Margaret Leng-Tan, Pianist March 27, 2008

Tan is renowned for her performances of American and Asian music that transcend the piano's conventional boundaries. Hailed by The New Yorker as"the diva of avant-garde pianism," she has inspired many composers to create performer-specific works for her. A proponent of the works of modern composers for the piano, Tan's performances are part piano recital, part theater and totally riveting. Utilizing all aspects of the piano, from banging on the outer shell to bring out its percussive qualities, modifying it with store-bought nuts and bolts, to glass cups sent chiming up and down the strings, Tan is a visionary artist with such a singular command of technique that she has incorporated the use of toy instruments into her classical repertoire. Sylvie Courvoisier is a talented jazz pianist who has performed all over the New York City area.