Composer
OVERVIEW
Cat Hope has developed a very unique style of composition, which has culminated in sweeping hour long soundscapes for dance productions as well as songwriting, radiophonic works, notated and improvisational scores. She has developed a unique style of semi improvised composition that employs electronic instruments such as MaxMSP, turntables and radio. Productions featuring soundscapes by her have toured extensively, and her compositions are published and recorded on labels in Europe, America and Japan.
Scroll down for a list of commissions. A list of works can be viewed and downlaoded here. December 2010 saw the first commercial release of her compositions for Decibel, available on hellosquare.
After 5 years as Head of Composition at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, Cat took up a Post Doctral Research Fellowship at WAAPA in 2011.
STYLE
Cat’s compositional style is rooted in electronics whilst almost always makes use of acoustic instruments in someway.
EXPERIENCE
As well as working as a composer and sound artst, she was songwriter and singer for her group GATA NEGRA from 1997 – 2007. She has been commissioned to write music for film (winning the Pandora’s Box Film Festival Best Score award in 2000), dance, theatre and pure music works. She is also an accomplished solo improviser on the bass guitar, reknown for her use and experimentation with of bass feedback and distortion manipulation.
Select Composition Commissions received
2011 Chunk for grand piano and disklavier.
2011 Cruel and Usual for string Quartet and 4 bass amps and Max MSP. Commissioned by the Atticus String Quartet. See the score here.
2011 Longing, for five sustaining instruments. Commissioned by Decibel. See the score (with sound added as a guide) here
2010 Kuklinski’s Dream for 3 carving knives, three instruments, MaxMSP (with Max Score reader). Commissioned by Golden Fur. See and hear a version of it here.
2010 The Possible Stories of Harry Power for alto flute, bass clarinet, laptop, AM radio and MaxMSP (2010). See an example of one possible score here
2010 Empire, for two theramins, two shoe throwers and electonics.
2009/2010 Wolf at Harp for 4 drum kits (indie rock, jazz, death metal and classical percussion) (with Max Score reader).Commissioned by Mona Foma. See the score with a sample recording here.
