The Piano Guys is an American musical group consisting of pianist Jon Schmidt, cellist Steven Sharp Nelson, videographer Paul Anderson, and music producer Al van der Beek. Originating in Utah, they gained popularity through YouTube, where in 2011 they began posting piano and cello compositions combining classical, pop, film score and original music, showcased through elaborate or cinematic videos. As of March 2020[update] the group had surpassed 2 billion views on their YouTube channel and had 6.7 million subscribers.[3][4] Their first eight major-label studio albums, The Piano Guys, The Piano Guys 2, A Family Christmas, Wonders, Uncharted, Christmas Together, Limitless, and 10, each reached number one on Billboard Classical Albums or New Age Albums charts.[5][6][7]
"Michael Meets Mozart" (2011) gained a respectable showing after Schmidt invited the people on his fan mailing list "to watch it and share it".[12] In June 2011 the group won the "Most Up-and-Coming Channel" award in the YouTube "On the Rise" contest, which brought 25,000 new subscribers to their channel.[13] In 2011 and 2012 the group uploaded a new music video every week to two weeks, attracting thousands of new viewers each time.[13] Meanwhile, their focus of selling pianos shifted to solely making music videos and they decided to close the piano store,[15] which closed in March 2012.[9]
The Piano Guys draw on a variety of classical, pop, film score and original music in their compositions for piano and cello.[19][20] They are especially well known for their mashups of classical and contemporary songs, such as blending Mozart and Adele, Liszt and Coldplay, Tchaikovsky and Shawn Mendes, Bach and Michael Jackson, or Vivaldi's "Winter" and Disney's "Let It Go".[9]
Schmidt, Nelson and van der Beek serve as songwriters for the group.[12] Van der Beek engineers, mixes and masters their studio sessions in addition to occasionally adding his own vocals; Anderson oversees the group's video production, while Nelson and Anderson manage the content and business together.[21][22]
The group's YouTube videos show the musicians performing in a variety of settings. These include locations in the Utah desert, at the edge of a 1,000-foot cliff, atop a speeding train, in an ice cave, and at Iguazu Falls, among others.[9] Anderson's goal was "to put pianos and cellos in places nobody would ever expect to see them", thereby generating marketing buzz for his store.[23] In the videos, Schmidt is seen playing a variety of Yamaha grand and baby grand pianos,[11] while Nelson plays custom acoustic and electric cello. They plan to film music videos at each of the New Seven Wonders of the World.[9] As of November 2018[update], they had performed in front of or on top of four. Videos at the Great Wall of China ("Kung Fu Piano: Cello Ascends"),[9][24] the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro ("The Mission/How Great Thou Art"),[9][24] Chichen Itza ("The Jungle Book/Sarabande"),[25] and Petra ("Indiana Jones and the Arabian Nights")[26] have been completed.
Some songs are composed of several audio tracks mixed together. Occasionally, tracks are superimposed to imitate many instruments played simultaneously. For "Michael Meets Mozart", Nelson prerecorded 100 cello tracks, including percussion effects he made by drumming on the cello itself.[10][27]
As of February 2024[update], The Piano Guys have uploaded 227 videos onto their channel and amassed over 2.3 billion views, and 7 million subscribers.[28][29] Their cover of Christina Perri's "A Thousand Years" is their most-watched video, having logged more than 223 million views as of February 2024[update].[30] YouTube gave them a plaque at their Greek Theatre Los Angeles concert, commemorating their billionth YouTube view, a feat only achieved by under two hundred YouTube users as of 2019.[31]
The Piano Guys tour worldwide. They have appeared in sold-out concerts in the US, Canada, UK, Germany, Hungary, Japan, Korea, Australia, and Russia, among others.[9] Since they began touring they have determined to spread out their time on the road as best they can in order to avoid spending too much time away from family.[24] They have also played at major classical and pop venues, including Carnegie Hall,[9] Greek Theatre,[12] Royal Albert Hall[32] and The Grand Ole Opry.
While many other musical groups declined invitations to perform[33] at the inauguration of Donald Trump in January 2017, the group performed, including a cover of Rachel Platten's Fight Song,[34] which had been played at almost every one of opponent Hillary Clinton's campaign events.[35] The group denied that their performance was "an endorsement or a political statement."[36][37][38]
On December 12, 2017, they hosted a live stream on their YouTube channel, called '#LightTheWorld Christmas Concert with The Piano Guys and Friends', accompanied by singers including Peter Hollens and David Archuleta.[39]
All four are devout members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Each of them served full-time proselyting missions: Anderson in Washington state, Schmidt in Norway, and Nelson and van der Beek in separate missions in Korea. They have 16 children among them.[43] The group prays together before each recording session, video shoot, concert, and songwriting session, and take inspiration from artists such as Minerva Teichert.[44][45]
Since their serendipitous inception in a Southern Utah piano shop, THE PIANO GUYS have established themselves as an unstoppable musical force. This quartet, consisting of Jon Schmidt (pianist, songwriter), Steven Sharp Nelson (cellist, songwriter), Paul Anderson (producer, videographer), and Al van der Beek (music producer, songwriter), emerged as a musical phenomenon seemingly overnight. They have consistently delivered audacious compositions that effortlessly transcend the confines of style and genre, paving the way for a wildly successful career. In 2023, they unveiled their 13th album, "Unstoppable," a compilation of exhilarating and emotionally profound cover songs written over the past two years.
Since their official debut in 2011, THE PIANO GUYS have unleashed 13 albums, securing six No. 1 debuts on Billboard's Top Classical Albums chart. Their music has amassed a staggering 2 billion-plus global streams, while their YouTube videos have garnered over 1.6 billion views. Their Spotify presence alone boasts nearly 2 million monthly listeners. They've sold out concert venues in almost every corner of the globe and have cultivated a devoted fan base numbering in the millions. THE PIANO GUYS have earned recognition from publications like The New York Times, Fast Company, BuzzFeed, and Mashable. They've also graced the screens of major television networks, with appearances on CBS Sunday Morning, TODAY Show, Good Morning America, and The Tonight Show.
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Because we host touring productions with large casts and crews traveling across the country, Miller Auditorium rarely closes for inclement weather. Any performance changes due to weather will be communicated on our website and on Miller Auditorium's Facebook, Instagram and Twitter accounts. Per our ticketing policies, all ticket sales are final and there are no refunds, even due to inclement weather.
Want to subscribe now? Contact the box office to learn more about sponsorship opportunities.Since their serendipitous inception in a Southern Utah piano shop, The Piano Guys have established themselves as an unstoppable musical force. Consisting of Jon Schmidt (pianist, songwriter), Steven Sharp Nelson (cellist, songwriter), Paul Anderson (producer, videographer) and Al van der Beek (music producer, songwriter), the quartet delivers audacious compositions that effortlessly transcend the confines of style and genre. In 2023, they unveiled their latest album, Unstoppable, a compilation of exhilarating and emotionally profound cover songs.
Jon Schmidt, Steven Sharp Nelson, Paul Anderson, and Al van der Beek, all of whom are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, comprise the American musical group known as The Piano Guys. Their immense success is attributed to their series of impressive self-made music videos of piano and cello renditions of popular songs and classical music which they publish on YouTube.
In addition to the release of their new live album, The Piano Guys continue to tour the world, and in the spring of 2016, they will celebrate another first as they make their way through Canada on their first national tour of the country. Listed in the table below are the upcoming tour dates for their continuing North America Tour, as well as their 2016 Canadian tour.
The Piano Guys are an instrumental group centered around Jon Schmidt at the piano and Steve Sharp Nelson as a cellist. Based in St. George, Utah, they are joined by vocalist/music producer Al van der Beek and videographer Paul Anderson. This group began as a YouTube sensation, where they uploaded mashups of popular songs. As of July in 2019, they have released eight full albums as well as multiple singles. Their musical style is mainly based off of mixing classical and contemporary music together.
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