This festival has a small number of quite idiosyncratic aims, working within the general field of contemporary concert music.
Planet Tree Music deals with the more tonal end of the spectrum, less with the more aggressive, more predominantly intellectual aspects. Music that does not deal dominantly with the shadow side of expression.
Music of long duration is especially favoured. In 1998, the UK premiere of "For Philip Guston" (4 hours long) by Morton Feldman was presented.
Under-recognised composers - particularly those who have sought beauty and the innovative at the expense of "career" as a composer.
Music linking with other artistic media, eg with poets, painters, with computer graphics
Links with other musical genres, eg Indian or Moroccan ethnic music, or with jazz, rock or other idioms, but not to dilute the main aim as one of new concert music.