For the Love of Music

Innovative classical music compositions are written all the time but not all of them receive public performances. ALEA III is a contemporary music ensemble in residence at Boston University devoted to promoting, playing, and teaching 20th century music.

Founded in 1978, ALEA III is the third such group organized by composer and music professor Theodore Antoniou. The ensemble's name derives from the Homeric word "to wander." In music, "aleatoric" refers to chance-based methods of composition.

Since its creation, ALEA III has presented works by hundreds of contemporary composers, many of them living. In its last concert, the ensemble performed pieces by Aaaron Copland, Vincent Youmans and Paganini, which were played by such musicians as Roman Totenberg and Peter Zazofsky, among others.

On this week's show, we spoke with the Dean of Boston University's College of Fine Arts, Jeffrey N. Babcock, and the director of the School of Music, John Daverio, about the role artists play in bringing to light artistic creations. We also heard excerpts from some of the pieces performed by ALEA III at their latest concert.