Traffic is the New Silence
The 13 Ensemble is a 13-member musical collective founded in 2024 and led by composer, performer, and conductor Ester Fernandez Mata.
The ensemble features a five-horn core (three saxophones, flute, and bass clarinet), a string quartet, and a rhythm section of vibraphone, double bass, and drums. Electronics, played by Ester, are integrated into most pieces,enhancing the ensemble’s sonic palette. Their music spans jazz harmonies, contemporary textures, and cinematic soundscapes.
In 2025, funding from Amarte enabled 13 Ensemble to continue to develop, marking a key milestone in its artistic journey and strengthening both the ensemble and Ester’s confidence in shaping a distinct musical identity.
The ensemble merges hypnotic minimalism, cinematic soundscapes, and a highly interactive, chord-less approach. While Ester’s compositions provide a structured framework, musicians actively shape lines, react to cues, and interact with electronic elements, creating a sound that is immersive, spontaneous, and collaborative.
The repertoire blends fully notated material with free improvisation, raw textures, cues, and playful experimentation. Through extensive rehearsal and ongoing dialogue, the ensemble cultivates trust, flexibility, and a shared musical language, resulting in performances that are dynamic, engaging, and unpredictable. Electronics are often used as a subtle layer, incorporating recorded speech and sounds from daily life to add expressive and conceptual depth to the music.
13 Ensemble reflects Ester F. Mata’s vision of music as a collective practice, emphasizing collaboration, the shifting of traditional ensemble roles, and the intersection of composition and improvisation, producing a distinctive and evolving contemporary sound.
13 Ensemble:
Antonio Onieva - flute
Antonio Sánchez Torralbo - alto saxophone
Nadine Serhalawan - soprano saxophone
Guillermo López - tenor saxophone
Eduardo Doreste Bunero - bass clarinet, alto saxophone
Mireia Costa - violin
Jieun Park - violin
Sofia Chatzi - viola
Emma Zarzuela Castro - cello
Demetrio Schintu - vibraphone
Abhinav Khokhar - bass
Ewen Grall - percussion
Ester F. Mata - composition, electronics
