Ear Expansion with Vijay Iyer

In this episode of Ear Expansion, host LaMont Hamilton is joined by composer and pianist Vijay Iyer. Together, they reflect on music as a relational practice—shaped through presence, exchange, and the enduring trace of those we’ve moved with. Iyer recalls an early memory of shared soundmaking with his sister—an ecstatic moment of vibration and discovery that continues to echo through his relationship to the piano.

He speaks about his early studies in physics and cognitive science, not as a foundation for his music, but as a critical lens through which to question Eurocentric assumptions about sound and knowledge. Through conversation, Iyer shares how music—especially in ensemble settings—becomes a site of collective cognition, shaped by listening, response, and shared breath. He reflects on the many scales of time that shape musical experience, and the ways in which attention and sensation are entangled in the act of listening.

Toward the close, he reflects on the enduring influence of figures like Thelonious Monk, Amiri Baraka, Roscoe Mitchell, Wadada Leo Smith, and many others—each leaving a trace that still shapes how he listens, creates, and moves forward.