Mind States: Pianist Vicky Chow on minimalism and the modules of Nik Bartsch

Liquid Music Playlist

A fierce advocate of new music and particularly minimalism, pianist Vicky Chow has been described as “brilliant” (New York Times) and “a monster pianist” (Time Out New York). In Episode 7 of Liquid Music's Playlist podcast, Chow describes the emotional and physical experience of performing minimalist music — from Steve Reich’s Piano Counterpoint to Tristan Perich’s Surface Image, a recently commissioned work that was co-presented by Liquid Music with the Walker Art Center last March. Chow also recommends to us the music of Swiss pianist and composer Nik Bärtsch, whose extended techniques and ritualistic, pattern-heavy structures push our conception of the piano's possibilities and show us minimalism’s groove.