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Vijay Iyer: How To Make Music Matter To People
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Pianist-composer
Vijay Iyer
pianob.1971
He received a MacArthur Fellowship, a Doris Duke Performing Artist Award, a United States Artist Fellowship, a Grammy nomination, the Alpert Award in the Arts, and two German "Echo" awards, and was voted Downbeat Magazine's Jazz Artist of the Year four times in the last decade.
But beyond all that praise, he is at his core simply a seeker of genuine connection and community. Here he talks about growing up in Rochester, N.Y. as one of a small handful of first generation Indian Americans (his parents immigrated), how he developed his musical identity alongside an academic career as a scientist (he did his undergraduate work in math and physics at Yale and holds a PHD from UC Berkeley in the cognitive science of music), creating work for an uncertain future, how to make music matter, and his most recent recordings.
Along the way he discusses his records Uneasy—the most recent trio record made with
Tyshawn Sorey
drumsb.1980
Linda May Han Oh
bass, acousticb.1984
Mike Ladd
synthesizerHe released Love In Exile—a collaborative album with
Arooj Aftab
vocalsb.1985
Shahzad Ismaily
bass, electricTags
Radio & Podcasts
Vijay Iyer
Leo Sidran
Tyshawn Sorey
Linda May Han Oh
Mike Ladd
Arooj Aftab
Shahzad Ismaily
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