The New Mexico Performing Arts Society is giving the world premiere of Aaron Alter’s Earth Cantata on March 3 this year, and the composer and NMPAS Artistic Director Franz Vote are teaming up to offer a free meet-the-composer event on Thursday, Feb. 2. Alter’s biography reflects a big alteration in his musical style, with a “new beginning” starting in 2012. During it, the Chicago native abandoned the atonalism from his academic training at Northwestern and Princeton Universities in favor of a style that freely mixed classical and popular styles, including jazz and rock, often referencing specific historic works and composers. A sample title — Homage to Josquin for Two Flutes, Piano, Electric Bass and Drum Set. (Josquin des Pres was a celebrated Renaissance composer who lived several hundred years before drum sets and electric basses were invented.) Earth Cantata is inspired by J.S. Bach’s sacred cantatas, and the meet-the-composer event will include musical examples, as well as a discussion of its text, vocal writing, and instrumentation. 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 2, Temple Beth Shalom, 205 E. Barcelona Rd., free event with no reservations needed, face masks required, 505-474-4513, nmpas .org — Mark Tiarks/for The New Mexican