Sean Hickey's album, "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind for the piano," is a musical response to the book "Sapiens" by Yuval Noah Harari, which explores why the human species has thrived.
Compositional Technique
The piece begins with a single human breath and includes percussive elements like a morse-like rhythm beaten on the sides and bottom of the piano.
Performer Biography
Vladimir Rumyantsev, the pianist on this album, won first prize at Moscow's Glinka competition at the age of seven and the International Television Competition of Young Musicians 'The Nutcracker'.
Composer Biography
Sean Hickey, born in Detroit in 1970, began his music education at age 12 with an electric guitar and Van Halen records.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Sean Hickey conceived the modern piano as a "meta-instrument" for this album, imagining it present at key historical moments like the dawn of humankind and the cognitive and agricultural revolutions.
Recording & Production
The album was recorded at Sono Luminus Studios in Boyce, VA, from February 5-7, 2024.
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