Recording in the studio is always an interesting yet unpredictable endeavor. I had just scrapped a month’s worth of recordings because they didn’t give me the… ooomph factor when I found a copy of Piazzolla’s Tango-Études on my bookshelf by chance. The six pieces in this collection were all written as technical exercises for the flute, but they’re each so packed with unique flavors and I just knew I had to record them. This is possibly the fastest project I’ve ever put together — From deciding to try these pieces to getting everything recorded took exactly a week. And these recordings definitely had the ooomph I was looking for. Now, three months later, my debut EP is here and I can’t wait for you to hear it!

I would like to thank Wei, Iver, and the team at Skillman Music for putting up with me in the studio, recording, mixing, and mastering the tracks, and doing the absolute most to make sure the studio sessions went as safely as possible! A special shoutout to Will for being an extra set of ears throughout the mastering process and for being such a wonderful friend — From our girls’-night-out antics to our squad outings, New York City is a better place for me because of you.

Thank you Jordan for taking time out of your busy schedule to create the absolutely STUNNING cover artwork for this EP! I knew you’d be the perfect artist for this project from the very first time I saw your work, I’m so honored and grateful that you choose to share your talent and vision with the world through my project — Kai and I both think the artwork is such a slay and so has everyone that has seen it.

This is my first EP and, since I’ve just wrapped up my 13-year stint at Juilliard, my parting musical project. Thank you Carol for taking a chance on a rambunctious kid six years ago when he walked into his college audition at Juilliard thinking he owned the whole place! Your artistic and spiritual guidance has been absolutely invaluable for me, even if I sometimes fail to verbalize it. Thank you Bruce and Suzie Kovner for your financial support for this EP as well as for my last two years at Juilliard through the Kovner Fellowship. This EP would not have been possible without your generosity and your trust in me as an artist. And thank you Dean Sosland, Yassmeen, and Ashley for administering the fellowship, as well as my colleagues at Juilliard for making me feel at home.

Finally, I would like to thank my family, friends, and the Internet friends whom I’ve never met IRL for being there for me. Thank you all for believing in me, for being so supportive of my efforts at pushing out a record, for gassing me up and reminding me that I can do this. I was not exaggerating when I said I was either going to put out this EP or just drop music altogether — During these past 16 months, there were times where I felt lost and confused, that there was no direction worth aiming for. Making this EP has been a fruitful learning experience, but more importantly, it gave me the sense of direction I needed. I can’t say I’m completely at peace, but it’s good to at least be back in the driver’s seat. That’s good enough for me, at least for now. So this record is for all of you! I hope this music will likewise bring you some levity. Or at least something to have a decent glass of wine to.

— Yibiao Wang, 25 June 2021, New York City

TRACKLIST

Tango-Étude No. 1: Décidé
Tango-Étude No. 2: Anxieux et rubato
Tango-Étude No. 3: Molto marcato e energico
Tango-Étude No. 4: Lento – Meditativo
Tango-Étude No. 5
Tango-Étude No. 6: Avec anxiété

EP INFO

Release: 2 July 2021
Recorded: 18 March 2021
Genre: Contemporary classical, Tango nuevo
Length: 24:39
Label: YIBSY Laboratories
Producer: Yibiao Wang