The Tin Angel Opera, written to a libretto by Paul Pines and based on his widely acclaimed novel of the same name, with music by award-winning composer Daniel Asia, is set in the edgy world of a NYC downtown Bowery jazz club, where a unique cast of characters play out their dramatic story as a call for redemption.

The inspiration behind the story is The Tin Palace, the real-life New York City’s jazz mecca of the 70s, founded by Paul Pines in 1973.

The Divine Madness Oratorio, composed by Daniel Asia and based on the eponymous poetry book written by Paul Pines, is a testament to madness as a force which drives men to be creators. Such men lived on the razor's edge and pushed the boundaries of their minds, often self-destructing into the abyss of history. With an intense blend of classical, jazz, and avant-garde influences, Divine Madness is a demonstration of the chaos which gives birth to human innovation and creativity. Pine’s poems are expressions of this madness, as found in the figures around whom they are woven. These include the great American prophet of democracy Tom Paine, as well as Van Gogh, Einstein, Heisenberg, John Winthrop, Leonard Bernstein, Telemachus, Columbus, among many others.

The extraordinary project titled Mirrors of the Cosmos, a concerto to be composed by Daniel Asia for shakuhachi and orchestra, with Shawn Tairyu Head(a Grand master shakuhachi performer, and educator) as the featured soloist.

This project represents a rare and historic artistic collaboration between East and West. A concerto for shakuhachi and orchestra is an uncommon yet powerful combination, and we believe Mirrors of the Cosmos has the potential to be a groundbreaking addition to the orchestral repertoire.