Good morning.
It’s Friday so we’re listening to something which, for piano week, is relatively more upbeat. Today we’re listening to Vicky Chow, Hong Kong-Canadian pianist originally from Vancouver. She studied at Juilliard and joined Bang on a Can All-Stars in 2009, through which she collaborated with composes like Terry Riley, Steve Reich, and Philip Glass.1 We’re playing her 2022 album of Glass piano études which brings us full circle to Monday’s rec. But first we’re playing her 2018 LP, Michael Gordon: Sonatra, which the New Yorker described as “a fifteen-minute perpetual-motion study that may be the culmination of a tradition of pieces that place inhuman demands on concert pianists.” Gordon helped found Bang on a Can, and Chow delivers an immaculate performance of his challenging all-arpeggio piece.
Michael Gordon: Sonatra - Vicky Chow (30m, no vocals)
Spotify / Apple Music / YouTube Music / Amazon Music / Bandcamp / Tidal
Philip Glass: Études for Solo Piano, Book 1 - Vicky Chow (60m, no vocals)
Spotify / Apple Music / YouTube Music / Amazon Music / Bandcamp / Tidal
This concludes piano week on Flow State. If you have an idea for another themed week hit reply.
Loved this piano-themed week, thanks! I like Robin's idea of focusing on countries, and it would be cool to explore other instruments (an acoustic-guitar week, maybe?)
Or a little extra on " Keith Jarret " ?!😇