Provocative and intense, Bang on a Can and Cantaloupe Music founder, Julia Wolfe's music combines minimalist techniques, repetitive rhythms, and sustained harmonies with a rock sensibility.

Cruel Sister, written for string orchestra, was commissioned by the Munich Chamber Orchestra and received its US premiere at the Spoleto Festival in 2009. The piece recounts a grisly tale of sibling rivalry, inspired by a haunting English ballad. "I was fascinated and horrified by the overwhelming greed and jealousy of the tale," says Julia. "My "Cruel Sister" is a search to unravel this human dilemma."

Fuel, on the other hand, is a collaboration with film-maker Bill Morrison which examines the impact of globalization. Commissioned by Ensemble Resonanz, a Hamburg-based group of 18 musicians, Fuel was premiered in 2007 as a multi-media performance. The ideas for the piece came about through conversations related to the necessity and controversy of fuel. Ensemble Resonanz violinist, Juditha Haeberlin then challenged Wolfe to create something virtuosic, something to push the limits of the ensemble. Her request merged with the sounds of transport and harbours - New York and Hamburg - large ships, creaking docks, whistling sounds and a relentless energy.