New Review
VIVIAN KHOR
Starlight Serenade
Corelight Music (2007)
Subtitled (on the album cover) “Passionate Ambient Keys,” Starlight Serenade by keyboard player Vivian Khor is a blend of “good old-fashioned” new age music with some contemporary wrinkles. Intermixing piano with assorted synthesizers (featuring instrument sounds which are typical for the genre), as well as flute on the title track (played by Fred Seldon), Khor weaves music that covers an assortment of moods, atmospheres, and tempos, although the overall feel of the CD is gentle, pleasant, and more or less serene.
The aforementioned title track opens the recording with romantic piano, muted synth chorals and strings, and Seldon’s soothing flute melodies. Khor exercises discretion and taste when embellishing her piano music with “ambient” keyboards. Some artists hit the listener over the head with melodramatic mushy strings or overdone chorals. Such is not the case here or elsewhere on the CD. “Love Buffet” starts off with echoed bells and chimes, played arrhythmically, while a haunting kalimba-like keyboard, hushed chorals, and melancholic piano are introduced. There is a hint of Eastern Europe/gypsy-influence to the piano (a nice wrinkle, that!) and the long (seven and half minutes) piece unwinds patiently, with Khor playing her energetic but soft piano runs against that steady backdrop of assorted accompaniment. Stylistically, it resembles a cross between Suzanne Ciani and Mark Sloniker (of all people!). Things get really interesting when the artist interjects some contemporary chill-out beats - that’s something you don’t expect on an album with this title, do you? “Winter Play” returns to more expected musical territory with semi-lively piano counterpointed by shimmering synths and playful electronic textures, aptly conveying the song’s title. Once again, I was struck by Khor’s similarity to Ciani (but not in an imitative manner). She captures the same blend of nostalgic romanticism and new age “sparkle.”
Khor can also go solo on piano (“Timeless Journey” showcases her adroit fingering and dexterous technique, even though the piece’s mood is cast in a somber glow). Sometimes, her piano is entirely absent, such as on the curiously-titled “Abbey With Me” which basks in warm lush synth strings that caress the air as they wash over the listener. In marked contrast to the overall peaceful mood of the album, “After Glow” is a more revved-up electronica-styled new age piece, again with more contemporary beats. If you’re familiar with the music of Composure (aka Bill McGee), you’ll recognize the same energizing style of music on this cut. I’m not entirely sure it “fits” in with the rest of this album, but I give Khor credit for moxie and unpredictability! She returns to a more expected mode on “Surrender in the Storm” and its rolling piano refrains and soothing strings.
With the exception of the entertaining (albeit sticking-out-like-a-sore-thumb) “After Glow”), Starlight Serenade is a solid, enjoyable, and highly accessible piano/keyboard new age music collection. Less monochromatic than Ann Sweeten (although that’s no knock on Sweeten) and more in line with the aforementioned Ciani, I would imagine the CD will hold strong appeal for those who like their music with a strong emphasis on melody, refrain, and romanticism (albeit with little or trace of classical influence), as well as featuring abundant employment of an assortment of electronic keyboards, and not only as background accompaniment or texture. I liked the album from the first listening and look forward to more from Vivian Khor, to whom this was my first exposure (a fact I’m sorry about). Recommended.
Bill Binkelman
New Age Reporter
May 2007 Starlight Serenade from keyboardist Vivian Khor displays the artist talents on both piano and electronic keyboards, as she fleshes out her warm and accessible melodies on the ivories with assorted synthesized embellishments, whether they be the more usual strings (such as on the aptly titled Serenity), or more adventurous keyboard ventures (kalimba samples and contemporary midtempo beats on Love Buffet or shimmering bell tones on Winter Play). Most of the CD tracks are low-key and soothing, and should prove easy to enjoy if you're a fan of piano-based classic new age music. Sometimes, Khor eschews her acoustic instrument and heads in a wholly electronic direction. Abbey With Me features lush strings playing the lead melody while After Glow (the one truly uptempo piece here, but not so much as to come across as jarring) is resplendent in an assortment of synths including programmed midtempo rhythms and a variety of new age instrumental effects, one of which resembles the sparkling guitar sound of Bruce BecVar. Listeners seeking a calm peaceful album for playing during quiet times should welcome Starlight Serenade, as straight-forward and unpretentious a new age music release as I've heard in recent memory.
Bill Binkelman
New Age Reporter, March 2007
Other CD Reviews
Paradise
This is a charming and relaxing CD.
The CD styles itself “New Age” and while it is hard to pin down what any one person can mean by “New Age”, I would agree with the CD liner notes that Vivan Khor drew inspiration from such music as the theme from “Ice Castle” and “Nadia’s Theme”.
Now, I personally don’t care for either “Ice Castles” or “Nadia’s Theme” because I think they’re saccharine-sweet, but I was pleasantly surprised by the quality and variety of music on this disc.
Vivian Khor is an accomplished pianist, and the compositions are built around a smooth piano core. There are deft undertones and interludes of acoustic blends that reminded me of rain forests, beaches, forests and meadows. Ms. Khor mixes a bit of “zest” into her performance, relieving this music of the aforementioned “saccharine” qualities.
This is music for the quiet spirit, soothing and calming. I enjoyed listening to this as background music and found it to be overall uplifting and I will definitely include this music as background for my reiki treatments.
