Flutist Claire Chase embarked on a herculean project a few years ago – to expand the repertoire for flute by commissioning nearly 100 new works over 24 years. She calls the project Density 2036. It’s inspired by a four-minute piece for solo flute by Edgar Varese, Density 21.5, that has fascinated Chase since childhood.

For the project, Chase is determined to create an entirely new program for flute each year, ending in 2036, the centennial of Varese’s work. Her intent is to “reimagine solo flute literature over a quarter-century through commissions performances and recordings.” She’s at the midpoint of the project, and there are already dozens of new compositions by Terry Riley, Pamela Z, Vijay Iyer, Lisa Lim and others. Chase will perform a world premiere by Annea Lockwood at The Kitchen in New York City in December 2025.

In this conversation, Chase talks with Gail Wein about the special properties of a flute made of platinum, what she still doesn’t know about her own instrument, how she chooses composers to commission for Density 2036, the non-profit organization she created called Density Arts, and more.