Catherine Kontz (b. 1976) is a London-based composer whose works explore nonlinear form, visual/spatial elements, and musical theatricality.
Orchestral works include The Waves (Solistes Européens Luxembourg) and Fruitmarket (BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra), as well as the recent 53 minute Voix des Terres Rouges for choir and orchestra, commissioned by the Cité musicale Metz for the Orchestre national de Metz Grand Est and the choirs of INECC Mission Voix Lorraine and INECC Luxembourg as part of the European capital of Culture program for Esch2022.
Her work is performed internationally by musicians such as ensemble recherche, Exaudi, Lucilin, Shoal, Arzu & Gamze Kirtil, Monica Germino, Cathy Krier, Naomi Woo, Jenni Hogan and Rhodri Davies, to name a few. A new large-scale live promenade piece, Driwwer Drënner Drop, was performed around the bridges of Luxembourg’s old city centre by 140 young musicians as part of rainy days/Philharmonie Luxembourg 2021.
Catherine Kontz has extensively worked within the world of new opera: notable commissions and multimedia productions include Neige at Grand Théâtre de Luxembourg and The Philosophy Shop at RADA, which she composed and directed, plus regular appearances at the Tête-à-Tête opera festival. Fleet Footing, a psycho-geographical sound-walk and collaboration with S.L. Grange, was shortlisted for the Quattropole Music Prize, as was 12 HOURS, an innovative marathon for voice and electronics, created for mezzo-soprano Rosie Middleton. A new soundwalk Wou d’Uezlecht- Esch in collaboration with S.L. Grange launched in April 2022 as part of Esch2022 and is available for free in 8 languages.
Catherine Kontz was an artist-in-residence in the Department of Engineering at King’s College London in 2021. In collaboration with Zoran Cvetkovic, Professor of Signal Processing, she has been working on a collaborative project exploring the potential of audio technologies and human processes of intelligence.
Catherine Kontz first studied piano at the Conservatoire in her native Luxembourg with Michèle Ries, and later in London with John Tilbury. In 2008 she received a Doctorate in Composition from GOLDSMITHS, supervised by Roger Redgate. Her research related Deleuzian theory to mime opera, the cinema of David Lynch, and the Japanese art of Kabuki and culminated with the creation of the groundbreaking music theatre work, MiE, which enjoyed a run of six sold out London performances.
She can also be seen co-fronting avant-pop band French For Cartridge and is one half of experimental duo une cartouche. She has performed with many bands over the years, including Mika Sellens, The Wedding Present, Kawakawa, Icons of Elegance, Quinta, and Woodchuck. She likes bright colours, bold clashes, a bit of dissonance and looks to catch a few beautiful moments on her way.
She is the artistic director of the rainy days festival, the contemporary music festival at Philharmonie Luxembourg.
She is Professor of Composition at Royal College of London.
