Music on the Edge, co-directed by Eric Moe, Mathew Rosenblum, and Amy Williams, presents cutting-edge contemporary music ensembles from around the world. Recent concerts have featured the JACK Quartet, TAK Ensemble, Dal Niente, Ekmeles, and Third Coast Percussion. Concerts take place at venues on and off the campus of the University of Pittsburgh, including regular collaborations with the Andy Warhol Museum. Large-scale events have included the Beyond: Microtonal Music festivals, a residency with NewBand and the Harry Partch Instruments, the Music on the Edge Chamber Orchestra conducted by Roger Zahab, festivals and symposia dedicated to the late works of Morton Feldman and to intersections between Chinese and American music. MOTE is the only presenting organization in Pittsburgh dedicated exclusively to contemporary chamber music.
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Music on the Edge is generously supported by the University of Pittsburgh Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences, the Aaron Copland Fund for Music, the Amphion Foundation, and the University of Pittsburgh Nationality and Heritage Rooms. Special thanks to Reza Vali, Dr. Owen Cantor, Lisa and Harry Levinson, and Kathleen Montgomery.
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Music on the Edge 2026-2027 Season
György Kurtág at 100
Sunday, September 27, 2026 | 3:00 PM
Bellefield Hall Auditorium
Tony Arnold, soprano; Christopher Otto, violin; Amy Williams, piano
“Convincing, mesmerizing soprano" Tony Arnold, virtuoso violinist Christopher Otto, and composer/pianist Amy Williams celebrate the Hungarian composer’s centenary in a beautifully woven concert on the intimate Bellefield stage. Kurtág’s evocative music will be paired with works by Amy Williams and György Ligeti.
Ensemble Mêtis
Friday, December 4, 2026 | 8:00 PM
Bellefield Hall Auditorium
Free and Open to the Public
This astounding new French ensemble presents works from their DIALOG Across Oceans project, which blends instrumental and vocal music with electronics, poetry, musical theatre, and video.
Lugano Percussion Ensemble
Saturday, February 6, 2027 | 8:00 PM
Bellefield Hall Auditorium
The Swiss percussion sextet will be joined by soprano Amanda DeMaris for their first MOTE appearance in a high energy program including works by Eric Moe, Mathew Rosenblum and John Cage.
LIGAMENT
Saturday, February 13, 2027 | 8:00 PM
Bellefield Hall Auditorium
Free and open to the public
The Steel Collective presents Ligament in a program of new works by Pitt graduate composers, written for this unique combination of soprano voice and double bass.
counter)induction
Saturday, February 27, 2027 | 8:00 PM
Bellefield Hall Auditorium
Known for its “fiery ensemble virtuosity” (New York Times), counter)induction returns to MOTE for a program of dynamic works by Douglas Boyce, Kyle Bartlett, Eric Moe, Charles Peck, Mathew Rosenblum, and Amy Williams.
TAK Ensemble
Saturday, April 10, 2027 | 8:00 PM
Bellefield Hall Auditorium
This New York-based quintet of new music superstars returns to MOTE with a program of works by Erin Gee, Ashkan Behzadi and Eric Wubbels, plus premieres by Pitt graduate composers.
Past MOTE Seasons
Music on the Edge 2025-2026
Steel Collective, feat. bassist Ryan McMasters
Sunday, Feb. 1, 2:00 p.m. | Frick Fine Arts Auditorium, University of Pittsburgh
Ryan McMasters collaborates with members of the Steel Collective. Program includes works by Eve Beglarian, Michael Gordon, and Ryan McMasters.
Amy Williams plays Feldman's "Triadic Memories"
Friday, Feb. 6, 8:00 p.m. | Bellefield Hall Auditorium, University of Pittsburgh
Celebrating Morton Feldman’s 100th birthday.
Bergamot Quartet with Percussionist Ji Hye Jung
Sunday, Mar. 1, 7:00 p.m. | New Hazlett Theatre, 6 Allegheny Square E, Pittsburgh, PA 15212
Premiering "Superhuman" by Charles Peck, and featuring works by Tania León, Joseph Schwantner, and Reza Vali.
~Nois Quartet
Saturday, Apr. 4, 8:00 p.m. | Warhol Theatre at the Andy Warhol Museum, 117 Sandusky St, Pittsburgh, PA 15212
Works by Elijah Daniel Smith, Kelly Sheehan, Bobby Ge, Ethan Isaac, Luis Delgado and Danny Fratina.
New York New Music Ensemble
Saturday, Mar. 7, 8:00 p.m. | Bellefield Hall Auditorium, University of Pittsburgh
Works by Mathew Rosenblum, Ali Sadeqi, Eric Moe and Amy Williams.
