They were ambitious, and by September 2005 assembled a seven-person ensemble to perform three concerts in New York, including works by Gerard Grisey, Morton Feldman, and Beat Furrer. Soon joined by composers Christopher Cerrone and Liam Robinson, Red Light embarked upon a remarkable series of concerts, combining a the presentation of works by emerging composers with lesser-known masterpieces. Over the past five years Red Light has presented over 40 concerts throughout New York City, at venues including (Le) Poisson Rouge, Galapagos Arts Space, The Stone, the Italian Academy at Columbia University, Symphony Space, and the Chelsea Art Museum. Red Light has also expanded its boundaries beyond New York, holding week-long residencies at the University of California at San Diego and the Usinesonore Festival in Switzerland, and performing at the John F Kennedy Center in Washington DC and the Hanns Eisler Hochschule für Musik in Berlin.
The New York Times has again and again praised Red Light New Music, citing the ensemble's "admirable energy and precision," "engrossing" and "gracious" performances, and the composers' "inventive" work. Alex Ross of the New Yorker cited Red Light New Music as an important part of the new music map in New York, stating: "Not all composers have a yen for pop; many still engage in the venerable avant-garde pursuit [...] thus striking an attitude of resistance to mainstream culture. Composer-led groups such as [...] the Red Light New Music Ensemble are active at the noisier end of the spectrum, although they don't rule out sweeter sounds." Red Light New Music has received funding from the New York State Council on the Arts, Meet the Composer, the Foundation for Contemporary Arts, the Amphion Foundation, and the Argosy Foundation, among others.
