CJ Day
Staff Writer
UW Presents will bring a unique musical experience to campus today as part of their ongoing concert series.
Two classically trained pianists, Andreas Kern and Paul Cibis, will competitively perform a concert, in an antagonistic style they call a ‘piano battle.’ Unlike most piano recitals, where a single pianist may spend an hour playing one piece, the piano battle format will see Kern and Cibis playing many different pieces, in many different styles, in an attempt to outdo each other.
“The joy really comes in watching these musicians try to one-up each other, to impress the audience,” said Philip Moline, director of UW Presents, who helped to bring this event and others like it to Laramie.
Moline said the energy of the event sets it apart from other concerts of its type. The concert is far more reactive to audience input than most concerts; both musicians will have the opportunity to change their pieces and styles to better fit audience preferences. Pleasing the audience is crucial – those watching can vote after the performance on which pianist was the better player .
Moline saw a demonstration of the concept at a conference last January, and was so impressed by it he decided it needed to come to the university.
“I thought it was a ton of fun,” said Moline. “I loved the style of their performance.”
Moline noted particularly on the show’s interaction between the audience and the artists. While much of the performance is set in stone, with the musicians playing songs either off their sheet music or out of their repertoire, the audience will have the chance to make requests, lending the show an improvisational feel.
The piano battle is not the sort of concert tour that usually makes it to Laramie. Many groups pass over Laramie to play in the more lucrative markets of Denver, Colorado or Salt Lake City, Utah. Without a group like UW Presents, Moline said, Laramie would not get hardly any touring musicians.
“We’re not on a standard tour route,” Moline said. “We have to find ways to let them know we exist.”
Much of Moline’s job is to convince artists and groups to make their way to Laramie. In many cases, it is as easy as just paying their fee, but some artists take a bit more convincing.
Here, Laramie’s location works to its advantage. Touring artists can play in Laramie on a Tuesday or Wednesday, and then spend the weekend playing in the Denver area. Few musicians come specifically to Laramie; most simply swing by for a night on their way to bigger venues. While it might be a bit disheartening to think of Laramie as just a stop on the way to more important places, it means UW Presents has the opportunity to bring in musicians they otherwise would not.
One of those acts is the piano battle, which is making its way across the US after touring extensively in Europe and Asia.
The piano battle will be held at 7:30 p.m. in the Buchanan Center for the Performing Arts’ Concert Hall. Tickets can be bought from either the Union Information Desk or the Performing Arts Box Office.
