The good folks running the Newman Center at the University of Denver have done more than build Gates Concert Hall and bring in a variety of world-class artists to perform on its stage.

Now, they've commissioned a new piece of music: a guitar concerto titled emphatically, in upper case, WE MARCH. It is certainly a big piece, and it does march along - as Wednesday's Gates audience discovered when Eliot Fisk and the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra premiered Daniel Bernard Roumain's work.

The composer (who prefers to be known as DBR) was on hand for the ovations, an imposing figure with dreadlocks to his waist. His music makes a similarly strong statement as it churns its way through three linked movements titled I March, Matthew's March (in honor of Fisk's late brother) and We March (no upper case this time).

Fisk handled the guitar with confidence and enthusiasm, strumming a series of intentionally ugly chords, ripping off some devilish runs and doing everything he could to sell this work.

Despite the relative quiet of Matthew's March, which followed an extended, frenetic guitar cadenza, this piece seemed content to shout rather than sing.

In a program note, DBR lamented the current "raging debate" in this country, although it wasn't clear how this dense piece would end our divisiveness.

John Yaffé led the strings-only chamber orchestra through a committed accompaniment.

More strident, dissonant music opened the evening: the suite, La Battalia, written more than 400 years ago by Heinrich Biber. The clashing sounds were meant to re-create battle tunes played simultaneously by the various gathered clans. A double bass equipped with paper under the strings then simulated a snare drum. A fun way to begin things.

The German orchestra spent the rest of the concert displaying its seamless string sound in warm and gracious readings of Barber's Adagio for Strings, Bach's G-minor Violin Concerto (adapted from the F-minor Harpsichord Concerto and featuring concertmaster Benjamin Hudson) and Tchaikovsky's sumptuous Serenade for Strings.

A few bumps aside, the Stuttgart played with elegance, unanimity and energy.

Fisk delighted the crowd with a delayed encore to open the second half: a superfast rendering of Bach's E-major Prelude (originally for solo violin), in honor of the composer's 322nd birthday.

Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra

• Grade: B+

• When and where: Wednesday at Gates Concert Hall

Marc Shulgold is the music and dance writer. Shulgoldm@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-5296