Catherine Upex
Catherine Upex is an Australian cellist and viola da gamba player. Trained in Sydney, she is a long-standing member of The Marais Project and plays viol with Josie and the Emeralds.
Catherine completed her Bachelor of Music (Honours) at Sydney University in 1997. She has also made several chamber music recordings for 2MBS FM and ABC FM. During this period she studied viola da gamba with Jennifer Eriksson, and has performed on the instrument with ensembles including The Renaissance Players, the Conservatorium Baroque Orchestra, Salut! Baroque, The Sydney Consort, Lautetia, La Folia, the Opera Project and Zarabanda.
Along with lutenist Tommie Andersson, she has been a member of The Marais Project from its founding in 2000 and has performed in virtually every concert. She regularly appears with Jennifer Eriksson as a duo and has toured interstate with her on several occasions.
Performing as The Marais Project
The Marais Project is a celebration of music for the viola da gamba inspired by Marin Marais, the great French virtuoso viola da gamba performer and composer. Formed by Jennifer Eriksson in 2000, the ensemble’s original aim was to perform the complete viola da gamba works of Marais – a monumental task which is more than 85% complete.
Australian Monody
The Marais Project is joined by countertenor Russell Harcourt for a collection of largely Australian songs and instrumental works, spanning light and darkness, love and loss.
The Garden Party
The Marais Project’s anniversary disc The Garden Party has a festive flavour, mixing world-premiere Marais arrangements and Eriksson’s title track with earlier Move recordings across French baroque, Swedish folk and South American song.
Spinning Forth
The title points to music still to come. The programme gathers French baroque viola da gamba repertoire with Swedish roots and newly commissioned Australian works, spinning forth in fresh directions.
Lady Sings the Viol
The concept behind Lady Sings the Viol was a CD of “covers”: five singers, alone and together, take songs from 1300 to the present, from Piaf and Schubert to John Paul Jones and Elena Kats-Chernin.
Love Reconciled
A landmark in Australian early-music performance, The Marais Project’s Love Reconciled is a recording to return to often and savour deeply.
Catherine Upex is a member of
Josie and the Emeralds
Josie and the Emeralds is a Sydney early-music ensemble founded in 2011, uniting soprano with viol consort in Renaissance song and new Australian writing for the viol.