IN ITS natural state, the Metropolis Ensemble is a chamber orchestra that specialises in new music, mostly by young composers. But for "Love Letters to Haiti", its Sunday evening concert at Le Poisson Rouge, Metropolis, was really an umbrella group that brought together instrumental soloists, chamber ensembles, singers and a few composers for a benefit performance for Partners in Health, a non-profit organisation that provides medical care in Haiti (and elsewhere), and is working with victims of the Haitian earthquake.

The concert came together quickly and almost by accident. Three weeks ago Le Poisson Rouge invited Andrew Cyr, the ensemble's artistic director, to assemble a programme for Valentine's Day, and at first Cyr doubted that there was sufficient time. But after watching news reports about the earthquake, he resolved to round up as many musicians as he could for a benefit concert.

The players donated their services, and Le Poisson Rouge donated the space, with all ticket proceeds going to the cause. Jennifer Salomon, an artist, designed T-shirts for the event, and donated them as well (they were sold for $20 at the club), and Cyr donated a stack of his ensemble's new CD on Naxos, devoted to the works of Avner Dorman.

All told, 26 works of various lengths were performed, most contemporary and eclectic, with standard repertory pieces cropping up on occasion.

Some of those were among the evening's highlights.

A short set by the Avenue 9 Trio and its members included a sweetly singing account of Rachm- aninoff's "Vocalise" by the group's cellist, Dane Johansen, and a breathtakingly beautiful reading of Debussy's "Clair de Lune" by its violinist, Sean Lee, both accompanied by Edvinas Minkstimas the ensemble's pianist. Lee returned later to play Massenet's "Meditation" from "Thaïs" with the harpist Bridget Kibbey. The contemporary works were mostly in a consonant and meditative style, though in James MacMillan's clarinet piece "After the Tryst" Sarah Beaty used the music's multiphonics and bent pitches to create a kaleidoscopic effect. In Jan Sandstrom's "Song for Lotta", Jonathan Greenberg showed how graceful and lyrical a bass trombone can sound, and Rachel Drehmann, a hornist, and Paul Murphy, a trumpeter, presented the gentler sides of their instruments. Drehmann played Arvo Pärt's "Spiegel im Spiegel", and Murphy performed Alan Hovhaness's "Prayer of St. Gregory".

The programme also included a contingent of composers who have worked closely with the Metropolis players. Adam Schoenberg's "One Acquainted With the Night" uses gentle chromaticism to create mystery and sensuality, and was given a shapely reading by Lance Suzuki, flutist, and Akimi Fukuhara, pianist.