Seattle composer Joël-François Durand's recent CD, La terre et le feu (Mode) has two fine orchestral pieces: the title track, with its wan, astringent oboe/string textures, and the blazing Athanor, whose sweeping strings and bell-like brass crossbreed Brahms and Birtwistle. I really like the disc, but it's telling that these two tough and challenging compositions were recorded by the London Sinfonietta and the BBC Symphony Orchestra.

Aside from the now-dormant Seattle Creative Orchestra, I can't name a single local orchestra consistently devoted to new orchestral music--especially works written by young, brash composers, who, unlike Durand, don't have the experience and exposure to wangle performances.

The rarity of such gigs makes the Degenerate Art Ensemble's concert an event. Expanded to 45 members (thus the "Orchestra"), the DAE premieres 10 orchestral pieces by a slew of Seattle composers: Eyvind Kang (with guest vocalist Jessika Kenney), Seattle School, a collaboration by guitarist Tim Young and Paul Moore, Jherek Bischoff, cellist Lori Goldston (Black Cat Orchestra), Sam Mickens, improvising violinist Tom Swafford, Ben McAllister, Ian Rashkin, and DAE conductor Joshua Kohl (with choreography by Haruko Nishimura).

After hearing a few of the pieces in rehearsal, I'm looking forward to the billowing horns and lonely, delicate woodwinds in Rashkin's Outside, 5762. Ben McAllister's Sleeping with the Radio On has a charming, wish-I-thought-of-it ending that I dare not give away. Predictably, Seattle School, the charlatans behind "Iron Composer," serve up a love-it or hate-it piece. Their Market Research Symphony: Line Organization (Correcting the Improvisors) is, in theory, a music director's dream. Direct input from the audience determines the nature of the piece. Highly recommended. CHRISTOPHER DeLAURENTI

Catch the Degenerate Art Orchestra Sat Mar 19 (Moore Theatre, 1932 Second Ave, 292-2787), 8 pm, $10-$15.