Vicky Chow
Surface Image
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Dear Vicky,
first, thank you for accepting our invitation to be part of HocTok. Going back in time, at the age of ten, you made your orchestral debut with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. Fast forward to today, you have a busy schedule having performed with the best orchestras on the most renowned venues around the world. Any memories from that first major performance that still travel with you around the world or are you focused more on the present and the future ahead? |
Photo by: Kaitlin Jane Photography |
I remember being really nervous that day. I don’t think I ever get that nervous before a performance anymore. (thankfully) It was a memorable moment for me because I was deeply in love with playing concertos and the dream of performing with an orchestra becoming realized was simply out of this world for me.
It was one of the most exciting things I did as a child.
These days I have a different thrill: performing music in different cities and places around the world, commissioning new works, and sharing this with a global audience. With all of the new artists I get to meet and make music with, I can reflect that since that day I was on stage at the Orpheum Theatre in Vancouver, I’ve transformed as a musician. It’s very satisfying to know that musical exploration is a life long journey, and I’m still on that road!
What does it take to achieve a level of performance that is continuously praised by the best and the toughest critics in the world, case in point, you’re “brilliant” by The New York Times standards, or “the new star of new music” by The Los Angeles Times and more, which by the way we agree with 100%.
I don’t know if I deserve these accolades from the press. I am a person who constantly listens to my recordings and think I sound terrible. But I am very humbled and honored to have received positive reactions about my playing. I spent a lot of time since I was young practicing and honing my craft and I still do. As I got older, I’ve realized like all else things are difficult and with practice they get easier.
It takes patience and a lot of dedication. There are always new things to work on or improve. Without that reflection, one becomes complacent and stops growing. Curiosity always helps an open mind. Sometimes a youthful folly aids to keep things fun. Also, I try not to take things too seriously. It is music after all. It should be uplifting, not stressful!
Thanks to your passion for new music, and because of your amazing talent, you have collaborated with a great number 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). We wouldn’t ask you to confess who your favorites are but what are some of the most unique characteristics of these artists that have impressed you?
It would be so difficult to thoroughly describe each and every meaningful encounter with all of the artists above. But the common thing I find with all of those experiences is the artistic exchange while performing with them or while performing their music. I learned so much from these encounters. Their mastery and skill is so powerful that I can say that I usually leave the performance as a changed person.
I am a huge fan of Nik Bartsch. He arranged one of his pieces (Modul 26) for the Bang on a Can All-Stars to perform at our annual People’s Commissioning Fund. Ever since that time, I’ve been obsessed with his music. He calls it Ritual Groove. I couldn’t “feel” it the first time I worked on the piece. Each hand was in a different groove. I felt like an awkward teenager wearing something that was made for someone who was older. I couldn’t get the balance of the music without thinking about it. It took a long time and I am still working on it. He leads a workshop at his venue in Zurich (EXIL) and you can work on these skills with him and his bandmates in his group Ronin. They are amazing.
I’ve also had 2 memorable and inspirational performances that I’ve attended in recent years: one of them is hearing Nik Bartsch and Ronin perform live in Zurich in 2013, and the other is Steve Schick performing at Miller Theatre in 2014 last year.
These are people who achieve the unthinkable and I completely respect and admire their dedication and artistry. It’s what I what I want to be when I grow up! Haha.
It was one of the most exciting things I did as a child.
These days I have a different thrill: performing music in different cities and places around the world, commissioning new works, and sharing this with a global audience. With all of the new artists I get to meet and make music with, I can reflect that since that day I was on stage at the Orpheum Theatre in Vancouver, I’ve transformed as a musician. It’s very satisfying to know that musical exploration is a life long journey, and I’m still on that road!
What does it take to achieve a level of performance that is continuously praised by the best and the toughest critics in the world, case in point, you’re “brilliant” by The New York Times standards, or “the new star of new music” by The Los Angeles Times and more, which by the way we agree with 100%.
I don’t know if I deserve these accolades from the press. I am a person who constantly listens to my recordings and think I sound terrible. But I am very humbled and honored to have received positive reactions about my playing. I spent a lot of time since I was young practicing and honing my craft and I still do. As I got older, I’ve realized like all else things are difficult and with practice they get easier.
It takes patience and a lot of dedication. There are always new things to work on or improve. Without that reflection, one becomes complacent and stops growing. Curiosity always helps an open mind. Sometimes a youthful folly aids to keep things fun. Also, I try not to take things too seriously. It is music after all. It should be uplifting, not stressful!
Thanks to your passion for new music, and because of your amazing talent, you have collaborated with a great number 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). We wouldn’t ask you to confess who your favorites are but what are some of the most unique characteristics of these artists that have impressed you?
It would be so difficult to thoroughly describe each and every meaningful encounter with all of the artists above. But the common thing I find with all of those experiences is the artistic exchange while performing with them or while performing their music. I learned so much from these encounters. Their mastery and skill is so powerful that I can say that I usually leave the performance as a changed person.
