“Playful, tightly executed and delightfully innovative”
The Guardian (Sept. 23, 2016)

“Atlantic String Machine, they were the rock stars of the ECMAs…they did an amazing set…a gorgeous show…PEI strings represent.”
Bill Roach, CBC Radio (May 11, 2019)

Atlantic String Machine is a dynamic ensemble of string players who perform as many styles of music as they can fit into their portfolios. Based on Prince Edward Island, they have established themselves at the forefront of new and exciting arts groups throughout the region. Their unique approach comes from a desire to keep live music relevant, transformative, and above all entertaining. In their efforts to keep themselves and their audiences engaged, they seek out interesting collaborations with other artists, unexpected venues for concerts, and write their own arrangements and compositions, keeping their repertoire fresh and alive.

The group has received multiple awards from Music PEI (Achievement in Classical Music – 2016, 2017, 2019 & 2020) and nominations from the East Coast Music Awards. Their debut album, Lost Time, received two ECMA nominations (Classical Recording of the Year and Classical Composition of the Year – 2017), and their second album, The Bayfield Sessions, has been nominated for Classical Recording of the Year at the 2020 ECMAs. The band has also been featured at festivals across the country, including the Stan Rogers Folk Festival, the Vancouver Island Music Festival, Summerfolk, and the PEI Festival of Small Halls. 

Over the past few years, String Machine has performed with a long list of exceptional artists, including Sarah Slean, Duane Andrews, Paper Lions, The Once, James Keelaghan, Meghan Blanchard, Rachel Beck, and Adrienne Gallant. They have also appeared on recordings by Lennie Gallant, Irish Mythen, and Dave Gunning. Their sophomore recording, The Bayfield Sessions, builds on that spirit of collaboration by featuring guest performances of original songs by Ian Sherwood, Catherine MacLellan, Nathan Wiley, Matthew Byrne, and Alicia Toner.

The group’s most recent album, A Single Juniper Post, continues to push the band in new directions. Consisting of all original compositions by the members of the ensemble, the recording ranges from groovy to cinematic and from neo-classical to ambient. The project is based on the life and work of renowned Maritime architect William Critchlow Harris. And it was recorded in the Harris designed St. Paul’s Anglican Church in Charlottetown, which features some of the most exceptional acoustics around.   

Atlantic String Machine is:
Sean Kemp (violin)
Karen Graves (violin)
Jeffrey Bazett-Jones (viola)
Natalie Williams Calhoun (cello)
Adam Hill (bass)