On Friday the 13th, UConn drew double the amount of people that occupy its campus already. Half spent their evening cheering on the men’s basketball opening game and the other half were mesmerized by the sounds The Piano Guys were producing. Both events left thousands in smiles.
The Piano Guys started out as YouTube sensations and now are selling out theaters across the nation. Their talents in effortlessly mixing classical techniques with modern music and pop culture have taken people of all ages by a storm. Just four middle-aged men from Utah have done it again and sold out the UConn Jorgensen.
To open the show, the two main musicians, Jon Schmidt (piano) and Steven Sharp Nelson (cello) performed a wintry mix. A classical spin on the hit song “Let It Go” from the animated film “Frozen” mixed with themes from Antonio Vivaldi’s piece, “Winter.”
Next up was another smashing Vivaldi mashup but this time with the theme song from The Bourne Identity film.
Then the crowd instantly fell in love when the musicians played an enchanting arrangement of Taylor Swift’s “Love Story” and Coldplay’s “Viva La Vida.”
An exquisite rendition of the “Oogway Ascends” from the Kung Fu Panda soundtrack led The Piano Guys to a spot on the Great Wall of China.
To break up the power of the mash-ups, the musicians performed their original songs from their fifth studio album, Wonders. An unplugged piano version of “Summer Jam” was played by Jon Schmidt and was filled with staccato cheerful notes. An addition to the stage was the third member of the group, Al van der Beek, who sung “Fathers’ Eyes” – a touching story carried by his graceful voice.
Just before intermission, the fourth member of the group, Paul Anderson, had joined in on the fun with a crowd-pleaser hit of Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy” and Dave Matthews Band’s “Ants Marching”.
After intermission, the two main musicians rocked out to a version of The Jackson 5’s “I Want You Back” intertwined with five Bach compositions.
Next in line was a heartbreaking piece that told a beautiful story and had everyone in tears. Along with the performance was this video playing below which heightened the emotion in the song. The Piano Guys captured the essence of each moment in each note with the One Direction song, “Story of My Life.”
This next song was requested the most to play for weddings across the nation. The Piano Guys embrace the simplicity of the Christina Perri song, “A Thousand Years” but give it that extra something to make your heart skip a beat.
To end the night, all four members jammed out to another One Direction song, “What Makes You Beautiful”. They all gathered around the piano to pound at the keys and pluck at the strings – making for a surprisingly upbeat poppy finale.
The Piano Guys delivered once again a magical concert that everyone enjoyed.
Missed the epic show? Check their tour dates to see if they’re coming to a city near you.
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