NEW JULLIARD ENSEMBLE or NEW MUSIC

Last night @ Alice Tully Hall, the NEW JULLIARD ENSEMBLE performed 5 orchestral pieces; 2 World premiers and 3 Western Hemisphere premiers.  The composers, were from Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Holland and Poland.  All 5 composers are contemporary; 2 of whom are in their twenties.  Three of the composers were present and acknowledge in the audience following their compositions.  While all pieces were orchestral, the nomenclature for this style of music in our 21st Century is not classical, but "NEW MUSIC," as stated in the program.  There was a similar theme among all the piece a "concept of space," rather than music "defined as an art of time."  Hmmm...Well, Toshi Ichiyanagi whose piece, BETWEEN SPACE & TIME, explained, "I wanted to try to exploit the space concept and to strengthen the time element."  Sun-Young Park stated, "Most Korean music is quite spare and in a way spatial."  The use of pauses and lack of a discernible melody were prevalent.  There were also a plethora of percussion instruments used, including cow bells.  As Will Ferrell always says, more cow bells!  To be able to hear these new and exciting pieces for the 1st time was a privilege.  The only problem with space were the many empty seats in the house.  Tickets are free, and to quote my grandmother, "What is wrong with you people!"