BIO

The Archaea Tree Ensemble is a dynamic trio that centers their performances on concepts of play, curiosity, and beauty. Through their unique and malleable instrumentation, ATE invites audiences to explore music through cross-disciplinary performances and interactive programs that draw from classical, contemporary, and folk genres alike. The ensemble is comprised of harpist, Erin Brooker-Miller, percussionist, Andy Miller, and flutist, Thomas Robertello.

Founded in 2013, the ensemble has performed in art galleries, schools, concert halls, and other unconventional venues throughout the United States. Their inaugural performance took place at the Indi-Go Artist Co-op, during which audience members wandered through the gallery, enjoyed refreshments, and were able to interact freely with the musicians as the performance took place. This welcoming and interactive atmosphere set the tone for the work since achieved by ATE.  The ensemble was most recently heard at Constellation Chicago, the Kenosha Public Museum, Kenosha Public Library, Milwaukee Art Museum, the Champaign Public Library, the University of Illinois Institute of Genomic Biology, and Indiana University Jacobs School of Music.

The Archaea Tree Ensemble aims to generate new works through collaborating with living artists of all mediums. In May 2015, Archaea Tree Ensemble held its first iteration of Troublesome Gap, a biennial innovative and collaborative festival for composers. The week-long festival retreat invited five composers to compose a new work for the flute, harp, and percussion trio. It was held at artist retreat ceneter AZULE, nestled between the Great Smoky Mountains and the Pisgah National Forest in North Carolina. The festival culminated in a “standing room only” concert premiering the five new compositions.

 

 

 

Erin Brooker-Miller | Andy Miller | Thomas Robertello