13 Ensemble with Ester F. Mata

13 Ensemble is a collective of thirteen musicians led by Ester F. Mata - trumpeter, composer and conductor. The group combines hypnotic minimalism with a chord-free approach where musicians actively respond to each other's cues and to electronic elements such as spoken text and everyday sounds.

The ensemble features five wind instruments, a string quartet and a rhythm section of vibraphone, double bass and drums. Compositions provide a framework, but within that framework the musicians shape the music in real time - through conducting, shifting cues and live interaction with electronic samples.

In 2025, the ensemble, with support from Amarte, recorded their debut album Traffic Is the New Silence, released on Honolulu Records.