Welcome to AU Ensemble
Cultures x Chamber Music
AU Ensemble is a dynamic intercultural chamber music group led by Artistic Directors Mark Armanini and Rita Ueda. Dedicated to artistic excellence, AU Ensemble brings together musicians who are recognized experts in contemporary extended techniques, improvisation, and intercultural collaboration. Each member is also highly accomplished in the classical traditions of their own cultural heritage, allowing the ensemble to create performances that are both innovative and deeply rooted in diverse musical traditions.
International collaboration is at the heart of AU Ensemble’s mission. The group regularly partners with Canadian and European performers, fostering groundbreaking transnational artistic projects that reflect and respond to evolving cultural dynamics.
AU Ensemble has collaborated with renowned ensembles and organizations, including the Microcosmos String Quartet (Vancouver), Ensemble Bios (Florence), Kyushu Okinawa Composers Association (Fukuoka), and Prague Modern. The ensemble has appeared at major festivals such as Festival Amadeus (Montana), Fukuoka West Coast Music Festival, Amsterdam Uitmarkt Festival, and Prague Contempls Festival
Mark Armanini's work is distinguished by the fusion of Western and traditional instruments. Armanini explores transcultural musical styles, pairing aural improvisers with score-based practitioners to create works that immerse performers and audiences in cross-cultural experiences. His musical vision celebrates innovation, creativity, and the deep exchange between traditional cultures.
Rita Ueda is known for crossing and blurring boundaries between genres. Her orchestral and operatic works inspire dialogue on world peace, cultural identity, and the environment. By working with unusual combinations of traditional, non-traditional, and Western instruments, Ueda aims to create new hybrid forms of transcultural music that reflect the multilayered direction of contemporary Canadian society.
In September 2025, AU Ensemble launched the Ensemble AU Chamber Orchestra in Tokyo, further expanding its global reach. The inaugural recordings feature conductor Andrea Vitello, concertmaster Marc Destrubé, and soloists Miura Motonori (hichiriki), Kuroda Reison (shakuhachi), and Song Yun (erhu), performing works by Mark Armanini, Rita Ueda, and Ho Khac Chi. These recordings will be distributed worldwide by Stringray Classica in 2026.
AU Ensemble is committed to delivering outstanding performances of intercultural orchestral, chamber, and operatic works, frequently premiering new combinations of musicians and compositions. The ensemble’s future plans include further international tours, recordings, and innovative projects that continue to push the boundaries of contemporary intercultural music.
