Motion Trio - about us

MOTION TRIO - an accordion trio founded in 1996 by Janusz Wojtarowicz – leader and composer of most of the group's repertoire. Motion Trio is a unique phenomenon on the European and worldwide music scene. Performing their own music, the group is changing the way the accordion is perceived as an instrument.

Motion Trio has worked with artists like Krzysztof Penderecki, Bobby McFerrin, Wojciech Kilar, Krzesimir Dębski, Marta Ptaszyńska, Trilok Gurtu, Michał Urbaniak ("From the first moment, they appealed to me in everything that they do”), Tomasz Stańko ("After just one, brief rehearsal I'm fascinated by them”), WDR Rundfunkorchester Köln, Deutsches Filmorchester Babelsberg,Sinfoniett Riga , Sinfonietta Cracovia, Rio de Janeiro Orquestra do Teatro Municipal. In the year 2000, they were Grand Prix laureates at the IV Krzysztof Penderecki Modern Chamber Music Competition. They have also given master classes at the University of Chicago and the National Conservatory in Paris. On the music of Motion Trio: Joe Zawinul – "Their music is amazing”; Krzysztof Penderecki – "This is an exceptional accordion trio”; THE FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG writes "... the Trio plays masterfully, utilising suggestive timbral textures(...)”; ALL ABOUT JAZZ writes "... This is accordion playing like you've never heard"

They are the grand prix laureates of the 4th Edition of the Krzysztof Penderecki International Contemporary Chamber Music Competition.

Motion Trio has recorded five albums - "Cry", "Pictures", "Play-station", "Live in Vienna - Sacrum & Profanum" and "METROPOLIS". "Pictures" became a hit and received the following distinctions: Deutsche Shallplatten Kritik, the Polish Music Industry Grand Prix, Best Polish Recording 2000, Top2000 and Jazzi Magazine's critics' Album of the Year Award. Polish music critics recognised Motion Trio as the finest debut of the year 2000 in Poland. The group was honored in France with the "Gus Viseur" award, in the "Musical Discovery of the Year 2005", and has performed in 31 of the world's countries: Austria, Belgium, Brasil, the Czech Republic, Egipt, Estonia, France, Greece, Spain, New Caledonia, the Netherlands, Ireland, Iceland, Japan, Canada, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Latvia, Germany, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Slovakia, Switzerland, Sweden, Taiwan, Turkey, Ukraine, the USA, Hungary and Italy.

Motion Trio has participated in a great number of prestigious festivals and musical events: the Montreal Jazz Fest, the Alternativa Festival in Moscow, the Migration Music Festival in Taipei, Fest Der Kontinente in Berlin, the Gaudeamus Festival in Amsterdam, the Reykjavik Arts Festival, the Festival d'Ile de France in Paris and many others.

In 2004, by invitation from Joe Zawinul, the group appeared at the Vienna club "Birdland" where, over the course of five evenings, they presented 5 different stylistic programs (from contemporary, through jazz to world music).

October 2006 saw the premiere of the Motion Symphony, in Pottsdam, performed with the Deutsche Filmorchester. The nearest performances of the Motion Symphony will take place in Rio de Janeiro, Moscow, Cologne, Riga and Kiev.

Motion Trio plays on Pigini Super Sirius Bayan instruments, provided through a grant from the government of the Republic of Poland. >>more