Catherine Kontz

Catherine Kontz (born 1976) is a London-based composer and Professor of Composition at Royal College of Music, London. She also serves as artistic director of the rainy days festival, the contemporary music festival at Philharmonie Luxembourg.

Her creative work explores nonlinear form, visual/spatial elements, and musical theatricality. Kontz develops innovative compositions that integrate spatial elements and theatrical components, creating unique experiences for performers and audiences. Her work often involves interdisciplinary collaborations, such as her sound walk projects with S.L. Grange that follow rivers through urban environments.

Analysis of her recent compositions reveals a consistent focus on spatial and theatrical elements in music. Her works frequently incorporate site-specific performance elements, extended duration formats, and multimedia components. Kontz demonstrates particular expertise in creating large-scale works that engage with specific geographical locations and cultural contexts, as evidenced by her European Capital of Culture commission.

As artistic director of the rainy days festival, Kontz plays a significant role in shaping contemporary music programming in Luxembourg, supporting innovative musical experiences that push traditional boundaries of performance.

Her professional activities include extensive collaboration with international musicians and ensembles such as ensemble recherche, Exaudi, Vertixe Sonora, and Lucilin, as well as notable soloists including Monica Germino, Cathy Krier, and Rhodri Davies. These collaborations span across Europe and demonstrate her significant presence in the contemporary music scene.