After his clarinet was stolen from a Paris phone booth, Derek Bermel explains, he gave up busking to become a goatherd in the south of the country. He has studied the music of Yemen in Jerusalem, the music of Thrace in Bulgaria, choro music in Brazil, and in Ghana the music of a xylophone-like instument called the gyil, and conducted a choir of emotionally disturbed boys at a residential center in New York City.

For the first composer portrait of 2011, Q2 is pleased to focus on Philadelphia-born composer Aaron Jay Kernis. Throughout the week of January 3, we'll feature some of his seminal works, many introduced by the composer himself.

The long-awaited opportunity has finally arisen! We're thrilled to spotlight Dutch composer Louis Andriessen, who has, in ways both clear and covert, played a crucial role in the sonic idenity of Q2. Over a seventy-year career, Andriessen has amassed prestigious awards, including the 2011 Grawemeyer Award, composed prolifically and idiosyncratically and come to be regarded as one of the most sought-after composition teachers in the Western world. However, beyond a few smaller works, including Workers Union and Hout, his work, if not his name, remains unjustly obscure here in the United States. Beginning Monday, December 6 on Q2, we aim to address that.

This week, Q2 is spotlighting the technology-obsessed composer and artist Tristan Perich. Watch a video of his 1-Bit Symphony and grab a free download.

Starting Monday, August 30, Q2 turns over the internet airwaves to the vibrant young composer Paola Prestini in the latest installation of our Composer Introductions series. Listen at the top of every hour Monday as Prestini introduces her own work and get a free download of Labyrinth.

Starting Monday, July 26, Q2 shines its spotlight on the young Frenchman Florent Ghys, who is quickly making a mark on the New Music scene, both in New York and abroad. Join us for a special weeklong focus on his music including new, unreleased tracks and a free download of his Hommage à Jacob Ter Veldhuis, available for a limited time.

On Monday, June 28, Q2 presents the music of Gabriela Lena Frank in the next installment of our monthly Composer Introduction series. Listen in all week to get to know Gaby and her refreshingly unique compositional voice. Hear her music spotlighted on Q2, but also for this week only, grab a free download of Himno De Zamponas and Chasqui from the Chiara Quartet's recording of her celebrated work Leyendas: An Andean Walkabout!

This week on Q2, we introduce you to the spacious and spacial sound world of composer and Slow Six bandleader Christopher Tignor. Listen in for focused programming, including an unreleased track, download his piece Cathedral and read an introduction by Tignor himself.

On Monday April 26, Q2 spotlights the music of South African composer Philip Miller as part of our monthly series of weeklong Composer Introductions. Listen in for a fresh infusion of musical discoveries; download from above his piece Felix in Exile; and read below Sounding Out the Image, an essay written by Miller for Q2 on his collaboration with the versatile artist and director William Kentridge.

Q2 continues its monthly series of Composer Introductions with composer/bandleader Missy Mazzoli. Hear exclusive, live performances, read an introduction by Mazzoli herself and download her music.

Valentin Silvestrov is in the spotlight starting Monday, February 22, as the next in Q2’s monthly series of Composer Introductions. Listen to a selection of his compositions.

This week, Q2's Composer Introduction Series features the music of Caleb Burhans. Sample pianist Danny Holt's Innova recording of Burhans In Time of Desperation and download it for free during this exclusive, week-long Q2 spotlight.