With a focus on classical, contemporary and improvised music, Catarina Marques dedicates herself to solo or duo 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 played as a viola player in various 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). He is currently a member of Triosphère (flute, harp, viola) and Bósons duo (campanula, snare drum).
One of the main focus at the moment is on the peculiar art of tuning. Just as we tune our instruments before a performance, there needs to be a personal tuning related to the environment and the space. Various factors influence our perception of pitch and tone, such as temperature, humidity, objects, architecture and distance. Adjusting to these different conditions and nuances is a central focus in a current project called “Tuning In”.
Photo © Piri Pimentel Rodrigues