Cat Hope
Cat Hope writes experimental music that leans into low frequencies, noise and animated scores. Her works for Decibel and solo forces pair acoustic instruments with electronics, sub-bass and unconventional vocal forces.
Her opera Speechless answers the Forgotten Children inquiry with a score free of conventional notation, built for growling, screaming and mixed vocal soloists against bass-heavy ensembles. On disc she contributes Tone Being for tam-tam and subwoofer, and Tough it Out within After Julia, Decibel’s programme of responses to Julia Gillard’s prime ministership. Hope directs Decibel toward chamber works that fuse acoustic instruments with electronics, and she performs solo noise on bass guitar. Animated notation and the physical weight of very low sound sit at the centre of how the music is made and heard.
Compositions by Cat Hope appear on
After Julia
After Julia gathers eight contemporary works by Australian women composers responding to Julia Gillard’s tenure as Prime Minister. Decibel Artistic Director Cat Hope was spurred by the gender discrimination around that prime ministership, and by what it revealed about politics and the new music sector.
Music for Percussion and Electronics
Western Australian percussionist Louise Devenish, known for work with Decibel, Speak Percussion and The Sound Collectors, recorded this programme from her Music for One Percussionist recitals (2012–14). The composers are award-winning middle-generation Australians whose music is heard nationwide.