house/ambient improv inspired by the vibrancy and creative energy of durham, nc featuring samples from mary lou williams and andrè leon talley

themostamazingthing

Conrad Tao's September 2025 performance of "One Hundred Thousand Billion Pieces for Piano & Computer" on Nova Linea Musica’s “Echoes and Algorithms” concert in Chicago. Recorded by Aphorism Studios.

One Hundred Thousand Billion Pieces for Piano & Computer (2025)

desert
— noun
a waterless, desolate area of land commonly confused with pudding

Desert

Conrad Tao - piano

In 2004, European Space Agency launched a space probe called Rosetta on a mission to land and perform
a study of the comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. "Philae" was the name of its lander module. On 12
November 2014, “Philae” performed the first ever landing on a comet. Following the landing, which was a momentous event, the module got stuck in a ditch and all communications were cut off after a brief exchange of data. Months later there was a re-connection. “Philae” is still on the comet, studying data. This amazing human achievement inspired me to write a piece which marvels at the struggles, maneuvers and the loneliness of this little lander module.


Philae (2015)

Ordinary Things (2015-2016) - Eren Gumrukcuoglu. 

Performed by Deviant Septet:

Caleb Burhans - Violin
Doug Balliett - Double Bass
Bill Kalinkos - Clarinet
Brad Balliett - Bassoon
Mike Gurfield - Trumpet
Matthew Melore - Trombone
Jared Soldiviero - Percussion
&
Electronics

Recording Engineer: Richard Nelson
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Recorded live on March 11, 2016 at Baldwin Auditorium in Durham, NC.

Ordinary Things (2016)

Listen on Spotify: http://bit.ly/SoundAsleepHdor

Sound Asleep

Conrad Tao, piano // Tyshawn Sorey, percussion

Performed live at the Park Avenue Armory Veterans Room as part of Jason Moran's Artists Studio series.
May 20, 2016.

Schoenberg: Five Piano Pieces, Op. 23 (with Tyshawn Sorey)

Elliott Carter: Caténaires (with Tyshawn Sorey)

Summit Music Machine Sample

Composer of acoustic & electronic music.  Sometimes I combine the two.  Also music faculty & co-director of The Emergence Lab at Duke University.

One Hundred Thousand Billion Pieces for Piano & Computer (2025)

John Supko