63-year-old pianist puts up impromptu ‘concert’ for train commuters

By Amer R. Amor, VERA Files

When world-renowned violinist Joshua Bell played at the Washington DC Metro Station in 2007 as part of The Washington Post’s social experiment on how people perceive and appreciate art and beauty, very few noticed and applauded. But when a 63-year-old man played the piano at the LRT 2 Cubao Station on Jan. 12, Filipino commuters stopped, paid attention, took videos, applauded, and at some point, swayed and sang along with his music.

Perhaps as a testament to British award-winning author Neil Gaiman’s tweet on Friday that it is indeed more fun in the Philippines since Filipinos applaud loudly, at least 300 commuters alternately took delight in the impromptu “concert” of pianist performer Vidalito Infante in a music retail stall at the Cubao Station from 4 to 6 p.m.

“I just can’t stop myself from playing good music, and besides, the crowd here wouldn’t let me stop as well,’ Infante said smilingly, waving to the people who were still gathered around him even after he had finished his show with his rendition of the Italian pop song Quando, Quando, Quando, bossa nova style.

On his way to take the LRT ride in Cubao, Infante said he could not resist the sight of the Wilhelm upright piano that was on display for sale, and started to play some of his favorite songs that included the classic hit Fly Me to the Moon and the popular OPM song Anak. Infante, or Mang Bong, as he prefers to be called, plays the piano at the Rockwell Mall in Makati every Sunday from 2 to 5 p.m.

What started out as a simple exercise for Infante that afternoon stretched into a two-hour performance as commuters and bystanders gathered around him and applauded to every song he played on the piano.

Infante indulged and gamely played, among others The Prayer, Looking through the Eyes of Love,and Dito sa Pitong Gatang. In fact, he had to play his “last song” for five times as the crowd wouldn’t just let him put an end to the unexpected aural treat.

Read more: http://ph.news.yahoo.com/blogs/the-inbox/63-old-pianist-puts-impromptu-concert-train-commuters-091503266.html

Music. It’s more fun in the Philippines. :)