Five pianos arranged in a quasi-star shape on stage, five pianists, and a lot of cheers. The Princeton Pianists Ensemble concert was about to begin.
On Tuesday at 8 p.m., Princeton Pianists Ensemble (PPE) performed their concert “Odyssey,” which featured 10 pieces and around 50 pianists. “Odyssey” wove a musical journey through classical melodies, pop tunes, and more.
The pianists opened with a funky, Japanese pop-inspired melody “City Pop: Greatest Hits.” As the song neared its end, the pianists gathered around one piano, just in time for the final notes. It was the first hint that this would be a true performance, not just a concert, as the pianists regularly incorporated movement from piano to piano, physical gestures, and other instruments into the show.
The program included an eclectic mix of pieces, ranging from an arrangement from the “Mamma Mia!” soundtrack to works inspired by classical composers like Maurice Ravel.
“Every piece brings something different to the table,” PPE Music Director Brianna Dai ’28 told The Daily Princetonian.
Despite the diverse musical genres and the lack of chronology in the program order, the organization wasn’t jarring. The pieces complemented each other, balancing more modern and upbeat pieces with older or more emotive ones, creating a musical voyage.
“This concert is really about the journey music can take you on because each piece feels like a different stop along the way,” Dai said. “Some are nostalgic, some are cinematic, some are just plain epic.”
Each of the 10 pieces (and the lively K-Pop inspired encore) in the concert felt “epic” in some respect or another. The pianists’ mastery throughout the concert was also evident. It wasn’t just that some played entirely from memory, so familiar with the music that they no longer needed the score. It was the subtle nods to each other across the stage, cueing each other in, and the sheer joy evident in their smiles that made the performance so memorable.
For each piece, the performers combined that joy with technical talent, especially notable in the fifth piece, a hilarious and concentration-intensive rendition of “Boléro.” This Spanish-inspired melody was originally arranged by Ravel. The piece began with a driving, light, snare drum-like rhythm. One pianist, Bedros Maldjian ’26, kept that pulse for the entire piece as more pianists filed on stage and the music ultimately crescendoed into the finale. I was blown away by his concentration, as he kept the same tempo and subdivision while other melodies were playing, and even more so when the pianist sharing the keyboard was playing the piano in such an unusual manner. His partner at the piano, Anthony Coniglio GS, had the audience chuckling as he — also remarkably in time — played the piano with his head, his elbow, a pencil, and a tennis ball.
“We just want to show that, yes, ‘serious’ piano music and ‘fun’ piano music don’t have to be separate things,” Dai said.
I also enjoyed the third piece, entitled “Your Name Medley.” Featuring five pianos and a violin, the piece began slowly, then became more staccato for a moment before evolving into a beautiful rolling melody. Just as it seemed that the music could not become more heartfelt, one pianist stood up and began playing the violin, first adding rhythm and then taking the melody. Combined with the four pianos, the sound was rich and raw.
All the pieces were arranged and directed by members of the ensemble, which is independent of the music department.
“That’s what makes it so meaningful,” Dai told the ‘Prince.’ “It’s all about what students want in the club, because we don’t want people playing just to play. We want them to be playing and creating and investing a part of themselves into the work that we do, what we perform, and what we give to the audience.”
The connection between the pianists and the audience was clear during the entire two-hour show. I particularly noticed it during “Photograph + I Hear a Symphony,” an intimate piece with a simple central melody that branched into something much more dramatic. The performers conveyed that intimacy with the audience with a hushed moment of silence before applause rang.
“I absolutely loved the show,” Lucy Park ’28 said. “It was a nice mix of classical and more contemporary and pop culture-like music repertoire … and the encore was so cute.”
“Our whole goal is to make beautiful music accessible. You don’t have to be a classical music expert to enjoy what we do. You just have to be open to … feeling something; that’s what is important,” Dai said.
Annika Plunkett is a staff writer for The Prospect, an assistant Newsletter editor, and a Spanish translator. She can be reached at ap3616@princeton.edu.
Please send any corrections to corrections[at]dailyprincetonian.com.
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