new!
kathy recorded a music video in an old warehouse building in st. paul. the video is still in progress but photos are
available from the session.
see: photo shoot online.
image gallery
click here to view full-size, high-resolution images (urban/warehouse photos taken by ryan braski)
click here to view full-size, high-resolution images of cosmic pit orchestra (taken by mary plaster)
cds / music samples
see the music link to purchase, download, or listen to samples.
projects
See the projects link to read about the various ensemble projects that Kathy is currently involved in.press
review of cosmic pit orchestra by john ziegler appearing in the duluth new tribune's weekly arts & entertainment magazine (the wave) - march 27, 2007
duluth budgateer article from february 23, 2007
cover story from the duluth new tribune's weekly arts & entertainment magazine (the wave) - january 25, 2007
review of her work with the band quetico.
online radio interview (cosmic pit orchestra).
online radio interview (cellodreams).
quotes
"the journey of a bird...a winged instrument"
- concert attendee
"unbelievably beautiful...sounds like whales"
- concert attendee
"the complexity of sounds you created with your soulful intensity were a really lovely musical treat."
- email from a listener
"definitely another member of the waisted lute family"
- university music professor
"a beautiful, poignant exploration of integration/disintigration, sanity/insanity, coherence/incoherence...the world"
- a listener to the cd lines
"spoken-word cello..."
- concert attendee
"after the initial shock tears ran down my face...so moving"
- concert attendee
"i've never heard a better depiction of war than your performance of dylan's masters of war...extremely moving"
- concert attendee
"images flow endlessly....visions..."
- local writer & concert attendee
"abstract expressionist... sound paintings..."
- concert attendee
"thank you, thank you, thank you. what serendipity it was that brought us together. your music was such an important and moving part of the [wedding] ceremony. it was truly beyond our expectations. you were great to work with and an exceptionally gifted musician. we can't thank you enough."
"it was great to meet you kathy, and i am excited that we were able to talk for a few minutes. it is amazing how music can touch people so deeply, as the audience watched you play, saw you connect with the song, we felt time slow if just for a moment, a light of something sweet and emotional. and simply on a personal note i thought the ending was great, i felt like i should cry and jump for joy all at once! thank you for your time and patience throughout the entire process, the night was beyond expectations!"
"spoken-word cello..."
- concert attendee
"dobro and banjo picker lance rhicard,
cellist kathy mctavish and fiddler rachael kilgour are stellar with judicious note choices and uplifting accompaniment.
...the starkness of "the morning after your heart breaks" is disarmingly beautiful. the completely laid-bare lyrics, the achingly honest vocal reading,
the angst of the cello lamenting along with the voice and the frailty of the sparse arrangement paint the picture of someone whose heart has been shattered."
- review of sara thomsen's cd "everything changes" by john ziegler appearing in the duluth news tribune 02/08
see: full review.
specifically about the cosmic pit orchestra...
"a drug experience for sober people"
- concert attendee
"there are more extension cords and pedals than at a pink floyd concert.
...the amplified cello and guitar launch into trippy experimental music with tribal undertones. both musicians appear possessed.
this is the soundtrack to my alien abduction. "
- duluth news tribune
"first of all i really enjoy the cosmic pit orchestra. simply badass....
as far putting that music into a category... heavy ambiance comes to mind...
when i heard you guys at the grace i thought to my self 'what level of heaven have i entered?!'"
- heavy metal musician/concert attendee
"i really fucking adored your music; thank you so much; you made my dark day much brighter"
- tip jar note from concert attendee
"skillful musicians...great to watch creating music live in the moment"
- john ziegler, kumd radio interview
"i dreamed a painting - i think it was a painting? i think it was the cosmic pit orchestra but 'you' were a large bird -
big beak, black wings - your neck moved back and forth while you played the cello with your wings? actually i could barely see the cello -
i decided it was a cello after waking but really it was like the bird was both you and the cello.
richie [the electric guitar player] was unclear except that his guitar floated and was battered by hummingbirds.
i think he was behind them but i couldn't see him. between you guys were a bunch of woodpeckers on a tree trunk and dead stump.
above the woodpeckers was an owl - kinda hard to see - i kept trying to tell if it was really there. pretty weird but i think it all fits -
i trust you to just take this with a grain of salt. i thought it was fun. i dreamed it the morning after seeing you at the quaker meetinghouse concert.
i may do something with this -
i don't know. good dream anyway. great concert."
- molly tillotsen (artist)
poetry
i heard what you played this morning
I heard what you played this morning, some long flexing in the lake ice, groaning, strumming on barbed wire, like the workings of an old clock coils and geared wheels and something ticking. It's like driving along a night road, things in the headlights fleeing, and at the end? Lines. Like the long fault lines resonating. I did sleep some but from this most ecstatic union, there is no recovering. The poem here needs deepening. There is more to it. The pattern will develop longer, deeper. The constellation brings together things that start resonating. Each star fiery in its fastening.
primordial dreaming
the stones breathe in years blue and gray and white and deep and precipitous-- the stones bear our weight gather us in kindness in silence or in light remember fern and leaf and bone tremble and crack like ice or lightning sing of the dead split like seeds in the ground and feed us minerals hold all the roots stones roll and shift with their secrets in their beds stir the moons and dream
rhapsody on the cosmic pit orchestra
a poem by danielle fenske
(this was accompanied with artwork by amanda lisiecki)
see: http://clearblogs.com/frozenlight/ for more of her work.
in the rear of the room sequestered in stained-glass starglow a pink-clothed woman sways and swirls beat, fermata exhale, quiver champagne cello and dark-chocolate drum a chortling guitar flicks the flames of candles on the floor rivers of watercolor rapture rush overhead i reach up my figertips to brush the tail of a trail of stars heads left and right nod loosely in the incense-liquor languor peace palpable softly shocking the scent of wind over water sandals tap to the thunder-velvet beat of an oil-painting stallion flowing fast behind his home is wonderment color like van gogh's tears surrounds me texture of falling through storm clouds taste of lavender spice and ice cream inhale, shudder on the smooth wooden floor of a child lies sleeping drifting and dancing in dusky-lit dreams despite all the demons that cling to my ankles (it seems one is born every birthday) i hold out my palm, into which falls a feather-light blessing in the pastel rivers above the soul of a silent girl twirls and swirls clothed in sunset with slippers of pearl she flickers, waxing periwinkle and tangerine leaping, melting, born each moment in her wild-winged ballet i meet her eyes gazing down, blazing down my soul recognizes myself.
the sound of art
a poem by georgia eggers
(from a young woman written while listening to a solo performance)
a painting in the air fingers sculpt an invisible world a musical journey into the past an instrumental starry night a wordless reminiscing soundwaves guiding emotions a forest of entrancing melodies taking flight upon the notes
life at the lake
a poem by georgia eggers
mysteries are seldom forgotten young souls tend to gravitate towards them free spirited artist whose music paints the universe rapturous being with a passion to create beauty intense eyes that see what so few can elegant poise that hardly wavers nimble fingers that caress magical strings details big and small come together gloriously angels await on the clouds, instruments in hand life is never simple with a mind inspired wildness is redefined as the bow moves a life may end but memories never will yellow roses grow to hear the cellos voice silent hearts become alive with melodies
from the album: infinite between
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