 Uxbridge Rd, W12 7LJ. On stage 9:30pm.
hey! your harp piece (tea ceremony) was an absolute joy :) I loved every second and every aspect, the score, the concept, the sound, the choreography, the chance, the atmosphere - it ticked every box :) wonderful :)
mat :) x hope your 2009 is as exciting as you want it to be :)
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