3pm (reception to follow)

Phyllis Chen and Robert Dietz lead an afternoon of musical discovery of childhood through her toy pianos and music boxes. They play with the quirky yet sensitive range of possibilities that these instruments bring, pushing and expanding the boundaries of performance. The Memorist, a piece featured on the program and composed by Chen, is inspired by Lewis Carroll, Humpty Dumpty and Chen’s own childhood.

Phyllis Chen is a pianist, toy pianist and composer. Her albums include Cuddle Magic & Phyllis Chen (FYO Records, 2014) and little things (New Focus Recordings, 2013). She is one of the founding members the International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE), based in New York City

Robert Dietz is a multimedia artist, VJ and electroacoustic music. He has organized solo performances, installations and collaborations with musicians, composers and other artists