The first time pianist Phyllis Chen heard a toy piano, she fell in love with the sound. Chen showcased how unique and powerful that sound can be in a performance Thursday at the
Seated on the floor before a red Schoenhut baby grand toy piano, Chen's unique and playful performance featured multi-media compositions using things such as bowls, music boxes and live electronics.
"I started playing piano when I was 5 and started toy piano when I was 21," Chen told the audience. Chen played three pieces on a regular piano, but only one in a traditional way.
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"It was interesting how she played the strings in the piano," on "Makrokosmos," says Sandy Derr, who attended the performance. "I've never seen that before."
Chen gave the audience background on each piece and frequently acknowledged, with humor, the offbeat nature of her performance.
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"I'm so glad to see you guys are still here," Chen joked upon returning to the stage after intermission. She opened the second half of her show with "Carousels," a lovely original composition for toy piano and music box.
Karen Hoyes brought daughter Marissa, 8, to expose her to some different ideas of what can be done with music.
"She is very interested in piano," says Hoyes. "I thought it was a good way to show that you don't have to be mainstream. You can create your own sound."
"It's very alternative," adds Yolanda Aycock. "It's whimsical and very other worldly."
Chen also performed "Toy Toccata," the 2009 winner of the Uncaged Toy Piano composition competition that she hosts to encourage people to write music for the toy piano.
"For me, it's a reaction to wanting to play something that's a little more alive," says Chen of her interest in broadening the possibilities on the toy piano. "The funny thing about it is people think it's for kids, but I actually don't know any kids that have one."
"It's fascinating," says Libby McConnell, a piano teacher. "Now I want a toy piano and some bowls for my studio."
