About Katie
The name Katie Richardson is synonymous with eclectic creative spirit and collaboration. Between her varied work as an award winning musical director, composer, sound designer, producer and songwriter, she’s long been at the heart of Ireland’s forward pushing musical community.
She currently makes her own music under the name Hex Hue but has performed, toured and collaborated with many different acts and artists over the years including choice nominated Pleasure Beach, Foy Vance, Duke Special as well as supporting artists such as Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Van Morrison, Jesca Hoop, Bell X1, All Saints and many more.
In 2015 she was featured as one of the Irish Times 'Northern Lights' which profiled people changing the face of Northern Ireland in their particular fields.
As well as working as a composer, songwriter and sound designer for many theatre, dance and film companies Katie also composes for and curates spectacular live, collaborative performances in unique and beautiful settings.
From ‘The Big Dream’ curated and directed by Katie for Little Amal’s visit to Belfast in May 2024
Some examples of recent projects include:
Composer and Musical Director for Good Vibrations in Grand Opera house Belfast and Irish Arts Centre NYC transfer
Composer for short film 'The Death of a Projectionist' by Oscar nominated and Bafta award winning Out of Orbit Films.
Musical Director, Composer and Sound designer for Rough Girls by Tara Lynn O’Neill which was selected as one of The Stage Magazine’s best plays of 2021.
Composer for ‘BIND’ a dance film by Eileen McClory which has been shown at festivals all over the world and won ‘Best short dance film’ at Music and Dance Film Festival 2023.
Sound Designer for ‘The New Electric Ballroom’ by Enda Walsh in Gate Theatre Dublin
Composer, Sound Designer and Musical Director for ‘Hansel and Gretal’ in Lyric Theatre Belfast
Composer, producer and performer for ‘Electro carnival’ in The Mac Belfast featuring a supergroup of emerging Irish musicians to celebrate 30 years of Carnival in Belfast.
Producer and Musical Director of ‘Lucent’ - an immersive and collaborative live music experience.
Composing and conducting music for the finale of Culture Night Belfast which was a large scale outdoor performance featuring over 500 performers including dancers, singers, drummers and other musicians.
In 2023 Katie won a Broadway Ireland award for her work as composer and musical director for Good Vibrations in the Grand Opera house Belfast and NYC transfer.
In 2020 Katie was selected as on of award winning theatre company, Prime Cut’s, Reveal artists which champions and develops emerging theatre makers. She is currently working on a music based commission with them as part of this award.
In Summer 2020 Katie curated the Creative Hub for the TedX Stormont online and co-founded Safe in Sound which is a new initiative with the vision to create a safe, strong, connected creative sector founded on equality, diversity and respect. Katie Is now the Chair of Safe in Sound and sits on many UK wide committees representing Northern Ireland in the conversations around safe spaces in music and the creative industries. Katie is also an experienced choral director and currently is the musical director of The Cathedral Quarter Choir.
Lucent in The Mac Belfast
Lyric 50th performance
Katie in the studio
Current and Upcoming Projects
Shadowdock
Immersive Composition and Sound Design
Thompson Dry Dock - September 2024 - Belfast 2024 Festival
Journey 40 feet below sea level to the iconic dock where Titanic was launched,to watch and listen as our team of performers, composers, and lighting designers transform this magnificent structure from an empty void into an immersive space filled with light, colour and sound.
Little Amal’s Big Dream
Director, Musical Director, Composer, Performer
St Anne’s Cathedral - June 2024 - Belfast 2024 Festival
A spectacular, dreamy night of music which featured some of Northern Ireland’s most exciting musical talent. Katie dreamt up and directed this theatrical and collaborative concert filling the cathedral with colour and music. Featuring a story by Nandi Jola and animations by Fergus Wachala-Kelly we welcomed a tired Amal into the sanctuary of the Cathedral to rest. As she drifted into sleep, the cathedral came alive with her dreams and was scored live with specially created and arranged music.
The Tragedy of Richard III
Sound Design and Composition
Lyric Theatre Belfast 0ctober 2024 - Belfast International Arts Festival
An adaption of Richard III by William Shakespeare, The Tragedy of Richard III will star Michael Patrick in the titular role and be directed by Oisín Kearney - the team that brought you other smash theatrical hits such as My Left Nut (★★★★★ - Voice Mag UK); The Alternative (★★★★★ - The Sunday Times); and Lie Low (★★★★★ - The Irish Times).
AURORA - a modern myth
Sound Design and Composition
The Mac Belfast - October 2024 - Belfast International Arts Festival
“You can’t collaborate with a tree. We’re not interested in the tree.”
“Well isn’t that just the absolute heart of it?”
Cass is on a mission to save her friend. They’ve been close since childhood and she’ll do anything for her mates; even when the mate in question is a tree. She has a plan, an industrial-strength chain, and... well that’s enough to begin with.
Brought to you by the multi-award-winning Prime Cut Productions, this World Premiere of a new work by Dominic Montague is a definite festival highlight.
Callings
Sound Design
Autumn 2024 – UK & Ireland Tour
“There’s queers in every county, homosexuals in the every hamlet, gays in every gable. And tonight you’ll be talking to some of them.”
Callings follows five queer people who found sanctuary and community on the other end of the phone by seeking solace in Cara-Friend – a befriending service set up in the 1970’s to support the many hidden LGBTQ+ individuals across the north of Ireland.