El hongo was envisioned as something colourful, a bit eccentric, and purely fun. The ensemble of alto sax, cello, piano, and vibraphone suggested the idea of jazz—with some unexpected Javanese gamelan phrases incorporated into the mix. Premiered by, and performed many times by Ensemble Symposium, including at the Sonic Boom Festival, presented at the Western Front, in Vancouver, B.C., Canada, 14 March, 2004.