Catherine Duc profile picture

Catherine Duc

LA Music Awards Instrumental Artist of The Year

About Me

~ Welcome to the land of Visions and Dreams ~

Click below to see my video of Norfolk Island and listen to my song 'Midsummer Twilight': Norfolk Island, South Pacific (Music: Midsummer Twilight)

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Catherine Duc produces instrumentals blending Ambient, Celtic, Classical, Electronica and World music.
Catherine is a classically trained pianist and has studied recording and production techniques at the Concert Hall in Melbourne. She also has a Diploma in Film Music Composition from The London School of Creative Studies.
She was presented with the 'Instrumental Artist of The Year' award at the 16th Annual Los Angeles Music Awards. She has also won first prize in the Electronica category of a national song competition organised by Philips Australia.
~ Visions and Dreams album ~
Visions and Dreams features world music elements layered with lush arrangements and ambient groove beats, and is available from:
* Amazon , CD Baby , Tower Records USA and selected music stores worldwide. To find your nearest store, please see the list of stores

* iTunes , MSN Music (MP3s)

Listen to more MP3s at www.catherineduc.com

Radio requests: You can request my songs at the radio request page . If you know of other stations in your area playing new age/worldbeat music that aren't listed here, please feel free to send me a message.

1. Essence of Dreams: Your first glimpse of the land of Visions and Dreams begins here. Over the next ten songs, you will be taken to different exotic places which may only exist in your imagination and dreams. The mysterious sound of a shakuhachi flute calls to you, while a downtempo groove arises in the background. If you decide to enter, you'll discover more ethnic instruments including panflute, dulcimer, kalimba and taiko drums. These textures are combined with acoustic nylon guitar, strings, chimes, ambient female vocals, Gregorian choir and warm ambience.

2. Dancing in The Mist: Find out what lies beyond the mist... Traditional Celtic instruments including violin, tin whistle, harp and bodhran are fused with modern elements of atmospheric synths and electronic beats. Acoustic percussion, guitar, bass and lush strings provide the backing for this celebratory song to life.

3. Evocation: An air of intrigue calls as the sound of the grand hall clock strikes one... Follow a shakuhachi flute and ambient background vocals through shadowy corridors; where grand piano, acoustic guitar, dulcimer and chimes combine with dreamy textures, melodic bass and a mid-tempo ambient beat.

4. One Autumn Day: One Autumn Day brings change and a chance to reminisce on your memories. Traditional Celtic instruments are fused with an introspective pop arrangement. This song features violin, tin whistle, harp and mandocello. Piano, bass, guitars, strings, a drum & bass influenced pop beat, and a touch of ambient background vocals and keyboard timbres develop the wistful mood.

5. Secret Sanctuary: Travel through a lush rainforest and discover your own Secret Sanctuary. Here, you can find rest and rejuvenation as you listen to panflute, Bolivian flute, acoustic guitar, South American percussion, and ethereal keyboard textures and vocals. In the background, the sounds of a peaceful river and the call of birds echo through the forest.

6. Heart of Andalucia: Experience the romance and energy of this Spanish region as two guitars, flute and castanets combine against a backdrop of lush strings, airy textures and background vocals, and a beat pulsing the rhythm of life. Swept chimes and atmospheric sounds echo the richness of Andalucia's history.

7. Midsummer Twilight: Take some time to relax by the ocean on a warm Summer's evening. Flute, violin, acoustic guitar and acoustic bass are layered with crystalline keyboard sounds and a tranquil rhythm - an ideal soundtrack for your dreams, as you watch the gentle waves rolling into shore.

8. Incense: A mysterious ambience and wisps of airy strings invite you to experience the exotic scent of Incense. You'll be taken through a labyrinth of rich instrumentation - ethnic flute, fiddle, dulcimer, guitar, atmospheric sounds, ambient vocals, and Arabian rhythms fused with a modern drum & bass beat.

9. Rivulet: Find yourself by a serene Rivulet, and discover the charm of the Orient with koto, shamisen, pipa, and temple gong. Flowing melodies of alto flute, violin and strings are layered with glistening keyboard textures over a mellow rhythm.

10. In The Light of Day: You reach the final destination of your journey with a Celtic-flavoured orchestral composition. Violin, harp and flute melodies are layered with lush strings, French horns and orchestral percussion. I hope you have enjoyed your travels, and you are always welcome to return whenever you need to find a place for your Visions and Dreams. This song was awarded an Honourable Mention in the 2005 Unisong International Songwriting Contest.


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If you'd like to use my music in your project:
Please contact me with the details of your project. My music is available for licensing in films, television programs, advertisements, games, corporate presentations and other multimedia productions.

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My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 8/30/2005
Band Website: catherineduc.com
Band Members: Catherine Duc: Composition, arrangements, production, ambient background vocals.
Influences: Enigma, Delerium, Deep Forest, Bill Whelan (Riverdance), world music (especially Celtic, Nordic, Native American, Middle Eastern), film music

Favourite soundtracks:
Films: Riverdance (Bill Whelan), Lord of The Dance (Ronan Hardiman), Titanic, Braveheart, Troy (James Horner), Gladiator (Hans Zimmer), Lord of The Rings (Howard Shore), Kingdom of Heaven, The Chronicles of Narnia (Harry Gregson-Williams), The Village (James Newton Howard), The Piano (Michael Nyman), Pirates of The Caribbean (Klaus Badelt/Hans Zimmer), Memoirs of a Geisha (John Williams)
Games: Final Fantasy, The Elder Scrolls, World of Warcraft, EverQuest, Tomb Raider, Prince of Persia

Favourite classical music:
Debussy, Satie, Dvorak, Sibelius, Vaughan Williams, Holst, Rodrigo, early music, Gregorian chant
Neoclassical: Vanessa Mae, Yo-Yo Ma, Mediaeval Baebes, Hilary Hahn

