Interview: Steven Sharp Nelson of THE PIANO GUYS at Orpheum Theatre

Hailing from Utah, The Piano Guys became an internet sensation by way of their immensely successful series of strikingly original self-made music videos, which have so far netted over 1.2 billion YouTube views. They've made over 65 videos since joining forces in early 2011, including their hit video, an innovative 10-handed version of One Direction's "What Makes You Beautiful." But it's the Guys' highly original blend of classical music with pop that has really been the cause of an Internet phenomenon that brought them to their major label self-titled debut album released on Sony Music Masterworks in 2012. This release was followed by their sophomore album, The Piano Guys 2; holiday album, A Family Christmas; Wonders; The Piano Guys Live! and recently released Uncharted album all available now on Portrait, an imprint of Sony Music Masterworks.

We chat with Steven Sharp Nelson about their concert in Minneapolis.

How does it feel to have live audiences and performances back?

Nothing will substitute home for Jon and me, that's where are true joy is however, we have tremendous joy for being on the stage and there is something of a home feeling to it. It kind of feels like we're turning home to an extent.

I think the most enjoyable part of performing for audiences is to see people coming maybe feeling heavy and leaving lighter and that feeling never gets old. Yes, the traveling gets old and perhaps there are some monotonous aspects of tour. Getting into the bunk of a tour bus and feeling like you're trying to sleep in a washing machine gets old. The mutual edification that comes from audience and performers connecting and breaking the fourth wall and connecting, that's just something that never gets old for us.

What is your favorite song in the concert?

My guess is that Jon is really loving playing waterfall which is an original he wrote along time ago when he was a teenager. He's explaining more of the story behind and how it shaped him musically and I think that's been fun. It's been fun for me to watch that; it's been fun for him. There's more of storytelling aspect of his performance aspect even though he's performed for so long. He's never told this story this way.

I am loving playing Cello Song, which is an adaptation of Johann Sebastian Bach cello piece the unaccompanied suite #1 prelude in G major and I love playing it because it's a song in which I feel like and when I wrote it, I feel like I was flying. I talked to the kids that are learning instruments and the audience and I try to get them to hold on until they can feel that feeling of flying when they play their instrument and that's the song, I enjoy playing to portray that feeling as best I can.

What do you have the audience takes away from your concert?

My two favorite sounds in a concert is actually not the applause, even though that's wonderful. My two favorite sounds, #1 A child's laugh, I feel like it's a lift for me. I have four kids of my own and if anyone can get them to laugh, especially in a musical setting - props. In addition to that, I am hoping that the child is Finding that music can be powerful in a positive way. Positive music in the lives of our youth is the answer to many conundrums that we have right now in their generation.

My second favorite sound Is when a macho guy, you know you can just hear it in his voice at the end of a kind of chill beautiful tune, says something like "yeah or wow," and you hear that at the end of a song. It's like ok maybe this music can reach people. It's like that husband that got dragged to a piano cello concert bless his heart and feeling like he's engaged and feeling the song at the very end.

I hope our audience takes away A transformative experience that can convince them that the challenges they're going through in their life are going to get better and they can have the strength to overcome them and understand that there is joy and growth. My hearts desire is that they leave the concert with more hope in their heart. Hope is so powerful, and I believe that music is one of the most effective ways to feel hope.

Have you been to Minnesota before?

Yeah, absolutely! My sister lived in Minnesota for a long time, and I am sort of a proxy-by-proxy Vikings fan and I've sort of been raised with them. My sister was out there when I was young and so that's my youth. Minnesota, we've been many times, we cannot wait to come back and feel the spirit of the tremendous Minnesotans in our audience.

Thank you Steven for your time! We look forward to having you in Minneapolis.

For more ticket and concert information, please click the ticket link button.

Photos courtesy of The Piano Guys

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