This innovative Polish accordion trio founded in 1996 has changed the face of their instrument, the accordion. Six hands create surprising timbres.
Most of the music played by this ‘Trio Infernal’ so masterly is written by Janusz Wojtarowicz. The vanguard sound collages range somewhere between minimal music, jazz and rock and meet the Notion of Motion: to redefine the accordion and explore soundscapes far beyond what one associates and experienced with this instrument so far. The three energetic musicians do this on a strictly acoustic basis, neither samplers nor additional effects are part of their concept.
"Other instruments like the violin, guitar and piano have already been exhausted in their own ways, and at this point not much new can really be done with them. It's entirely different with the accordion, which is only just now being gradually discovered and played experimentally.
"Accordion traditionalists have run out of ideas, and it is our goal to extract notes from the accordion which have never been heard before, to develop completely new sounds and forms, and transfer them onto CD as well as of course to present them live." -- Janusz Wojtarowicz
In 2000 Motion won first prize in the category ‘Trio’ and the ‘Grand Prix’ at the fourth Krzysztof Penderecki International Competition of Contemporary Music in Krakow. The same year the Polish Media voted them ‘Best Debut Act of the year.’ The CD “PICTURES” published in Poland in 2000 swept the critics of their feet: ‘PICTURES’ was awarded with the Grand Prix of the Polish music industry and voted CD of the Year 2000.
Despite their youthful age Motion Trio has worked with artists such as Bobby McFerrin, Tomasz Stañko and Micha³ Urbaniak.
The Musicians:
Janusz Wojtarowicz (b. 1971)
Janusz Wojtarowicz, founder and leader of Motion Trio, began studying piano and accordion under his father Eugeniusz at the age of seven. After completing his studies at the National Music College Krakow, he went on to study accordion at the Music Academy Krakow. He has won numerous prizes at many chamber competitions in Poland and abroad, and also composes music for theatre.
Marcin Galazyn (b. 1975)
At the age of seven Marcin Galazyn began studying the accordion under Professor Eugeniusz Ajdamach. After completing a 2nd degree at the National Music School Bialystok, he went on to study accordion at the Music Academy Krakow. He has won prizes at many all-Polish accordion competitions.
Pawel Baranek (b. 1978)
Pawel Baranek began studying accordion and organ under Professor Wieslaw Kusion at the age of nine, and later finished his studies at the National Music College Tarnow. He has won several accordion competitions in Germany, Italy and Poland. Currently he is studying at the Music Academy Krakow.
Motion Trio about Motion Trio:
“The simple idea of playing the accordion, acoustic playing without additional effects, that is us. We don’t use samplers and electronics. Do we need samplers when we have wonderful instruments - 'acoustic samplers?' The accordion has these sounds inside itself. The accordion covers the range of a chamber orchestra! How many hands we have! How many possibilities of harmonic playing!”
“First and foremost we are people, then musicians, then accordionists. We take what life brings. At the moment we feel that everything that comes out of us is a matter of the Motion team. We choose our image, we choose our own sound and we write the music we play by ourselves. We strive to find acceptance for our way of thinking about music. There can't be another way, because Motion plays its own music - this is our first and only commandment.”
“We draw inspiration from contemporary, classical and baroque music, from jazz, rock, metal, techno, house and disco polo. When we pick up the accordion and the sound flows we do not know where it’s coming from.”
Discographie:
CD 2000 “Pictures” (Akordeonus Records Krakow)
CD 2001 "Play Station" (Akordeonus Records Krakow)
CD 2002 "Live in Vienna" (Akordeonus Records Krakow)
CD 2004 "Pictures from the Street" (Asphalt Tango Records)