~review by Karen Phillippi
Facing North Community Resource
03/05/04
"Paradise" is a rich and lush collection of original pieces that combines electronic piano and keyboard sounds with a variety of composing styles that are sometimes melodic and at other times more ambient. I am often reminded of Suzanne Ciani's electronic music while listening to this CD; Vivian Khor also composes strong but gentle and decidedly feminine music that is graceful and very accomplished. Several of the pieces are mysterious and haunting while a few are more upbeat and sunny. The CD carries a smooth and peaceful mood all the way through, making this a good choice for relaxing, reading, or meditating.
The opening title track is especially "Ciani-esque" from her "Velocity of Love" era, and flows like a cool, lazy stream. "Rivers of Blessing" also has a beautiful, leisurely flow to it, and is one of my favorites. "Soothing Moments" is another favorite; melancholy and wistful, a simple, emotional melody floats above atmospheric string washes. "Cloud9" is the longest track at 7 1/2 minutes, and floats along as the title implies; piano is accompanied by ambient, atmospheric sounds that give it a very dreamy, peaceful feeling. "Unconventional Wisdom" is quite different; very mysterious, this piece has little or no melody and feels very exotic. I also really like "Another Moment," which is reflective and tranquil - gorgeous!
"Paradise" is an excellent album, and I've thoroughly enjoyed it in a number of different settings. It can set a mood of quiet peace as a backdrop or serve as a wonderful massage for the mind. Very "new age" in the classic sense, but Vivian Khor has her own distinct musical voice. It is available from www.delvianrecords.com, and www.amazon.com. Music samples are also available at www.viviankhor.com .
Kathy Parsons
Solo Piano Publications
ALL MUSIC GUIDE
Although California resident Vivian Khor is of Asian descent, Paradise isn't among 2003's more overtly Asian-minded new age releases. There have been an abundance of new age discs that were heavily influenced by Asian music — Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, or otherwise. But Paradise doesn't fit that description. Rather, Khor favors a more conventional approach to new age that gets its inspiration from romantic movie themes as well as the recordings of Suzanne Ciani (who is obviously a major influence). While the self-produced Paradise isn't one of new age's more challenging, innovative, or cutting-edge CDs, Khor's material is generally enjoyable. The adjectives that are usually applied to new age discs — calm, tranquil, peaceful, serene, placid, soothing — easily describe Paradise, and the song titles are stereotypical new age titles. When you see titles like "The Joy of Life" and "Soothing Moments," it's safe to assume that you're getting a new age release — and, of course, that's exactly what Paradise is. But if Khor's work is less than groundbreaking, Paradise never comes across as stiff, cold, or mechanical — just the opposite, in fact. For an album that is so heavily produced and programmed, Paradise has a lot of warmth and charm. It also has a very piano-minded outlook; most of the time, Khor uses her keyboards, synthesizers, and sequencers to make Paradise pianistic-sounding (which makes sense when you consider that she has been playing the acoustic piano since childhood). Paradise doesn't pretend to reinvent new age's wheel and falls short of exceptional, although it's a pleasant, worthwhile effort from the West Coast musician. — Alex Henderson
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Great album! I ordered it from Amazon.com. I play it every evening and separate work stress from what time is left in the day. Thank you for great compositions. It will come in first on my list to NAR this month. I didn't want to wait for Sunday Passages to listen to it, so I have it now. Beautiful cover too. Tyra ~ WFWM
Vivian Khor's aptly named Paradise is a lovely, relaxing, and mysterious album of piano and MIDI sequencing. This gentle music will wrap around you in the peace of early morning, soothing and comforting your cares away. Like an intimate conversation with a friend, the music supports and renews your energy. It would be particularly nice as an accompaniment to energy work, massage or spiritual healing.
Kathryn Sargent - editor of Aquarius
World and New Age Music Reviews
Tribute ( Orchestra )
Sometimes you come across a number that just catches you the right way, in the right mood, and, at the right time, when under other circumstances, it would just come across as an average number. So it is, for me, with ‘Tribute’, by Vivian Khor. This simple yet beautifully executed piano piece with orchestral backing, managed to touch me in a way that only a few select other pieces have in the reviews that I have done on this site. This is the perfect track for one of those quiet, contemplative moments when you are just sitting there, thinking about life in general.
Vivian manages to paint very picturesque musical settings without resorting to musical tricks or embellishments. You can certainly feel the influences of Lori Line and Suzanne Ciani, but Vivian’s style is all her own. As a result, this artist only registers a 2 on my ‘Sounds too much like…’ meter. Actually, there is another artist that Vivian reminds me more of: Shannon Janssen (“Approaching Storm”), who has been reviewed in these pages.
The lush settings and simple orchestrations help transport you from the everyday. The arranging is thoughtfully handled, and she manages to keep the simplicity of sound even as instruments are layered on.
My only criticism is in the brass used in this piece. My impression is that the brass needs to be more ensemble-like. The instruments stand out a bit too much: more like solo instruments in a concert band, rather then a blended orchestral ensemble. This tends to break the smoothness of the piece (at the 1:40 mark) just a bit. I don’t get this feeling from the woodwinds or strings.
Vivian’s playing is expressive, yet always fully under her control. The recording quality is a little above average, and the overall musicality will stick with you long after you are done listening to this piece.
So listener, if you are looking for contemplative music that gives you a chance to catch your breath and relax, then please be sure to listen to this track, and please do check out her website for more.
To Listen to Tribute, here's Tribute put to video/animation on YouTube.com Click here.
Bill Wright ( God's of Music Review )
PennyWhistle Androids