In celebration of composer Philip Glass’s 85th birthday year, pianist Vicky Chow presents her solo recording of the composer’s canonical Piano Etudes, Book 1.

“When I first encountered these pieces,” Chow recalls, “I was brought back to my roots of playing piano. Each one of the Etudes is so different — they can be very sophisticated and simple at the same time. So for me, it was all about going back to playing acoustic piano, with no electronics or extended technique or preparation, and utilizing that part of my brain.”

The original Etudes were compiled into two books of ten individual pieces each. While the work has been recorded and released by numerous pianists over the years, including of course Glass himself, Chow’s interpretation stands out – attributable in part to her own connections with the composer, as well as their shared presence in New York City’s new music community. Chow has been a member of the Bang on a Can All-Stars for over a decade; she first met Glass while performing with him on stage, at the same piano, during one of the legendary Bang on a Can Marathons staged annually in the city.

“That was my first time meeting him,” she says with a laugh, “and we didn’t really talk! I was just so nervous that I probably clammed up and didn’t know what to say. Mainly I was thinking, ‘Okay, don’t play any wrong notes, and don’t get into his space.’ But it was pretty cool.”