Drawing inspiration from folk, classical, and rock genres, Julia Wolfe's music brings a modern sensibility to each while simultaneously tearing down the walls between them. Her music is distinguished by an intense physicality and a relentless power that pushes performers to extremes and demands attention from the audience. Wolfe has written a major body of work for strings, from quartets to full orchestra. The influence of pop culture can be heard in many of her pieces including “Lick,” which, based on fragments of funk, has become a manifesto for the new generation of pop-influenced composers. She was recently awarded the 2015 Pulitzer Prize for “Anthracite Fields,” an evening-length work based on life in the Pennsylvania Anthracite coal region.