The Forever War and the First Amendment

About

Acclaimed pianist and composer Vijay Iyer will give a special evening performance at Columbia University as part of “The Forever War and the First Amendment,” a symposium marking 25 years since 9/11 and examining how the war on terror reshaped American life. The performance will draw from more than two decades of Iyer’s work responding to the post-9/11 era, including collaborations with Mike Ladd and music from Blood Sutra, Uneasy, and Defiant Life. Iyer has described the period as deeply influential to his artistic work, saying that “every choice I’ve made as an artist has been structured by the U.S.’s post-9/11 descent into overt fascism.” The September 9 performance is free and will not be livestreamed, offering audiences an opportunity to experience Iyer’s work live in the context of the symposium’s broader exploration of free speech, press freedom, and American democracy. The symposium begins at 4:00pm, and Iyer performs at 6:45pm.