Music on the Edge 2024-25 / Beyond: Microtonal Music Festival 2025
A Talk presented by DSILTON
Wednesday, February 19, 4:00pm
Bellefield Hall Room 205
Georg Vogel, David Dornig and Valentin Duit's 31-tone trio DSILTON(from Austria)
Thursday, February 20, 7:00 p.m. | City of Asylum
Talk presented by JACK Quartet: "Microtonal Theory and Performance"
Friday, February 21, 4:00pm | Bellefield Hall Room 205
JACK Quartet and Ekmeles Vocal Ensemble with Scott Pauley, lute
Friday, February 21, 8:00 p.m. | Bellefield Hall Auditorium
Works by Carlo Gesualdo, James Weeks, Georg Friedrich Haas, Amy Williams and Christopher Otto, with video by Lenore Thomas, Ivette Spradlin and Triton Mobley
Ellen Fullman Long String Instrument Installation with JACK Quartet
Saturday, February 22, 2:00 p.m. | WQED Studio A
"Energy Archive" by Ellen Fullman, and "The Late Edition" by Austin Wulliman with video by Scott Turri
JACK Quartet, pianist Conor Hanick, and Ekmeles Vocal Ensemble
Saturday, February 22, 8:00 p.m. | University of Pittsburgh, Bellefield Hall Auditorium
Works by Marcos Balter, Paul Gallagher, Austin Wulliman, Feliz Anne Reyes Macahis, and a world premiere by Mathew Rosenblum, with video by Aaron Henderson and Scott Andrew
Eric Moe, Theophilus Root, and Ryan McMasters
Sunday, February 23, 4:00 p.m. | University of Pittsburgh, Bellefield Hall Auditorium
Works by Ezra Sims, Vincenzo Ruffo, Johnny Reinhard, and world premieres by Eric Moe, Julia Werntz, and Ryan McMasters, with video by Geraldine Erman
SydeBoob Duo
Sunday, April 6, 2:00 p.m. | University of Pittsburgh, Frick Fine Arts Auditorium
Works by Pitt composers Eric Moe, Ramin Akhavijou, and Luis Miguel Delgado Grande as well as Kate Soper, Andrew Hamilton, Rebecca Saunders, Max Johnson, Anthony Braxton, and Beat Furrer.
Music on the Edge 2023-24
Raman Ramakrishnan, cello & Thomas Sauer, piano
Saturday, November 18, 8:00 p.m. | University of Pittsburgh, Bellefield Hall Auditorium
Works by Lera Auerbach, Eric Moe, Tania León, Jonathan Chenette, John Taverner, and Harold Meltzer
counter)induction with poet Marlanda Dekine
Saturday, January 13, 8:00 p.m. | University of Pittsburgh, Bellefield Hall Auditorium
Works by Douglas Boyce, Suzanne Sorkin, Amy Williams, Kyle Bartlett, Eric Chasalow, and Eric Moe
Hypercube
Thursday, February 8, 8:00 p.m. | Frick Fine Arts Auditorium
Fidelio Trio
Saturday, February 17, 8:00 p.m. | Bellefield Hall Auditorium
Works by John Zorn, David Fennessy, Anna Clyne, Iannis Xenakis, and Eric Moe
Talujon with Jamie Jordan & Franz Nicolay
Saturday, March 23, 8:00 p.m. | The Andy Warhol Museum, Warhol Theatre | Co-presented with the Andy Warhol Museum
Works by Paula Matthusen, Frederic Rzewski, Franz Nicolay, and Mathew Rosenblum
Unheard Of Ensemble - Rescheduled to 05 November 2024
University of Pittsburgh, Bellefield Hall Auditorium
Works by Pitt composers Ramin Akhavijou, Emmanuel Berrido, Luis Miguel Delgado Grande, Danny Fratina, Aaron Myers-Brooks, Naama Perel-Tzadok, and Jay Rauch.
Music on the Edge 2022-23
counter)induction – Postponed
Saturday, January 28, 8:00 p.m. | The Andy Warhol Museum, Warhol Theater | Co-presented with the Andy Warhol Museum
Ensemble Dal Niente
Saturday, February 11, 8 p.m. | The Andy Warhol Museum, Warhol Theater | Co-presented with the Andy Warhol Museum
No Exit
Saturday, February 25, 8 p.m. | Bellefield Hall Auditorium
Percussionist Al Cerulo: Amplified Perception
Saturday, April 15, 8 p.m. | The Andy Warhol Museum, Entrance Area | Co-presented with the Andy Warhol Museum
MOTE Presents: The Interdisciplinary Performance Laboratory with the Staycee Pearl Dance Company & Soy Sos
Thursday, March 30, 7:30 p.m. | 5118 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15224