"Motion Trio" has worked with artists like Krzysztof Penderecki, Bobby McFerrin, Wojciech Kilar; and ensembles like WDR Rundfunkorchester Köln, Deutsches Filmorchester Babelsberg, Sinfonietta Riga, Sinfonietta Cracovia, Rio de Janeiro Orquestra do Teatro Municipal. In the year 2000, they were the grand prix laureates of the 4th edition of the Krzysztof Penderecki International Contemporary 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."
"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, Top 2000 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" 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, invited by 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 Babelsberg."Motion Trio" plays on Pigini Super Sirius Bayan instruments, provided through a grant from the government of the Republic of Poland.
"Motion Trio" consist of:
- Janusz Wojtarowicz (born in 1971) - composer, accordionist, founder and leader of the Motion Trio. Began piano and accordion studies at the age of seven, under his father Eugeniusz. Completed the Public Secondary School of Music in Krakow and studied the accordion at the Krakow Academy of Music. Winner of many chamber music competitions in Poland and abroad. Composer of theatrical music. Received a scholarship from the president of the city of Krakow in 2001.
- Paweł Baranek (born in 1978) - began learning to play the accordion and organ when nine years old, under professor Wiesław Kusion. Completed the Public Secondary School of Music in Tarnów. Winner of Polish and international competitions, in Germany and Italy among others. Currently one of Europe's finest accordionists of the younger generation. He studies the accordion at the Academy of Music in Krakow.
- Marcin Gałażyn (born in 1975) - began accordion studies at the age of seven, under professor Eugeniusz Ajdmach. He completed the Public Secondary School of Music in Białystok and afterwards studied accordion at the Academy of Music in Krakow. Winner of many national accordion competitions in Poland. Also performs flamenco music.
Author: Marek Romański, January 2009.
The band's Web page: www.motiontrio.com