For decades, rising composers, young composers working in aesthetics not yet embraced by the mainstream institutions of classical music—concert halls, symphony orchestras, universities—have had to find audiences by building and leading their own, brand new institutions. Paola Prestini has helped to build and lead VisionIntoArt, a multimedia performing arts collective, building bridges between the worlds of music, film, dance, theater, and poetry.

On Sunday May 17 at 7:30 pm, Olivia Giovetti hosts an evening of four new operas from a foxy quartet of composers live from (Le) Poisson Rouge, as part of the 2011 installment of New York City Opera's American opera lab, VOX.

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.

Oceanic Verses, originally commissioned by Carnegie Hall and recently performed by the New York City Opera on VOX, is an operatic tableau of rituals that pays homage to Italian folk music of different times and regions—from Genoa to Salento and Sardinia. With a nod to the great contemporary Italian singers Fabrizio D’Andre and Roberto Licci, the work aims to create a world music of the Mediterranean people, a tribute through Prestini’s musical lens.

Italian-born composer Paola Prestini is the director and founder of the non-profit interdisciplinary collective, VisionIntoArt. Listen to her piece Last Hymn for clarinet, cello, vibes and laptop. Featured here are clarinetist Richard Mannoia, vibraphone player Yuri Yamashita, and cellist Claire Bryant.

Italian-born composer Paola Prestini is the director and founder of the non-profit interdisciplinary collective, VisionIntoArt. Here she gives the world premiere performances of Spell and Inngerutit for clarinet, cello, vibes and laptop.