MEDIEVAL KEYBOARDS
Catalina is the world's 1st Master in medieval keyboards
During her harpsichord studies at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis, Catalina discovered her passion for medieval music. Soon after, Catalina became the world’s first musician to hold a Master‘s degree in Medieval Keyboards.
Catalina has given concerts and recorded with various ensembles of medieval music in Switzerland, Germany, Poland, Hungary, Finland, Italy, France, England and The Netherlands. Highlights are her ensemble Servir Antico, with whom she explores the repertoires from the 14th to 16th centuries;
For more information about these medieval ensembles click Ensembles
Catalina has been invited to give lectures, master - classes and workshops for medieval keyboards repertoire and medieval keyboards performance in Europe and South America.
She also collaborates closely with composers, creating a new repertoire for these almost forgotten instruments and reaching out new audiences.
Photo © Martin Chiang
THE CLAVISIMBALUM
is a small plucked keyboard (also known as medieval harpsichord), with a sweet sound and much resonance. Sketches from the 15th c. show great detail of its proportions, allowing instrument makers to produce excellent prototypes of this kind. Catalina uses it as a solo and ensemble instrument, with music ranging from the virtuoso Codex Faenza repertoire, to the most delicate frottole from the early 16th century.
Photo © Susanna Drescher
THE ORGANETTO
is a small portative organ which is played with one hand while the other controls a bellow. This gives it a great amount of dynamics and expressiveness. It is one of the instruments most widely found in medieval iconography, ranging from the 9th to the 15th centuries. Her playing has been praised by musicologists and critics as "revealing" and "masterful interpretation, full of grace and profound emotion".
THE CLAVICYTHERIUM
is an upright keyboard instrument commonly plucked with ostrich feathers. Thanks to its gut strings, it produces a very delicate and warm sound. It is the earliest plucked keyboard instrument which has survived, and an exemplar of ca. 1480 is to be seen at the Royal College of Music Museum in London.
Catalina is known for her mastering of extended technique on this instrument, by playing the keys and plucking the strings simultaneously.
If you wish to listen to audio examples of these instruments, please click Media