Vijay Iyer received a B.S. in Mathematics and Physics at Yale University in 1992 and a Masters in Physics at U.C. Berkeley in 1994. In 1995 he created an interdisciplinary graduate program that combines music, musicology, computer science, and cognitive science. His chief interest for his dissertation is the modeling of the perception and cognition of musical rhythm, particularly in the contexts of African-derived improvised musics such as jazz. A goal of his studies is to develop sensitive interactive music software for improvised musical performance. His advisors are professors David Wessel (UCB Music/Psychology), George Lewis (UCSD Music), Olly Wilson (UCB Music), Erv Hafter (UCB Psychology), and Donald Glaser (UCB Neurobiology and Physics in the Graduate School).

Iyer is an accomplished musician who performs frequently in the Bay Area and elsewhere. He currently leads three groups: the Vijay Iyer Trio, Spirit Complex, and Poisonous Prophets. All three ensembles, along with special guests Steve Coleman and George Lewis, are featured on his 1995 CD of original music, entitled Memorophilia, on Asian Improv Records (AIR). (AIR is an artist-run, self-sufficient Asian-American creative music label, reachable at ASIAIMPROV@aol.com)

Vijay also works with the legendary alto saxophonist and M-Base pioneer Steve Coleman, in two of his groups, the Mystic Rhythm Society (with a new compact disc recording entitled Myths, Modes, and Means) and the Secret Doctrine, as well as occasionally as a sub in Five Elements.

In addition Iyer has collaborated with a diverse assortment of world-renowned artists, such as George Lewis, James Newton, Francis Wong, Miya Masaoka, John Tchicai, Amiri Baraka, ROVA Saxophone Quartet, Wadada Leo Smith, Rudresh Mahanthappa, Midnight Voices, Kash Killion, India Cooke, Mark Izu, Peter Apfelbaum, Liberty Ellman, Anthony Brown, and Cecil Taylor.

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