I am a huge fan of Nik Bartsch. He arranged one of his pieces (Modul 26) for the Bang on a Can All-Stars to perform at our annual People’s Commissioning Fund. Ever since that time, I’ve been obsessed with his music. He calls it Ritual Groove. I couldn’t “feel” it the first time I worked on the piece. Each hand was in a different groove. I felt like an awkward teenager wearing something that was made for someone who was older. I couldn’t get the balance of the music without thinking about it. It took a long time and I am still working on it. He leads a workshop at his venue in Zurich (EXIL) and you can work on these skills with him and his bandmates in his group Ronin. They are amazing.
I’ve also had 2 memorable and inspirational performances that I’ve attended in recent years: one of them is hearing Nik Bartsch and Ronin perform live in Zurich in 2013, and the other is Steve Schick performing at Miller Theatre in 2014 last year.
These are people who achieve the unthinkable and I completely respect and admire their dedication and artistry. It’s what I what I want to be when I grow up! Haha.
The artist/composer Tristan Perich wrote for you “Surface Image” an evening length work for solo piano and 40 channel 1-bit electronics. This was 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. Were you surprised at all by all this success or did you have faith and anticipated the success from the beginning stages of this project?
I am thrilled that it was included in top albums lists of 2014 and certainly to have it included in The Rolling Stone Magazine is unexpected. I am happy to know that listeners love this music as much as I do. It feels really rewarding to have others appreciate the love and passion that was put into this work and recording.
That being said, in general, I never make music or collaborate on a project or commission a piece of work with the idea of “success” in mind. I am interested in making music and finding people who are interested in that as well. I don’t make decisions to work on a project based on whether or not it would be successful and widely accepted but rather on the artistic and aesthetic content and intent of the work. I don’t think one can predict the trends and waves of what would become popular. The only hope I have is that people appreciate, understand, respect, and enjoy the music that I make and the music that others create.
You were born and raised in Vancouver, Canada, and that’s where you got your start. What can you say about the new music scene in Vancouver today?
I was just there a couple weeks ago to perform at The Western Front. I have to say, every year I return perform, the more I see how the contemporary music community is evolving and growing. Many artists are based there and the audience’s interest in this genre is growing.
Organizations like Music on Main and the Western Front and others are leaders in bringing in artists right forefront contemporary music making and exploration. Canada’s audience is young, hungry, and open for new music.
You studied at The Juilliard School with Yoheved Kaplinsky and Julian Martin then at Manhattan School of Music with Christopher Oldfather. How did these prestigious schools, great professors, among everything else NYC has to offer, have affected your journey in becoming a world class performer exhilarating audiences and critics with your piano playing?
I wouldn’t have guessed that I would be doing what I am doing right now. I was trained classically and when I was 8 years old, I knew I wanted to attend Juilliard. It was world renowned for classical music. When I got here, I started questioning why I was performing classical music. I guess I got older and my tastes have changed and this genre didn’t quite fit me anymore. I needed another medium to express myself.
Contemporary music lends itself to that very well. Through this, I went up to Manhattan School of Music as they began their first year of their Contemporary Performance Program under the leadership of Patti Monson. It was an exciting time. Many of my classmates are some of today’s leading contemporary performers and composers. And of course, being in New York City, I get to meet all of my idols.
I remember the first time I met David Lang, Michael Gordon, and Julia Wolfe. I was so nervous. I still sometimes pinch myself because I get to work with so many amazing artists!
In addition to performing, you also produce and curate “Contagious Sounds”, a new music series focusing on adventurous contemporary artists and composers in New York City. What made you take on this project?
For about 5 years I produced and curated this series that I called Contagious Sounds. It started as a hobby. To be honest, I was still in school and looked for a venue to present programs outside of an academic setting. The shows I put on for myself and friends were a hit for Neke Carson, one of the curators at the Gershwin Hotel that he asked me to do some on a monthly basis. I surely didn’t have enough programs to perform once a month. But I knew a lot of friends and artists that could also use the venue to present their own projects. So that’s how it all started.
I feel it is important to not only perform new music and of composers you work with, but to also advocate for other composers and performers in your field. I built my own website, started streaming it on ustream. They have since deleted all of the archival material because I was using a basic account, which is really unfortunate. It was a lot of work. For now, I have taken a break from curating and producing these shows as I focus on recording and commissioning for the piano. I have a feeling in the future I will get back into it.
Recently you gave the North American premiere of Steve Reich’s work ‘Piano Counterpoint’ and the world premiere of John Zorn’s new 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 Tristan Perich’s “Surface Image”. What does it mean to play such a remarkable role in the modern day history of music making with so many North American premieres and numerous other important performances around the world?
When I was only working in the classical music tradition, I felt disconnected to the modern world of creativity. I feel very fortunate to be able to take part in the creation of new works and to be able to get to know the artists working in the field now.
As much as I love and appreciate classical music, I missed the part where there can be dialogue and exchange between artists when a new project is created.
You spent most Of October in California with Bang on a Can All-Stars performances. In November you return to Vancouver premiering a work by Adam Basanta and Remy Siu. Then Nashville and a follow up trip to the UK. In December, you’ll be with us in Brooklyn for the BAM Next Wave Festival. Then off to Detroit for New Music Detroit and then Istanbul, Turkey. Busy is an understatement. What’s the secret to keep your cool while also looking great with a playful smile on your face and a sparkle in your eyes, performing with such high level of perfection in an ever changing landscape?
Food, catching up on sleep, meeting new people, and room service.
Is there a mental list of objectives you work on or do you have a general motto about life and music choosing to let life flow as it may?
I try to be in the present moment as much as I can and I go with the flow and try to be flexible. Life is about change and adaptability. I try not to take myself too seriously, and whenever I can, I try to have as much fun as I can.
Thanks HocTok!
I am thrilled that it was included in top albums lists of 2014 and certainly to have it included in The Rolling Stone Magazine is unexpected. I am happy to know that listeners love this music as much as I do. It feels really rewarding to have others appreciate the love and passion that was put into this work and recording.
That being said, in general, I never make music or collaborate on a project or commission a piece of work with the idea of “success” in mind. I am interested in making music and finding people who are interested in that as well. I don’t make decisions to work on a project based on whether or not it would be successful and widely accepted but rather on the artistic and aesthetic content and intent of the work. I don’t think one can predict the trends and waves of what would become popular. The only hope I have is that people appreciate, understand, respect, and enjoy the music that I make and the music that others create.
You were born and raised in Vancouver, Canada, and that’s where you got your start. What can you say about the new music scene in Vancouver today?
I was just there a couple weeks ago to perform at The Western Front. I have to say, every year I return perform, the more I see how the contemporary music community is evolving and growing. Many artists are based there and the audience’s interest in this genre is growing.
Organizations like Music on Main and the Western Front and others are leaders in bringing in artists right forefront contemporary music making and exploration. Canada’s audience is young, hungry, and open for new music.
You studied at The Juilliard School with Yoheved Kaplinsky and Julian Martin then at Manhattan School of Music with Christopher Oldfather. How did these prestigious schools, great professors, among everything else NYC has to offer, have affected your journey in becoming a world class performer exhilarating audiences and critics with your piano playing?
I wouldn’t have guessed that I would be doing what I am doing right now. I was trained classically and when I was 8 years old, I knew I wanted to attend Juilliard. It was world renowned for classical music. When I got here, I started questioning why I was performing classical music. I guess I got older and my tastes have changed and this genre didn’t quite fit me anymore. I needed another medium to express myself.
Contemporary music lends itself to that very well. Through this, I went up to Manhattan School of Music as they began their first year of their Contemporary Performance Program under the leadership of Patti Monson. It was an exciting time. Many of my classmates are some of today’s leading contemporary performers and composers. And of course, being in New York City, I get to meet all of my idols.
I remember the first time I met David Lang, Michael Gordon, and Julia Wolfe. I was so nervous. I still sometimes pinch myself because I get to work with so many amazing artists!
In addition to performing, you also produce and curate “Contagious Sounds”, a new music series focusing on adventurous contemporary artists and composers in New York City. What made you take on this project?
For about 5 years I produced and curated this series that I called Contagious Sounds. It started as a hobby. To be honest, I was still in school and looked for a venue to present programs outside of an academic setting. The shows I put on for myself and friends were a hit for Neke Carson, one of the curators at the Gershwin Hotel that he asked me to do some on a monthly basis. I surely didn’t have enough programs to perform once a month. But I knew a lot of friends and artists that could also use the venue to present their own projects. So that’s how it all started.
I feel it is important to not only perform new music and of composers you work with, but to also advocate for other composers and performers in your field. I built my own website, started streaming it on ustream. They have since deleted all of the archival material because I was using a basic account, which is really unfortunate. It was a lot of work. For now, I have taken a break from curating and producing these shows as I focus on recording and commissioning for the piano. I have a feeling in the future I will get back into it.
Recently you gave the North American premiere of Steve Reich’s work ‘Piano Counterpoint’ and the world premiere of John Zorn’s new 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 Tristan Perich’s “Surface Image”. What does it mean to play such a remarkable role in the modern day history of music making with so many North American premieres and numerous other important performances around the world?
When I was only working in the classical music tradition, I felt disconnected to the modern world of creativity. I feel very fortunate to be able to take part in the creation of new works and to be able to get to know the artists working in the field now.
As much as I love and appreciate classical music, I missed the part where there can be dialogue and exchange between artists when a new project is created.
You spent most Of October in California with Bang on a Can All-Stars performances. In November you return to Vancouver premiering a work by Adam Basanta and Remy Siu. Then Nashville and a follow up trip to the UK. In December, you’ll be with us in Brooklyn for the BAM Next Wave Festival. Then off to Detroit for New Music Detroit and then Istanbul, Turkey. Busy is an understatement. What’s the secret to keep your cool while also looking great with a playful smile on your face and a sparkle in your eyes, performing with such high level of perfection in an ever changing landscape?
Food, catching up on sleep, meeting new people, and room service.
Is there a mental list of objectives you work on or do you have a general motto about life and music choosing to let life flow as it may?
I try to be in the present moment as much as I can and I go with the flow and try to be flexible. Life is about change and adaptability. I try not to take myself too seriously, and whenever I can, I try to have as much fun as I can.
Thanks HocTok!
