The Los Angeles Philharmonic's associate residency at the Barbican opened with a firm statement of intent in the shape of a contemporary programme given by the orchestra's offshoot, the LA Phil New Music Group. Gustavo Dudamel, the orchestra's music director, conducted two European premieres.

The first was a Percussion Concerto composed and played by the LA Phil's principal timpanist, Joseph Pereira, clearly a virtuoso in his own right. Many such works involve the soloist rushing around with a crazed air, hitting just about any object that comes to hand. Pereira takes a more measured approach. His piece concentrated on just drums, vibraphone and marimba, played more or less discretely, though that left the group's regular percussionists with plenty to do on their own account. Indeed, the use of extended playing techniques from all members of the ensemble was a notable feature throughout, giving the piece striking atmospherics and colour. But it maintained a genuine trajectory, too, over its span, holding the attention as much by its musical content as its visual element.

Unsuk Chin's Graffiti was also strong on atmosphere, and its use of a phantasmagorical sequence of refined or complex textures gave it consistent sonic fascination. But whereas Pereira's piece possessed a clear sense of direction, Chin's work – which she says is only loosely related in its final form to the concept of street art that originally inspired it – felt inert at times, despite its surface brilliance. Dudamel's performances offered precision and finesse, factors he might usefully have brought to the opener, John Adams's flippantly titled Son of Chamber Symphony, which was instead strenuously conducted by the composer. Alongside the Pereira and Chin showpieces, it felt a little penny plain, despite its energy.

• What have you been to see lately? Tell us about it on Twitter using #GdnGig