Featuring over 100 composers under the age of 40, the American Composers Orchestra’s SONiC (Sounds of a New Century) Festival is energizing New York with a stellar kickoff to the season – eight days of amazing new work performed by 16 extraordinary ensembles. Yay!

Here at Q2 Music we’ve got all kinds of exclusive SONiC-related goodies for you, from concert coverage to ensemble portraits, and, of course, you can always rely on Q2 Music to provide a direct line from composer to listener -- five composers whose work is being featured on the festival stopped by the Q2 Music  studios to talk chat about their lives, their work, and the classical landscape.

Q2 Music spotlights the following five SONiC composers with interviews all next week beginning at noon:

• Monday: Andrew Norman
• Tuesday: Marcos Balter
• Wednesday: Susie Ibarra
• Thursday: Matt Marks
• Friday: Bryce Dessner

Matt Marks is a composer/performer of what he terms “emotionally manipulative pop songs” and acoustic works. In addition to composing, you can find Matt playing French horn in new-music ensembles around New York, including Alarm Will Sound, in which Matt is a founding member. Matt’s music is always inventive and immensely entertaining, whether it be for a heavily-produced CD or a plushly-arranged chamber orchestra.