History

Motion Ensemble is a chamber music group based in New Brunswick, Canada. Their repertoire is an eclectic mix of post-classical and experimental music. Motion’s music often utilizes electronics or visual media. The group has been presenting its own concerts since 1998, now with series in Fredericton, Sackville and Saint John; they also reach thousands of school children through their educational projects.

The group made its USA debut in New York at Tonic in 2003, has appeared at the Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival, Scotia Festival of Music, Montreal’s Jusqu'aux Oreilles and Sound Symposium in Newfoundland. In 2004 and 2005 Motion toured much of Canada and were presented by NUMUS (Kitchener), Toronto’s The Music Gallery, Ensemble contemporain de Montréal, New Works Calgary, Edmonton’s E.C.C.S. New Music North (Thunder Bay), Five Penny New Music Festival (Sudbury) and many others in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Ontario. They have been heard on CBC Radio and TV and have recorded CDs of Veronika Krausas (self produced) and John Cage (on New York label Mode Records).
 
Over 50 works have been premiered by Motion Ensemble over the years by Canadians: Emily Doolittle, Moiya Callahan, alcides lanza, Jim O'Leary, Anthony Genge, W. L. Altman, Tim Brady, Richard Gibson, Bruce Mather, Alice Ho, Michael R. Miller, Tim Bowlby, Andrew R. Miller, Richard Kidd, D'Arcy P. Gray, Joel Miller, Laura Hoffman, Veronika Krausas, Robert Bauer and James Code. In addition to Canadian work, Motion has performed the Canadian premieres of works by György Kurtág (Hungary), Kunsu Shim  (Germany), Kaija Saariaho (Finland), Peter Maxwell Davies (Scotland), Larry Nelson (USA), Peter Blauvelt (USA) and Beth Wiemann (USA).

Motion Ensemble was founded by Bass player Andrew R. Miller, it contains a flexible array of musicians: soprano Helen Pridmore; violinist Nadia Francavilla; D'Arcy Philip Gray, percussion/electronics; Karin Aurell, flute; and clarinetist Richard Hornsby.
In the 2002-03 season, Motion became Ensemble-in-Residence at the University of New Brunswick. Motion Ensemble Inc. is a registered non-profit organization.

Season archives:  1998-99   1999-00   2000-01   2001-02   2002-03   2003-04   2004-05   2005-06   2006-07           

Motion Ensemble recieves support from The Canada Council for the Arts, The Province of New Brunswick,  The New Brunswick Arts Board. and The City of Fredericton

Photo/design credits: Chris Giles, Dimitrios Papadakis, Rob Lyon and Pierre Allain.