2009 In the Cut for violin, cello, bass clarinet, bass guitar and turntable.See the score with a sample recording here.
For Dance and Theatre
2010 The Trial. Music for the Berkoff adaptation of Kafka’s classic, Directed by Micheal Jenn. Hear a sample here
2008 Mountains Never Meet, for whilster and percussion. Commissioned by Martin Del Amo.
2005 Women in Transit for electronics. Commissioned by Rakini, The Performance SPace, Sydney.
2002 The Other Woman,for drum solo. Black Swan Theatre, WA
2001 Savage Grace, for flute, bass and voice. Steamworks Theatre Productions
2001 Claustrophobia, for bass, cello and drums. Perth Fringe Festival, WA
2000 No Mans Land, Company Loaded, PICA
t1999 REM, Rakini, in PICA’s DANCERS ARE SPACE EATERS festival
1999 Mindimi, Rakini, PICA season
1998 The Virtual Goddess for RAKINI, PICA and eastern states tour (live)
1998 The Velvet Palace (as director, voice, flute – live)PICA season
1997 Zenana , Kalika Dance Co, Artrage Festival, WA
1997 Cuore Elletrico, Danielle Agosta COMPANY, Italy
1992 Suttee , Rakini, Artrage Festival (live)
Select Installation Commissions received
2010 Music for Kate McMillan installation, Islands of Incarcertion, Biennale of Sydney, Cakatoo Island.
2009 Tremor, RMIT Project Space, Melbourne.
2008 Music for Kate McMillan installation, Lost, John Curtin Gallery, WA
2005 Plug, sound installation at Totally Huge New Music Festival, Moores Gallery WA
2005 Phonebox, Liquid Architecture Festival of Sound Arts, RMIT, Melbounre, VIC
2005 Vouyeuages, National Review of Live Art, Midland WA
2005 Pickpocket, Perth International Arts Festival, John Curtin Gallery WA
2004 Homefear, n ew Directions new Media Arts Festival, SIngapore
2003 In/e/gress, National Review of Live Art, with cAVity Midland WA
2003 Surface Paradise, Geraldton Regional Art Gallery with local artists, WA
2003 Rumble, Greenough village, with cAVity, Greenough, WA
2002 Jackie Hush , sound installation,San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, USA
Aug 2002 Drive, Artrage Festival, with K Ford, WA
Jun 2001 Fetish, Below the surface: Contemporary Australian Moving Imagery @ C.A.S.T, Tasmania
Residencies
2006 Theatreworks, Singapore, Asialink Performing Arts Residency
Feb 2006 Transit Lounge, Berlin, Germany
Oct 2004 Titanik, Turku, Finland
Nov 2004 La Salle Coollege for the Arts, Singapore
Nov 2003 Geraldton, WA
Oct 2003 TIME_PLACE_SPACE, Wagga Wagga NSW
Sep 2003 Katanning, WA
Aug 2003 cAVity at PICA
July 2003 cAVity at Greenough, WA
Video/Film
2004 FQS (4’30”) – commissioned by FQS
2003 Homefear (13’00”) – commissioned by Tura New Music
2002 Once Upon A Time (3’23”)
2001 Close (4’03”)
2000 Fetish (4’55”)
Songwriting
1999 – 2006 Songwriter for Gata Negra, 3 piece independent band, 3 albums
1998 Songwriter with Guy Fleming, one album, Minimal Chaos
Discography
Compositions
Decibel: Stasis Ecstatic (LP, 2012 upcoming) Heartless Robot Productions, feat. Longing.
Decibel: Disintegration: Mutation (CD, 2011) HellosQuare Records, feat. In the Cut and Kuklinski’s Dream.
As CAT HOPE (producer, writer, performer, arranger);
Fetish – Bergerk! Sound Gallery Label (Aus), Menschenfiend (USA), 2001
Live: Regret (Japan) Bloodstar, 2001
Jackie Hush – Bloodstar (Aus) solo electronics album -producer, composer, performer, 2002.
As ABE SADA
Redux – Heartless Robot Productions (LP) 2011
The Low Chord – Kibutsuri Tapes International (Japan) 2008
The Tatare Steppe – VLZ produkt (Japan) 2008
Subzilla – Bloodstar (Aus) 2007
The Low Chord – Kibutsuri Tapes International (Japan), 2008
As part of LUX MAMMOTH (producer, co-writer, arranger);
Hertz Circus – Bloodstar label (Aus 2000), New Gauge Sinner, PreFeed (Italy), 2002,
New Gauge Sinner – Pre Feed label (Italy) 2002.
As part of GATA NEGRA (producer, writer, arranger);
Ruby- Bloodstar (Aus), 2006,
Saint Dymphnae – Bloodstar (Aus) 2002.
Cage of Stars – Telescopic (France), Bloodstar (Aus) 1999.
COLLABORATIONS (voice, bass, songwriter);
Lawrence English – Transit, Room:40 (Aus) 2003,
Guy Fleming – Minimal Chaos Bloodstar (Aus), 1999,
Micevice – Experiments on the Duration of Love, Lollypop, (Italy) 1998,
Hugo Race and the True Sprit, (Flute), old surprises, 2004; 2nd Revelator, Normal, (Germany) – flute, 1989; Chemical Wedding Glitterhaus, (Germany) – flute, 1998.
SELECT COMPILATIONS
Sound Variable, San Francisco Museum Of Modern Art, 2002,
Kiss My WAMI, WAM (WA) 2002, 2003.
Music For Midnight Driving, (FVA, Japan) 2002.
Extreme Music From Women, Susan Lawly (UK), 2000,
Women in Music, WAM (WA), 1999,
Squeeze the Flock, Bergerk! Recordings, (WA), 1999.