NbN Trio (Nora Barton, Billie Howard, and Nomi Epstein) explores sonic textures through manipulation of acoustic instruments. While the three instruments of the ensemble—cello, violin, and inside of the piano—monopolize the sound space, there is extensive involvement of found sound, and/or percussive instruments by all three members of the trio. Their performance at ESS wil include four improvised sets, with some featuring film projection and lighting. 

NbN Trio is a Chicago-based, acoustic, experimental improvisation trio made up of Nora Barton, Billie Howard, and Nomi Epstein. The ensemble works carefully to investigate various color combinations between instrumental forces, while also creating juxtapositions of textural strata. Interests in sound dimensions include types of white noise, the juxtaposition of sound and noise, and the degree of clarity of pitch within sound. NbN's improvisations encourage the listener to investigate subtle aspects of sonic movement where sensory details become heightened through concentrated and focused listening. Founded in early 2011, NbN was artist-in-residence at High Concept Laboratories in Chicago during the Fall 2012 season. Recent projects include AMBEDO, a multimedia event involving NbN’s original abstract film and light design alongside their sonic improvisations, presented as part of their HCL residency.