Kevin Volans: String Quartet Nos.6 (2000) and 9 (2004), trumpet, vibes, ‘cello, piano (2008), Atlantic Crossing (piano concerto no.2)(2005)
David Toub, mf (thank for the props above, Dude!)
Pelle Gudmundsen-Holmgreen: Concerto Grosso (rev. 2003 (or so))
John Adams: Son of Chamber Symphony
Steve Reich: Dance Patterns (2004), Double Sextet (2007), Variations for Vibes, Pianos and Strings (2004)

I’ll think of others later…

Luc Brewaeys – Fiore con Bocca (opera)
Phillipe Leroux – Voi(rex) (chamber ensemble)
Helmut Lachenmann – Concertini (large ensemble)
Concerto for Baritone Sax and Orchestra – G.F. Haas
Gyorgi Ligeti – Hamburg Concerto
Anders Hillborg – Brass Quintet
John Luther Adams – for Lou Harrison (mixed ensemble

Chamber and mixed chamber and orchestral:
Mark Applebaum: Sock Monkey Innova
Ge Gan-ru: Lost Style New Albion
Ingram Marshall:September Canons Nonesuch
Steven Mackey:Heavy Light New World
Chinary Ung 7 Mirrors New World
George Crumb: Volume Six Bridge
C. Curtis-Smith GAS Albany
Mario Davidovsky:Three Cycles Bridge
Robert Carl Innova
Kamran Ince:In White Innova
Robert Moran Innova
Tan Dun: Water Passion Sony
Ingram Marshall: Kingdom Come Nonesuch
Philip Glass:Orion Orange Mountain
Steven Hartke:Clarinet concerto,etc Naxos
Robert Erickson:Pacific Pacific Sirens New World
Terry Riley:Cusp of Magic Nonesuch

Cd’s ididn’t hear that would be on this list:
Derek Bermel Voices BMOP
Michael Daugherty:Fire and Blood Naxos
Philip Glass :Toltec Symphony Orange Mountain
Fred Lerdahl Orchestral works Bridge

Composer sets:
Henry Brant Collection:Innova
George Crumb Collection:Bridge
Leonardo Balada Naxos
Bright Sheng Naxos and Bis

This is not even complete
It’s been quite an amazing decade for American contemporary music.

i am forgetting a lot of wonderful pieces. I know I am.

John Adams: Guide to Strange Places (2001) for orchestra
John Luther Adams: Dark Waves (2007) for orchestra and electronics
Richard Ayres: No. 37B (2006) for orchestra
Oscar Bettison: O Death (2005-07) for six players
Sir Harrison Birtwistle: The Shadow of Night (2001) for orchestra
Elliott Carter: Boston Concerto (2002) for orchestra
Sebastian Currier: Static (2003) for pierrot ensemble
Tansy Davies: Tilting (2005) for orchestra
Donnacha Dennehy: Bulb (2006) for piano trio
Cenk Ergun: A Pig In Hell (2001) for chamber orchestra and CD
Michael Gordon: Dystopia (2007) for orchestra
Georg Friedrich Haas: In Vain (2000) for large ensemble and electronics
Bryn Harrison: Four Cycles (2002-05) for chamber orchestra
David Lang: Men (2001) for ensemble
Marc Mellits: Brick (2005) for orchestra
Andrew Norman: Unstuck (2008) for orchestra
Michael Nyman: Love Counts (2005) opera
Steve Reich: Variations for Vibes, Pianos and Strings (2005) for, well, you know
Esa-Pekka Salonen: Foreign Bodies (2001) for orchestra
Kevin Volans: Trio Concerto (2005)

After all, lots of “important” works of the 1930s and 1940s and 1950s and 1960s and 1970s turned out to be… not terribly important, in retrospect. I’d be more interested in looking at what everyone thinks are – now that we have some perspective – the most important works of the 90s.

That said, since the call was for “new musical works” without mentioning genre, I’ll side with Kid A & Amnesiac as being more “important” than anything listed above.

As to what I liked… well that’s here….

Here’s my list:

Charlemagne Palestine: From Etudes to Cataclysms
John Prokop: New England, Late Summer (2003)
Mary Jane Leach: Xantippe’s Rebuke
Michael Gordon: Trance IV
Paul Bailey: retrace our steps
Kraig Grady: Beyond the Windows Perhaps Among the Podcorn
Dave Seidel: A Door Into Spring
Samuel Vriezen: 20 Worlds
Jukka-Pekka Kervinen: but as nothing (Canon #5)
Steve Reich: Double Sextet

Thanks for including URLS to listening links. One of the things that’s terrific about this site is that these type of discussions always gives one new pieces to seek out!

I think Part and Liederman were terrific additions!