“The spectacular Katta – an artist of incredible energy, shining with a bright and pure flame.” (Klasika Plus)
“Katta moans, whispers, rages and caresses. The colours she creates with her voice and the fresh sound of her organ seem almost otherworldly.” (Gramophone)
“She is a unique artist.” (American organist Cameron Carpenter)
“The prima donna assoluta of organ playing.” (Opera Slovakia)
“A vibrant, extroverted musician with supreme command of her instrument.” (Petr Veber)
Through her music, Katta opens up new worlds, whether performing in a church on a traditional pipe organ or beyond its walls on her unique, custom-built white instrument.
Katta has gained international recognition in the classical music world as a virtuoso organist. Yet she stands apart among organists: she composes her own original works, often incorporating her voice, opens up new sonic worlds and demonstrates just how progressive the organ can sound in the 21st century.
Her recording Veni Sancte Spiritus (Supraphon, 2016), which already featured her first original compositions, was met with enthusiastic acclaim; the British magazine Gramophone particularly praised the “raw, soulful intensity” of her musical expression. In 2018, Katta received a Classic Prague Award for her original project Vox Organi.
As a classical organist and harpsichordist, Katta attracted international attention through concerts with renowned ensembles and orchestras such as Anima Eterna, conducted by Jos van Immerseel, the Zurich Chamber Orchestra under Sir Roger Norrington, the Royal Flemish Philharmonic, the Prague Symphony Orchestra FOK and the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra. As a soloist, she has given recitals throughout Europe as well as in Mexico and Indonesia. She is a regular guest at major festivals, including Festival de México, Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival, Prague Spring and Strings of Autumn, and has brought her artistry to some of Europe’s most important cathedrals, including St Paul’s Cathedral in London and St Stephen’s Cathedral in Passau.
Katta loves collaborating and creating fusions with other artists. She has worked with the extravagant American organist Cameron Carpenter and British violinist Daniel Hope, as well as with David Koller, Jiří Pavlica and Hradišťan. At Norway’s multi-genre Olavsfest festival, she presented her project in the main programme immediately after a performance by Björk.
Her first album consisting entirely of her own compositions, Vox Organi, was released by the Berlin-based label Emika Records in 2023. The same title was given to Katta’s touring project, Vox Organi – the voice of the organ in magical places, in which she presents her compositions and the sound of the organ – whether traditional pipe organs or her own white mobile organ – at unique locations throughout the Czech Republic.
Last year, Katta was approached by the renowned Catalan organ builder Albert Blancafort, who has built instruments for venues including Barcelona’s Sagrada Família and a Gaudí palace, to explore experimental uses of his instruments. Their collaboration led to Katta’s residency in Barcelona, which resulted in a series of recordings, including material for her new album Salvátora. Released this year by the Electrofone label, the album was created in collaboration with American musician and producer Carmen Rizzo, a two-time Grammy Award nominee.
Among Katta’s most recent compositions is her largest work to date, Missa Organi, for organ, voice and choir. This season, the work has been performed at several major festivals, including Smetana’s Litomyšl. An orchestral version will also be performed with the Bohuslav Martinů Philharmonic in Zlín. Tonight, you can hear the premiere of this organ mass performed by Katta together with the Permoník Children’s Choir and Stanislav Abrahám, who enriches the composition with gongs and meditative instruments. Together with the lighting design, these elements enhance the ambient and contemplative atmosphere of the entire evening.
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