Surface Image, Tristan Perich’s new composition for pianist Vicky Chow, places the solo piano within a dense frenzy of 1-bit sound. Forty loudspeakers, each wired to hand-built electronics, blanket the stage and accompany Chow’s playing, accumulating in a dense polyphonic cascade of piano notes and 1-bit tones.
Please join us at 7:30 PM for an artist talk with Tristan Perich & Vicky Chow.
Tristan Perich‘s (New York) work is inspired by the aesthetic simplicity of math, physics and code. The WIRE Magazine describes his compositions as “an austere meeting of electronic and organic.” 1-Bit Music, his 2004 release, was the first album ever released as a microchip, programmed to synthesize his electronic composition live. His latest circuit album, 1-Bit Symphony (Cantaloupe, 2010) has received critical acclaim, called “sublime” (New York Press), and the Wall Street Journal said “its oscillations have an intense, hypnotic force and a surprising emotional depth.” His award winning work coupling 1-bit electronics with traditional forms in both music (Active Field, Observations) and visual art (Machine Drawings, Microtonal Wall) has been presented around the world, from Sonar and Ars Electronica to the Whitney Museum and bitforms gallery. www.tristanperich.com/
Canadian pianist Vicky Chow has performed across North America, Europe, Asia and Australia and has been described as “brilliant” (New York Times), and “one of the new stars of new music” (Los Angeles Times). She is the pianist for the Bang on a Can All-Stars and is also a member of two other groups: piano duo X88 with Dutch pianist Saskia Lankhoorn of Ensemble Klang and piano trio Typical Music with violinist Todd Reynolds and cellist Ashley Bathgate. Her recordings can be found on the ‘Tzadik’ and ‘Cantaloupe’ labels. She has worked with composers such as John Adams, Steve Reich, and Terry Riley and musicians such as Bryce Dessner (The National), Vijay Iyer, and Lee Ranaldo (Sonic Youth). Most recently she gave the North American Premiere of Steve Reich’s Piano Counterpoint for solo piano and tape as part of the International PuSH Festival in Vancouver, Canada. www.vickychow.com
Tristan Perich & Vicky Chow’s The Density of Air is funded in part through New Music USA’s MetLife Creative Connections Program.
