The program opens with the marimba transcription of Steve Reich's iconic Piano Phase, in which two instruments tirelessly repeat the same motif. They are initially synchronized, but then start drifting apart to create a phasing effect: while one keeps the tempo, the other accelerates gradually, causing a progressive shift. As soon as they come back together in unison, a new motif is created. We hear a subtle blend of order and chaos, music in constant progress, and the listener is invited to surrender to the unfolding soundscapes.

With Table Talk, the young American composer Alyssa Weinberg follows in Reich's footsteps, while enriching his legacy by experimenting with timbre. The two performers play four-handed on a “prepared” vibraphone: various everyday objects are placed on the instrument's bars to broaden its sound palette and introduce unexpected textures. These effects evoke the idea of a lively, informal conversation around a table—echoing the title of the work.

Philip Glass's Mad Rush, played here on marimba and vibraphone, was originally written for the organ of St. John the Divine Cathedral in New York, on the occasion of the Dalai Lama's first public address in North America. It was was conceived as welcome music so the length needed to be adapted to an uncertain arrival point. This dictated it's defining principles – repeatable sections and flexible duration. Instead of developing each of the themes, Glass reproduces them with slight variations, creating a hypnotic continuum where repetition invites meditation.