Vicky Chow Hong Kong/Canadian pianist Vicky Chow has been described as “brilliant” (New York Times) and “one of our era’s most brilliant pianists” (Pitchfork). Since joining the Bang on a Can All-Stars in 2009, she has collaborated and worked with composers/artists/ensembles/orchestras such as Tania León, Meredith Monk, Steve Reich, Philip Glass, Terry Riley, George Lewis, Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company, Sasha Waltz Dance Company, Doug Varone Dance Company, BBC Orchestra, LA Philharmonic, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Symphonietta Riga, International Contemporary Ensemble, The Knights, Tyshawn Sorey,
Andy Akiho, John Zorn, Gong Linna, Kronos Quartet, Longleash Trio, Trinity Choir, Wet Ink Ensemble, Yarn/Wire, Momenta Quartet to name a few. She has toured to over 40 countries and has performed in various venues in New York including Carnegie Hall, Guggenheim Museum, MOMA, MOMA PS1, Park Avenue Armory, National Sawdust, The Shed, Roulette, Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, Muziekgebouw in Amsterdam, EMPAC in Troy New York, Hong Kong Arts Centre, Barbican Centre, Southbank Centre, Royal Albert Hall for the BBC Proms in London, L’auditori in Barcelona, Tivoli Vrendenburg in Utrecht Netherlands, ZKM in Karlsruhe Germany, City Recital Hall in Sydney Australia, Konzertzāle Latvija in Ventspils, POLIN Museum in Warsaw, Poland, in the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires Argentina and many others.
About her recording of Michael Gordon’s Sonatra, The New Yorker wrote, “Sonatra is a milestone of composition, and Vicky Chow’s recording of it is a milestone of pianism.” Her album Tristan Perich: Surface Image released in 2013 on New Amsterdam Records was among the top 10 Avant Music albums in Rolling Stone. She recently released Jane Antonia Cornish: Sierra (“Cornish’s landscape is lush, sun-baked, and a little hazy in the afternoon light, and Chow is adept and adroit at bringing out the glistening imagery painted in each track, with synesthetic titles like Sky, Ocean, Sunglitter, and Last Light.” – VAN, “a reflective and subtle work, Sky for multiple layers of pianos. . . played by the versatile and talented Vicky Chow” – WNYC New Sounds) as well as Cassie Wieland: HYMN, both on the Cantaloupe label. In October 2022, she released Philip Glass: Piano Etudes Book 1 in celebration of Mr. Glass’s 85th birthday which Mr. Glass says, “It’s a highly dynamic and expressive performance. There’s a certain energy that is uniquely hers.” Her other recordings can be found on Nonesuch, New Amsterdam, Tzadik, among others.
Originally from Vancouver, Canada, she is based in Brooklyn, NY. She serves as faculty at the Bang on a Can Summer Institute and has been on faculty at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity. She is on the Board of Advisors for Composers Now, and is also a mentor at The Juilliard School. A graduate of The Juilliard School (B.M. ’05, M.M. ’07 Piano Performance) and The Manhattan School of Music (M.M. Contemporary Performance ’09) Ms. Chow is a Yamaha Artist.
Uncommon Women: Celebrating Joan Tower