The unexpected moment unfolded when an audience member stepped in to play piano at a live La La Land concert in Sydney. Originally, the show featured a live orchestra accompanying the film’s score on screen. However, things took a turn at intermission when Justin Hurwitz, the Oscar-winning composer and conductor, announced that the pianist had fallen ill. In a bid to rescue the performance, Hurwitz asked if anyone in the audience could play piano and sight-read music. Twenty-one-year-old Sterling Nasa, who was attending the concert, was invited on stage. He deftly took over the keyboard and completed the piano parts for the remainder of the event.
Standing ovation
Sterling Nasa, who is skilled in both piano and organ and serves as a bagpipes tutor at his alma mater, initially felt unsure when he heard Hurwitz’s call for help, as he shared with ABC Radio. “I was a little bit tentative,” he admitted, crediting his friend Scarlett for giving him the push by raising his hand for him. “But I did end up finding the confidence and it was a very good decision to go down and volunteer myself.” He faced particular anxiety over performing John Legend’s challenging solo, “Start a Fire.” “I saw it on the score and thought, oh, I don’t know if I’m going to be able to sight-read that in one go,” he confessed. Nevertheless, he took the plunge, improvising the piece and earning enthusiastic applause from the audience.
‘Remarkable’ performance
Composer Justin Hurwitz expressed his admiration for Nasa’s extraordinary achievement to The Guardian Australia. “That is a whole other skill on top of sight-reading,” Hurwitz remarked. “To be able to play a really cool solo in the right key, in the right scale, on the fly with no rehearsal.” Before allowing Nasa to perform, Hurwitz ensured he wasn’t just bluffing by asking detailed questions about his abilities. Ultimately, his faith in the young musician was well-placed. “It was quite a blessing to get to play a work that I’m in such admiration of,” Nasa reflected on the unique opportunity.
Audience Cheers as Nasa Steps In
Audience member Maddie Corwin, who filmed the viral moment, told CNN that it was a ‘unique’ experience, adding that she had ‘never seen a professional production just stop and ask if anyone in the audience can step in and perform.’ She said the audience was rooting for Nasa, and that he did a great job. ‘Everything completely flowed and meshed and you couldn’t tell really that there was any disruption,’ she added. Corwin said that the experience ‘exemplified what La La Land is about… artists chasing their dreams.’
Nasa’s future career plans
Nasa, who studies politics and international studies at the University of Sydney, has no current plans to pursue a professional career in music. However, Hurwitz said he definitely has the talent for that path in life. ‘I don’t know what he’s most passionate about,’ Hurwitz said. ‘Maybe he likes international relations a little more than music. But that’s what La La Land is about. You’ve got to do what you love the most.’
