Coming from a background in classical, contemporary, and improvised music, Catarina dedicates herself to solo, duo and cross-disciplinary projects that explore the sonic qualities of space and the moment, creating performances adapted to the present. Her artistic interests centre on instruments with sympathetic strings, sound diffusion, and resonance in space. To further explore the vast and complex worlds of harmony and resonance, she collaborates with percussionist Aya Masui in Bosons Duo. Together, they explore the unique acoustic properties of the spaces in which they perform. Their first tour took place in Japan in September 2024.
In recent years, she has collaborated with artists from various disciplines and performed as a viola player in numerous ensembles. Previous highlights include performances in Switzerland (Mullbau – Impro Ensemble, Neubad – Solo, SoundArt Festival Dreilinden – Dissolution Ensemble), Turkey (Klassik Keyifler Festival – Duo with Garth Knox), and South Africa (Stellenbosch Music Festival – Tour with the Eleas Quartet). She is currently a member of Triosphère (flute, harp, viola) and Bósons Duo (campanula, snare drum).
A central focus in her current work is “Aural Cartographies”, a site-responsive performance practice that maps space through sound and sympathetic resonance. Using the campanula—an instrument rich in overtones and sympathetic strings—she activates and interacts with the acoustic characteristics of each environment. By integrating everyday resonant materials such as cardboard, paper, and styrofoam, her work turns architectural space into a responsive instrument. Each performance becomes a cartographic act, where sound not only fills but reshapes space, through simple shifts in intonation , movement and impulses, revealing its emotional and acoustic qualities.
Photo © Piri Pimentel Rodrigues