It's been a year and the New Gallery Concert Series at the Community Music Center of Boston (CMCB) has grown. At times its expansion overwhelms founder Sarah Bob, CMCB piano faculty member and Greater Boston chamber musician. "I have to figure out how to get more help even to go around town and hang posters, but I love what I'm doing so much--working with people who love what they do. I feel the power of creativity and expression, and so does the audience," Bob said.

The Series combines visual art and new music by bringing together artists and musicians. In October, the Series featured David Heatley, a cartoonist and painter currently living in Chicago, Il., and several internationally-acclaimed musicians. "I really liked that program. All the music was written within two years," Bob said. Although the pieces had themes revolving around New York and urban life, she said the September 11 events did not influence the Oct. 25 concert selections.

The concert opened with the American premiere of "Avoidance Tactics #1 for Piano and Electronics," composed by Curtis K. Hughes and performed by Bob herself. Leaning into the music and slamming her forearm on the piano, she created the sounds of a city street. Bob showed no reserve in expressing the feelings of aggression and alertness the piece demanded.

The audience was next greeted with theater, comedy and song. Pianist Todd Amond, who has written for several New York and New England musical productions, collaborated with singer and actress Pamela Bob. The alternating melodies of "Sky Above Manhattan," "Why Don't You Come Over," and "New York This Time of Year" focused on the themes of love, loneliness and community. In the program notes, Almond explains his piece "Tree in the Fall," which expresses isolation in a large city. "I felt so solitary but in the company of millions of other solitary people," he writes.

According to Bob, all these songs were written prior to September 11. Their themes, however, are applicable to the emotions felt and shared by so many. Having grown up minutes from New York City, she cries every time she hears "Sky Above Manhattan." Almond describes the piece as a love letter to the city.

After intermission, the music focused less on narrative and more on moments. Biliana Voutchkova joined Bob on the violin for "Fratres," a piece composed by Arvo Part in 1980. The melody and sudden discord of the compositional style allowed a loosening of tension. Dennis DeSantis's "Fodder," written in 2001, and "Contemplation on Little Big Muff," composed in 2000, by Ken Ueno, closed the concert, both exhibiting qualities of works-in-progress. Electro-acoustic sounding music were emitted by a humming amplified cello, a boom of the drums, a pizzicato. Ha-Yang Kim on cello and Nathan Davis on percussion performed as the duo of Odd Appetite.

The free, dreamlike quality of the music in the second act matched the work of artist Heatley, who took 15 minutes to discuss his paintings with the audience. He described work as products of self-discovery complete with conflict and narrative, some of which he created blind-folded. Bob used his painting of a naked, prepubescent girl witting in the midst of airplanes to advertise the concert. The CMCB staff was concerned people would be offended, but the only comments Bob heard from recipients were supportive. "No one said, 'this upsets me.' I didn't choose it for shock value. I chose it because it's a beautiful painting," she said.

Bob plans on using the featured artist's work to advertise the next concert, scheduled for Feb. 7 in CMCB's Rehearsal Room A, beneath the Boston Center for the Arts' Cyclorama, the location for the New Gallery Series. Boris Ouzounov, who hails from Bulgaria, will exhibit his bright, vivid oils and watercolors. The program will consist of fun, "cute, easy-listening pieces," such as Bruch Adolphe's love song, "In Amerike," which is based on a 19th-century Yiddish poem, "Lunar Joe," a love story between a human and an alien, and "Valley Girl in Love." "Gepetto's Workshop," based on Pinocchio and composed by Michael Gandolfi, will be performed by pianist Alison d'Amato and flutist Alicia DiDonato, both who know Bob through the New England Conservatory. "Vinyassa," by Kyle Bartlett, is listed third. Two world premieres start and end the program. "Three Poems by Raymond Carver," by Martin Near, a student of Gandolfi, will be performed with clarinet, guitar and voice, and "Trio for Violin, Cello and Piano," by Francine Trester.

"The quality is high. I'm working hard to make sure it's there," Bob said. But at this point she could use an intern to help her. After giving lessons, finding rehearsal space and practicing, Bob writes the program bios, contacts interested musicians and artists and applies for grants. "I feel if I wasn't doing this, nobody would," she said, satisfied that for the "most part people are pleased" with her efforts.