“Give these young performers points for novelty. “

“The Phillips Collection had an artsy, New York vibe on Sunday when the Metropolis Ensemble took over the place, literally.”

In the Upper East Side townhouse that the American Irish Historical Society calls home, a violinist ambled down the stairs while tuning her instrument and a harpist improvised with electronic sounds that came from the walls.

At moments like this, new music sheds its academic strictures and finds its way back to the era of dinnertime entertainments.

Everyone seemed to congregate in the kitchen, which is where everyone always wants to hang out during house parties.