One of the most original and commanding pianists and composers to emerge in recent years, Vijay Iyer is the son of Indian immigrants and a largely self-taught musician. His recordings as a leader have elicited raves rarely heard: "unfailingly imaginative and significant" (JazzTimes); “bracingly expressionist jazz” (The New York Times), “an oncoming phenomenon, already up to his fingers in the most advanced music” (Amiri Baraka). In addition to his many accomplishments as a performing musician, Mr. Iyers has a Masters in Physics, a Ph.D. in Technology and the Arts, and lectures on topics ranging from composition and improvisation to cognitive science.