Role

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Composer Performer

Country

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United States of America

Birth

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October 26, 1971 in Albany, NY

 

Vijay Iyer is a renowned American jazz pianist, composer, and bandleader. He was born on October 26, 1971, in Albany, New York, to Indian Tamil parents. His father was a research scientist, and his mother was a librarian. Iyer grew up in Rochester, New York, where he started playing the violin at the age of three. He later switched to the piano and began taking lessons at the age of six. Iyer's parents were both music lovers, and they exposed him to a wide range of music genres, including Indian classical music, jazz, and Western classical music. Iyer was particularly drawn to jazz and started playing in local jazz bands while still in high school. He went on to study physics and mathematics at Yale University, where he also played in the school's jazz ensemble. After graduating from Yale, Iyer pursued a Ph.D. in physics at the University of California, Berkeley. However, he soon realized that his true passion was music, and he dropped out of the program to pursue a career in music full-time. He moved to New York City in 1995 and quickly became a sought-after pianist in the city's jazz scene. Iyer's music is characterized by its fusion of jazz, Indian classical music, and other world music genres. He has released numerous albums as a bandleader, including "Panoptic Modes" (2001), "Reimagining" (2005), "Historicity" (2009), "Accelerando" (2012), and "Far From Over" (2017). His music has been praised for its innovative use of rhythm, harmony, and melody, as well as its social and political commentary. One of Iyer's most notable works is his 2016 album "A Cosmic Rhythm with Each Stroke," which he recorded with Indian tabla player and percussionist Zakir Hussain. The album is a tribute to the late Indian painter Nasreen Mohamedi and features a blend of jazz and Indian classical music. The album received critical acclaim and was named one of the best jazz albums of the year by numerous publications. Iyer has also composed music for film, dance, and theater. He composed the score for the 2013 film "Siddharth," which tells the story of a father searching for his missing son in India. He has also collaborated with choreographer Karole Armitage on several dance productions, including "Wavelengths" (2010) and "Three Theories" (2014). In addition to his work as a musician, Iyer is also a professor of music at Harvard University. He has written extensively on music and culture, including the book "Music, Language, and the Brain" (2008), which explores the relationship between music and neuroscience. Iyer has received numerous awards and honors for his work, including a MacArthur Fellowship in 2013, a Doris Duke Performing Artist Award in 2012, and a Grammy nomination for Best Jazz Instrumental Album in 2010. He continues to be a leading figure in the world of jazz and world music, pushing the boundaries of what is possible in music and inspiring a new generation of musicians.

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