Favourite downtempo artists:
Afterlife, Mandalay, Zero 7, Nitin Sawhney, Leftfield, Andain, Lux, Olive

Favourite electronica/dance artists:
Chicane, BT, Tiesto, 4 Strings, William Orbit, The Thrillseekers, Solar Stone, Orbital, Future Sound of London, Jakatta, Orion, Aurora, DT8 Project, Oceanlab

Favourite pop artists:
The Corrs, Sixpence None The Richer, Bellefire, Lene Marlin, The Cranberries, Maggie Reilly, Evanescence, U2, Fleetwood Mac, Natalie Imbruglia, Dido, Sarah McLachlan, Utada Hikaru
Sounds Like: Enigma, Delerium, Deep Forest, 'Pure Moods' compilations, Bill Whelan (Riverdance), Ronan Hardiman (Lord of The Dance), Enya, Adiemus, Era, The Corrs' instrumentals, Secret Garden, Celtic Woman, Clannad, Blackmore's Night, Vangelis, Mike Oldfield, Kitaro, Michael Cretu, Michel Sanchez, David Arkenstone, Diane Arkenstone, Keiko Matsui, Afro Celt Sound System, Mars Lasar, Patrick O'Hearn, Cusco, B-Tribe, Banco de Gaia, Mythos, Dagda, Aria, Gregorian, Steven Halpern, Robert Rich, Llewellyn, Terry Riley, Medwyn Goodall, Tony O'Connor, Dead Can Dance, The Spirit of Eden, R. Carlos Nakai, Bel Canto, Violaine Corradi / Rene Dupere / Benoit Jutras (Cirque du Soleil), World of Warcraft, Jason Hayes, Final Fantasy, Nobuo Uematsu, Hitoshi Sakimoto, EverQuest, Tomb Raider, Nathan McCree, The Elder Scrolls, Jeremy Soule, Prince of Persia, Stuart Chatwood, film music, soundtrack music, games music, RPG music, instrumentation of Loreena McKennitt, Sarah Brightman, Natacha Atlas, Maggie Reilly & Miriam Stockley.

Musical style:
A blend of ambient, new age, worldbeat (Celtic/Irish, Middle Eastern, Asian and Native American influences), downtempo, chillout, electronica, neo-classical and film music

Moods:
Atmospheric, dreamy, enigmatic, ethereal, evocative, exotic, haunting, lush, moody, mysterious, mystical, reflective, relaxing, soothing, uplifting
Record Label: Distributed by The Orchard
Type of Label: Indie

My Blog

May 11: Concert pictures, new review & interview

Hi everyone, Last Friday, I performed at Acoustica @ the City Library in Melbourne along with 2 other musicians: Sarah Busuttil (violin) and Russ Aimz (acoustic guitar). Russ, myself & Sarah The...
Posted by Catherine Duc on Sun, 11 May 2008 09:29:00 PST

Mar 3: New review, interview & Norfolk Island Diary (Part 3)

Hi all, I've been preparing for my concert in Melbourne on May 9 and have also started working on new material for the next album. If you're in town, I'd love to see you there and two very talented m...
Posted by Catherine Duc on Sun, 02 Mar 2008 08:15:00 PST

Jan 27: Norfolk Island Trip (Part 2)

Hi all, Here's the next part of my Norfolk Island diary - hope you enjoy it :) Have a nice week,Catherine Day 3This morning we attended the church service at St Barnabas, a small stone church.&nb...
Posted by Catherine Duc on Sun, 27 Jan 2008 07:47:00 PST

Jan 9: Norfolk Island trip (Part 1), new video & music features

Hi all, Hope you all had a great Christmas and New Year :) I was away during this time, so I apologise that I couldn't reply individually to all the comments you've posted then (there were over sever...
Posted by Catherine Duc on Wed, 09 Jan 2008 02:49:00 PST

April 1: New interviews & review

Hi everyone, It's been a while since I last blogged - I've just been really busy lately. I want to say a big thanks for all your kind messages and the beautiful pictures you post on my page - they re...
Posted by Catherine Duc on Sun, 01 Apr 2007 09:17:00 PST

Jan 21: New song, review and award

Hello everyone, I hope you enjoyed yourself during the festive season and are well rested and ready for all that 2007 will bring :) I've just put up a new song on my MySpace player called In The Lig...
Posted by Catherine Duc on Sun, 21 Jan 2007 08:15:00 PST

December 14: New features and Christmas greetings

Hi, I hope you've all been well :)  On the music side, there a few new items: * Review in Luna Cafe:  "Her debut sees her establish a style she can be proud of. It could easily belong on a s...
Posted by Catherine Duc on Sun, 24 Dec 2006 04:39:00 PST

Nov 12: Instrumental Artist of The Year Award, new interview & reviews

Hi everyone, I've got some good news to share with you - I was presented with the 'Instrumental Artist of The Year' Award at the 16th Annual Los Angeles Music Awards :) I'm so happy and honoured that...
Posted by Catherine Duc on Sun, 12 Nov 2006 08:13:00 PST

October 8: New interviews, reviews, award nomination & compilation CDs

Hello everyone, I hope you're well and thanks again for all the inspiring messages and pictures you send me :) Last month was pretty busy for me and here are some new interviews and reviews: * Inter...
Posted by Catherine Duc on Sun, 08 Oct 2006 08:53:00 PST

September 1: 'Dancing In The Mist' on radio show & new review

Hi everyone, My song 'Dancing In The Mist' will be airing on the Soundfront Underground radio program for the week starting August 28. This is a dance music program and other artists in the playlist a...
Posted by Catherine Duc on Wed, 30 Aug 2006 05:08:00 PST