When Carlos Sanchez-Gutierrez, Binghamton Philharmonic’s first ever composer-in-residence, wrote his latest work he found inspiration in unusual places.

While writing “… Ex Machina,” Sanchez-Gutierrez was influenced by a number of robotic creations, most notably artwork created by Arthur Ganson.

“Music is full of unpredictable ‘machines’ whose systematic, yet often imperfect behavior is what provides us with that elusive thing we call drama,” Sanchez-Gutierrez said. “Ganson’s awesome machines are simple and profound, quiet and eloquent, high-tech and low-tech, finite and eternal.”

The piece was given its world premiere Saturday night at the Anderson Center and served as the conclusion to the group’s year-long focus on Latin American music. The performance featured guest performers marimbist Makoto Nakura and pianist Cristina Valdes. Jose-Luis Novo, music director and conductor, led the conclusion to the group’s year-long focus on Latin American music.

“This season we decided to explore classical music from Latin America mainly to provide one kind of context for the new piece we commissioned from Mexican-American composer Carlos Sanchez-Gutierrez,” said Stephen Wilson, executive director of the Binghamton Philharmonic.

Throughout the season they have focused both on artists that “incorporate elements from Latin American popular and folk music,” as well as on Latin American artists “working with the classical tradition,” Wilson explained.

Sanchez-Gutierrez is acting as the organization’s first composer-in-residence, which was made possible by a grant from the New York State Music Fund. While working on the piece he maintained his position as a professor at the Eastman School of Music of the University of Rochester.

According to Wilson, the Philharmonic’s selection of Sanchez-Gutierrez has been anticipated for years. Novo met him while they were both graduate students at Yale, and Novo has wanted to work with him on the project for some time.

According to Sanchez Gutierrez, ”… Ex Machina” is a combination of expressions of different art pieces he’s been influenced by.

“I think of ‘… Ex Machina’ as a sort of eight-movement circus act that reflects on a number of artworks I greatly admire,” he said.

Wilson said that he highly encourages Binghamton University students to attend the Philharmonic’s concerts. They even offer student-discounted prices.

“We offer a student price of $10 per ticket which I think makes us one of the cheapest tickets on campus,” he said. “We also encourage students to come backstage after the concert to meet the conductor and musicians.”

Sanchez-Gutierrez said he enjoys incorporating humor into this work.

“Like the best circus acts, they also attempt to be a bit funny. But, most importantly, they try to be very dangerous,” Sanchez-Gutierrez said.

Besides performing at the Anderson Center, the Binghamton Philharmonic also performs at the Forum Theatre in Downtown Binghamton, as well as “Pops on the Plaza” and First Night Binghamton, as mentioned on their Web site: binghamtonphilharmonic.org.