Ulterior Motif

We perform mostly as a trio, with keyboard, violin and cello. We bring all of our own sound equipment and set up quickly, taking as much or little space as you desire. We are always dressed appropriately for the occasion, and perform based on our client's needs. Ulterior Motif always offers to meet clients in person during the hiring process, and we keep in constant contact with the client. On the days leading up to the event, we always contact and confirm all plans. We arrive as early as possible to each event where we are hired to make sure that we are ready to perform without a hitch. We are not just musicians, but professional sound engineers and recording artists, so we are prepared for every occasion. We have an extensive repertoire of music ranging from pop to classical and original music and we love to perform above and beyond expectations.
**Wedding ceremonies consist of a processional song, bridal march and a recessional song. If you have additional needs for your ceremony, please specify that.

Ulterior Motif consists of session musicians from EKM Studio in Connecticut. We work full time to compose and record music for use in film, TV and advertising. As live performers, we mainly play keyboard, cello and violin. We perform at cultural festivals, weddings, galas and for charity functions. Our musical backgrounds are broad, ranging from classical training to touring with rock bands. Our original compositions have a neoclassical feel, and some are geared toward particular genres such as Norse, Celtic and American folk.
Our violinist, Ren owns EKM Studio and has a BS in business and a MAT in teaching. She taught in public schools for 9 years before opening her own music studio. She currently teaches voice and violin and is a sound technician, producer and engineer. She is a classically trained vocalist who studied violin with her grandfather who played often at Carnegie hall. Our cellist, John has been studying classical cello for over 20 years. He also plays bass and guitar. Before becoming a full time musician, John worked in marketing and assisted autistic children. Our keyboard player, Andreas, has toured internationally as a drummer. He currently teaches music at EKM Studio and plays in several bands.

We need very little from our clients. We bring all of our own equipment that has been safety checked by professionals and tested for quality at our studio. All we ask is for a convenient, grounded power outlet whether inside or outside or specify if electricity will not be available. In some occasions we can adapt to play acoustically. For outdoor performances, some kind of cover, either a temporary or permanent structure, must be available in case of precipitation, extreme heat or cold that could damage our equipment.
We generally play using a Yamaha electric keyboard (with an authentic piano sound), classical acoustic cello and Yamaha electric violin or Stradivarius copy acoustic violin. These instruments may be amplified through two combination amps that take up very little space, but allow us to control our sound for comfortable listening. When vocals are required, we supply a travel mixer and microphone. We generally do not use speaker stands, as we perform through amps that hide behind our setup and don't take up space or take eyes away from the beauty of the occasion at hand.