"... there is so much of 'Coney Island of the Mind' in her - it comes in her music - her laughter and her tears" (Patty Bing)

Cathy has composed extensively for theatre, television/radio, film and has also written for recording artists worldwide.

A native New Yorker, Cathy came to England after her mother's death spending three years at St George's School, Ascot (a typical English boarding school). At 15, she studied piano and flute at the Guildhall School of Music and then on to Trinity College of Music (London) leaving to become a singer/songwriter. Cathy worked with producers Alan Black (who at the time was a Radio 1 DJ presenting 'Sounds of the Seventies' with Annie Nightingale), Steve Levine, Jon Eden, Bugatti and Musker, Wally Brill, Robin Langridge, Ted Carfrae, Trevor Spencer and Greg Walsh. Also in the 70s, Cathy toured with the group Esperanto as a piano player/vocalist.

She was then hired as an A&R Coordinator for CBS Records (now Sony) where she met her husband, Jeremy Ensor. Jobs followed - including one at Music Sales, where she was Music Editor working on an assortment of Books with Pearce Marchbank and Miles as well as artists such as Brian Grimwood, Peter Brookes and Mick Brownfield.

In the 80s, Cathy was signed to Warner Chappell as a songwriter, working with the best writers and producers of that time. These included Graham Lyle, Terry Britten, Scott English, Billy Livsey, Jimbeau Hinson, Julia Downes, Jon and Sally Tiven. Peter Oxendale, Mark Griffiths and Jim Diamond. Around this time Cathy was 'discovered' by the HTV Director, John Mead who commissioned her to write the music and lyrics for various Television game shows, quiz shows and the like. Colin Stevens, another HTV Director, then asked Cathy to compose the music and lyrics for the very successful ITV network film Bewitched by a Dolphin where she worked closely with the reknowned dolphin expert, Dr Horace Dobbs. More TV work followed, including a BAFTA Tribute to Sir Anthony Hopkins. Cathy also wrote a number of TV/Radio commercials, one of which, (Cocoribe), led to a single being released, "I Should Coco, Nuts To You". It became a duet with singer Julia Rogers but, despite loads of PR and some very saucy photographs being taken by the Sun newspaper's Page 3 photographer, the single only sold 452 copies!

Cathy also made two appearances on Top of the Pops (dressed as a rabbit!) in Chas and Dave's video of their hit single and, continuing with this animal theme, was then immediately snapped up to feature as the Cockerel for Tottenham Hotspurs' hit single (Tottenham, Tottenham) much to the dismay of her husband who supports Manchester United!

Cathy then took time out to quit smoking, have two beautiful children and become a Prison Visitor counselling the women at HMP Holloway. This extraordinary experience led her to become involved with the charity ‘Babies in Prison' and also to volunteer for Childline.

In 1995, Cathy entered the fascinating world of Animation when Penelope Middleboe and Martin Lamb of Right Angle and Chris Grace of S4C International, commissioned her to write the music for Creation and the Flood, which became one of the nine stories from "Testament: The Bible in Animation". This series was shown worldwide and later won numerous awards including an Emmy and a BAFTA nomination. Cathy was delighted to be asked again by the same team to write the music and songs for three folk tales - The Magic Paintbrush, Raven Steals the Daylight and Two Brothers which became part of the critically acclaimed 'Animated Tales of the World'. This series also won awards including two Emmys. She was particularly honoured to work with the incredible teams which consisted of the cream of the world's best animators. Right Angle and Cathy have also collaborated on a pilot of The World of Hammy and Goph.

A few years later, Cathy was accepted as a member of The Mercury Workshop (now known as Mercury Musicals Development). She can attribute a lot of her musical theatre career to MMD and is very grateful for their continuing support. As well as contributing songs to the Mercury Workshop Revue and Late and Lyrical 1 and II, her shows The Demon Headmaster, A Little Princess and Legacy have benefitted directly from the New Musical Projects Workshops. Another show, The Legendary Golem had a workshop at the New Tuners Theatre, Chicago. Two of her musicals have had workshops at The Royal National Theatre Studio and The Royal Academy of Music. Her first show (1998), The Demon Headmaster (co-composer Eric Angus and Book/Lyrics Paul James, Lyrics Paul James/Iain Halstead) which was based on the book and TV series by Gillian Cross, had a very successful Number One UK Tour. Published by Samuel French, it is constantly performed by numerous schools in the UK. The Legendary Golem (Book/Lyrics Sylvia Freedman) followed with a run at the New End Theatre, Hampstead. In 2001, Producer Dan Brambilla (Stage by Stage Productions, Toronto, Canada) commissioned Cathy, along with Anton Agalbato and Eric Angus, to write a musical A Little Princess. This led to a full workshop at the Tarragon Theatre in Toronto. Quill Productions then commissioned Cathy and Jenifer Toksvig to write Legacy, a musical based on the life of Lord Horatio Nelson. And in August 2005, the song Band of Brothers from Legacy, had its world premiere at the Arundel Festival and it was performed by the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra.

Seven Storeys is nearing completion.

Cathy lives in North London with her husband, Jeremy and her two teenage children, Josie and Charlie and Suzie the cat.