artist
Katerina Gimon
Composer, improviser, and vocalist Katerina Gimon’s uniquely dynamic, poignant, and eclectic compositional style is rapidly gaining her a reputation as a distinctive voice in contemporary Canadian composition and beyond. Her music has been described as “sheer radiance” (Campbell River Mirror), “imbued…with human emotion” (San Diego Story), and capable of taking listeners on a “fascinating journey of textural discovery” (Ludwig Van), earning her several honours including two SOCAN Awards (2015, 2021), nomination for Western Canadian Composer of the Year (2021), and inclusion on the CBC’s list of Canada’s “hot 30 classical musicians under 30” (2017).
Katerina’s music draws influence from a myriad of places — from Eastern European folk music to indie rock, as well as from her roots as a songwriter. Her compositions have been performed widely across Canada, the United States, and internationally, including at Carnegie Hall, Orpheum Theatre, and the Hong Kong Cultural Centre. Recent commissions include new music for the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, the University of Montana, the Hamilton Children’s Choir, and the Orpheus Choir of Toronto.
Katerina is also a founding member (composer, vocalist, electronics) of dynamic new music and AR/VR collective Chroma Mixed Media alongside multi-media artists David Storen and Brian Topp. Excited by the ever-evolving landscape of technology today, Chroma endeavours to explore new avenues and intersections for artistic expression by combining various art forms and new technologies to explore new possibilities and challenge audience expectations.
Katerina holds a Master of Music in Composition from the University of British Columbia (’17) and an Honours Bachelor of Music degree in Composition and Improvisation from Wilfrid Laurier University (’15). She has studied composition under Dorothy Chang, Keith Hamel, Stephen Chatman, Linda Catlin Smith, and Glenn Buhr; and voice under Vicki St. Pierre, James Westman, and Brian McIntosh. Katerina serves on the BC Advisory Council for the Canadian Music Centre. Katerina is the composer-in-residence for female vocal ensemble Myriad and is currently based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.