Hmm... it really depends what you consider contemporary, "lesser known" and what your skill level is at. I've found Prokofiev's Op. 12 No. 1 "March" to be a lot of fun. It's pretty simple but has a lot of character (it also doesn't seem to be performed much). It's not contemporary but Prokofiev is definitely starting to lean towards some of the chaos and dissonance seen in certain sects of contemporary music. Actually, multiple of the Op. 12 set fit your request so I'd recommend that.
Ligeti etudes also fit the bill, but these are FAR more difficult than the march. I'm guessing if you're at the level required for these pieces you're familiar with them though (at least by name).
However, on second thought I've just realized you asked for beautiful so I don't know if my suggestions fit the bill... considering your time limit maybe looking into some preludes by different composers could be beneficial.
Topic: Shorter Pieces