ECM 2026: Vijay Iyer - Solo Piano

Open to all kinds of new music drawn from jazz, European folk forms and contemporary classical ideas, NCH celebrates the trailblazing independent German label, ECM.

Described by The New York Times as a 'social conscience, multimedia collaborator, system builder, rhapsodist, historical thinker and multicultural gateway', innovative composer and pianist Vijay Iyer is one of the leading music-makers of his generation.

His musical language is grounded in the rhythmic traditions of South Asia and West Africa, the African American music of the 60s and 70s, and the lineage of Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk, Alice Coltrane, and Geri Allen. The Grammy-nominated composer-pianist has been described by Pitchfork as “one of the most interesting and vital young pianists in jazz today”.

Active and revered across multiple musical communities, Iyer has created a consistently innovative, emotionally resonant body of work over the last three decades.  Voted DownBeat’s Jazz Artist of the Year four times, he has released thirty remarkably acclaimed albums; received three Grammy nominations, two German “Echo” awards, the Dutch “Edison” prize, a MacArthur “Genius” Fellowship, and numerous other national and international prizes; composed for classical ensembles and soloists; and collaborated with poets, filmmakers, choreographers, and music-makers from across the planet. 

Presented by NCH

NCH presents this special series as part of the Cultural Programme for Ireland’s 2026 Presidency of the Council of the European Union. It is supported by the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport.