Introduction
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The Piano Guys is a musical group in America that was created in 2010. They aim at bringing a positive change in people’s lives through music videos. The group member includes:
- Paul Anderson – he is the producer and videographer
- Jon Schmidt – he is the pianist and songwriter
- Steven Sharp Nelson – he is a cellist and a songwriter
- Al van der Beek – he is the music producer and a songwriter
The Piano Guys become famous through YouTube as they started uploading their masterpieces. They started with piano and cello compositions with a great mixture of classical, rock and roll and contemporary.
From the very start, they have uploaded their work in top quality of the video. Now, they have come a long way but they remain true to their central belief, making joyous music. In this article, we have highlighted everything you need to know about The Piano Guys. Here is one of their most popular Youtube videos.
Biography of The Piano Guys
Let’s take a look at the history of the Piano Guys.
Background
The journey of The Piano Guys began in a piano store owned by Paul Anderson. The store was located in a small town, Saint George in Utah. Anderson was in search of a great way to advertise the pianos. With the increase in the use of social media, Paul decided to use social media marketing. He was inspired by the videos going viral on YouTube. Soon, he created the Facebook page and a YouTube channel for his piano store, The Piano Guys.
Moreover, he wanted to take advantage of this trend of social media marketing. He started uploading videos that were to entertain the customers and show his collection of pianos. Anderson was a risk taker and believed he can take his channel to the top. For this, he required the help of the right and talented people.
Jon Schmidt had worked hard for his solo career as a pianist. He wanted to practice on a piano before his concert in St. George. Jon came to The Piano Guys store and asked Paul for a piano to practice on. Paul saw a talented and skilled pianist who can help him make his channel the best YouTube channel. Anderson proposed Jon a win-win situation. He asked Schmidt if he would participate in a video that will market Jon’s music and the store.
This opportunity was great for both and Jon decided to join. He was able to offer a lot more than Paul expected. Jon was a very experienced and skilled pianist who could produce a great combination of various genres. This talent of Jon captured the attention of many people and increased their fan base.
Furthermore, the third person who was brought to the group was Steven. He met Jon when he was 15 years old when the shared a stage for a concert. They began to perform together in concerts and ultimately, this was turned into a friendship. Steven is a talented songwriter and great cellist. He brought a new approach to the cello and has excellent ideas for music videos.
The last group member was Al van der Beek. He helped Steve to move into his new house. When Al discovered Beek was a musician, he invited him over. The worked on composition and learned they make a wonderful songwriter team. Al’s exceptional songwriting skills and studio soon proved to be great for The Piano Guys.
Performance
Read:
- The Piano Guys cover A Sky Full of Stars
- Batman Takes On The Piano Guys
- With ‘I want you Bach’, The Piano Guys mingle Bach with Jackson 5
- The Piano Guys Stage Spontaneous Concert for People in a Nursing Home
- The Piano Guys combine Händel and the Jungle Book
Albums
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Facts
They all belong to the Mormon Church. Before forming a group, they were middle-aged men with boring jobs. Jon had solo 8 albums and 7 piano books. Anderson owned a piano store and Nelson was the owner of a real estate agency. Al operated the recording studio at his home.
Childhood
Jon Schmidt was born in the Salt Lake City in Utah. His grandparents were the members of Mormon Church in Germany. His parents are German immigrants to the US. Jon was introduced to classical music at a young age. He appeared in the piano recitals when he was of 8 years old. Jon is a very talented pianist, he started to compose tune when he was 11 years and taught when he was 16 years old.
Paul was born in California and moved to Saint George with his family. He was 12 years old when he received the piano lessons. He was very shy and was sent to Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. There he discovered the love for keyboards.
Al was born in New Zealand, but his family moved to Salt Lake City when he was six years old. He was introduced to the music he was very small. His parents wanted him to play the violin, soon he taught himself to play different instruments including drums, guitar, and piano. It was in 2004 when Al opened his own recording studio.
Achievements & Performance
They were nominated for Response of the Year in the YouTube Music Awards. In 2016, their views exceeded 1 billion on YouTube and they have 5 million subscribers.
The Piano Guys have performed in many countries including United States, Germany, Japan, Russia, England, and Hungary. It was in 2016, they decided to limit their time on the road to 10 days. They have performed at various pop and classical settings such as Greek Theater and Carnegie Hall. The Piano Guys decided to perform at the inauguration of the Donald Trump. The group faced a backlash from their fans for this decision.
Moreover, they performed a rendition of Fight Song by Rachel Platten. They played this song at the Liberty Ball.
Therefore, this how just a group of normal guys ended up making entertaining music videos. They showcase their skills by playing an instrument with a classical touch. The credit of their success according to them goes to their families and fans. They mentioned their main goal will be the same to encourage, inspire and make the world a better place.