Genre: Orchestral

Few things are as shrouded in mystery as the process behind the conception of an idea — partially because verbal explorations of cognition are seldom fruitful. But where words fail, music steps in to enlighten: and this is the aim of Kevin Bobo's ORIGINS & EXPANSIONS, a philosophical reflection scored for wind ensemble and steelpan. Bobo musically examines the turbulent process of creation, from uncertain beginnings to victorious transformations. ORIGINS & EXPANSIONS evokes the tentative emergence of an idea, winding through obstacles and moments of introspection, and eventually captures the fragile resilience of inspiration forming. It's a cerebral, immersive exploration of existence itself; metaphysical, yes, but also richly narrative.

Santa Barbara-based composer Emma Lou Diemer (b. 1927) is a fixture in the Californian classical music community, having received commissions and performances from orchestras and ensembles throughout the state and worked throughout her career to advance the musical community.

Meditative yet propulsive. Structured yet sprawling. Gossamer yet muscular. Inspired yet meticulously constructed. METHOD MUSIC by Lawrence Ball is all of these and more, a double album of highly adventurous electronic music by a master innovator of algorithmic composition.