His work caught the attention of influential cultural figures in Chicago, including impresario Dalia Kuceanas, who introduced the young composer to important European musicians.
These introductions led to the commission of several works, including Two by One (solo violin) for the preeminent Russian violinist, Raimundas Katillus, who performed the composer's music at Carnegie Hall.
First's composition, "I'vidi in terra angelici," was featured on the International Society for Contemporary Music (ISCM) Concert at Columbia University in New York.
Most recently, his collaboration with New York filmmaker Matt Marello on the eccentric multi-media collaboration, The Eternal Return, received worldwide attention, including performances on the America in Berlin exhibit at the Berlin Academy of Art as part of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City.
His most recent music includes The Eternal Return, a multimedia work for five ensembles and five films created by New York filmmaker Matt Marello.