About the Music

“I was so impressed by your husband’s music and by your remarkable skill at performing it! It is clearly challenging to play, yet emotionally so rewarding to hear! I truly enjoyed your concert ”
Julie Vecchitto, Kent School, CT- April,2007

Harpsichord

“La Tomba di Scarlatti’ is a beautifully balanced work made up of three pieces, each of a strongly different character– written by the American composer Nicholas Van Slyck. Here is a work beautifully written for the instrument and of a beautiful construction in itself.
A.F. Brussels: La Dernier Heure

Van Slyck knows how to write for the harpsichord. It is real music, and it is magnificent.
Denise Restou
Assistant and colleague of Wanda Landowska

Suite for Harpsichord- (No.1)—is a revelation in regard to musical expression on the harpsichord; the music was warm and meaningful.

Piano-For Teaching

Finger Paints for Piano, Vol. 1 Grades2-3

Van Slyck uses such 20th century techniques as irregular rhythms, mirror writing, tone clusters, and moderately dissonant harmonies. An excellent supplementary volume for the adult beginner, it also features several pieces well suited for children, notably “Seascape”, “Mobile”, and “Boating”.
B. K. Clavier Magazine

With Twenty Fingers,-Piano four hands

Volumes 1 and 2—-A fine album composed in an ungimmicky, clean style—excellent compositions. A real contribution to four hand literature.
Music Librarians Journal

Splendid for adventurous players. Clavier Magazine
Volume 3–Music which is refreshingly different—a challenge to better one’s ensemble performance.
Clavier Magazine.

Piano

Laments and Processional Music, for piano, left hand alone

“It is a highly compelling work with a depth of expression and power of musical thought that is not found in many one-handed scores. This is a fine concert piece.”
One-Handed by Donald L. Patterson

Forest Music CD

Music for Horn, Harpsichord, Bassoon, Piano
William Purvis, Horn
Thomas Elliot, Bassoon
Irma Rogell, Harpsichord
Trudi Van Slyck, Piano

Van Slyck –wrote strong, well-crafted, melodically distinctive music. –the structures are mostly classical, harmonic language basically tonal with plenty of spice, color, and ambiguity.

The performances are vigorous and full of character.

The composer’s widow turns in an eloquent performance of the “Twelve Cadenzas”.

American Record Guide, 2010
-Sullivan

Piano LP

Pantomime, Twelve Cadenzas, Will-o’-the-Wisp, Capriccio No. 3.
from Fanfare Magazine

What makes his music different is that Van Slyck’s music has a basically neoclassical élan combined with romantic gestures that make all such goings-on seem as natural as if they’d been around for 200 years. –an unusually listenable disc of vivid piano music.

Good engineering, good notes. I do recommend it.
–(the music) effectively accomplishes everything it sets out to do: it sounds rewarding to play, and it’s fun to hear.
Richard Dyer, Boston Globe

Judgement in Salem plus Piano Music CD

The chamber opera for four voices, piano, and percussion, Judgement in Salem, is adapted from Act IV, Scene II of Longfellow’s “Giles Corey of the Salem Farms”. As a fan of the well-known story, I was enthralled.

American Record Guide, Nov./Dec. 2009

Music for Piano CD : Pantomime, for piano four hands, and Variations on a theme of Schubert, for solo piano

Schubert Variations– a highly enjoyable set of variations with plenty of imagination and color. Van Slyck knows his craft well and has carefully avoided any superficiality in his writing. Although at 50 minutes it is a long piece, there is enough variety, including two fugues, to hold the attention.

Pantomime is far more modern and experimental than its companion–you will probably like this.

American Record Guide, Mar./Apr. 2006