Vicky Chow

Biography

Canadian pianist Vicky Chow has been described as "brilliant" (New York Times), "a monster pianist" (Time Out New York) "virtuosic" (New Jersey Star Ledger), "sparkling" with a "feisty technique" (MIT Tech) and "new star of new music" (Los Angeles Times). She is the pianist for the award-winning ensemble, Bang on a Can All-Stars, Grand Band, X88, The Virgil Moorefield Pocket Orchestra, and New Music Detroit and has collaborated with other ensembles such as ICE, Wet Ink Ensemble, and the Wordless Music Orchestra. She has performed internationally in Asia, Australia, Europe and North America at venues such as Carnegie Hall in New York, The Barbican Center in London, the Muziekgebouw in Amsterdam, Hong Kong Arts Centre in Hong Kong, the Tongyeong Concert Hall in Korea to name a few. She gave the North American premiere of Steve Reich's work 'Piano Counterpoint' and the world premiere of John Zorn's Pulitzer-prize nominated piano trio titled "The Aristos", and Michael Gordon's 'Ode to La Bruja, Hanon, Czerny, Van Cliburn and little gold stars' written for Grand Band, and an evening length work by artist/composer Tristan Perich for solo piano and 40 channel 1-bit electronics titled 'Surface Image' written for Ms. Chow. During the 2016-2017 season will make appearances with the Bang on a Can All-Stars and as a soloist in United Arab Emirates, Germany, Latvia, United Kingdom, Belgium, Italy, Canada, and across the US.

Her recording of 'Piano Counterpoint' was released in September 2014 on the Nonesuch label alongside Alarm Will Sound's 'Radio Rewrite' and Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood's 'Electric Counterpoint'. Perich's 'Surface Image' was also released in the fall of 2014 on the New Amsterdam label to much success and was included in the top albums of the year lists such as The Rolling Stone Magazine and Rhapsody. Her next solo album on New Amsterdam will be coming out the fall of 2016 titled "A O R T A", featuring six new works by American composers such as Rome prize winners Andy Akiho and Christopher Cerrone. An EP of a solo piano work by Bang on a Can founder Michael Gordon titled 'Sonatra' will also be coming out on limited edition LPs under the Cantaloupe label. Her performances of Morton Feldman and John Cage were featured on BBC3's documentary series 'The Sound and The Fury', based on Alex Ross' book 'The Rest is Noise'. Her passion for new music has propelled Vicky to work with an A-to-Z of leading composers and musicians such as Andy Akiho, Louis Andriessen, Nik Bärtsch, Michael Gordon, Glenn Kotche (Wilco), David Longstreth (Dirty Projectors), David Lang, Steve Reich, Terry Riley, Lee Ranaldo (Sonic Youth), Julia Wolfe and Shara Worden (My Brightest Diamond). Her next commissioning projects includes works by composers Fjola Evans, David Brynjar Franzson, Vincent Ho and Nicole Lizee.

As an artist frequently broadcasted on WNYC's Q2 radio, her recorded work can be found on the 'Nonesuch', 'New Amsterdam', 'Tzadik', 'Cantaloupe',' Innova', 'Hinterzimmer', and 'AltaVoz' labels. Interviews and articles featuring Ms. Chow was published in the Huffington Post, Gramophone, The New York Times, The Vancouver Sun, and many more. In addition to performing, Ms. Chow produces and curates "Contagious Sounds", a new music series focusing on adventurous contemporary artists and composers in New York City. She receives continuous support from the Canada Council for the Arts and has received grants from the Fromm Foundation, The Yvar Mikhshoff Trust, The Aaron Copland Music Fund, The Vancouver Foundation, and the BC Arts Council.

Originally from Vancouver Canada, Ms. Chow studied at The Juilliard School with Yoheved Kaplinsky and Julian Martin before continuing studies at Manhattan School of Music with Christopher Oldfather. Starting the piano at age 5, she was invited to perform at the age of 9 at the International Gilmore Music Keyboard Festival. She made her orchestral debut at the age of 10 with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra made her NY orchestral debut appearance at Alice Tully Hall with the Juilliard Symphony performing Bartok's Piano Concerto No. 1.