'Piano Battle' duo returns for a second concert in Korea

“Piano Battle” duo Paul Cibis, left, and Andreas Kern / Courtesy of Stomp Music

• Published May 22, 2016 5:05 PM KST
• Updated May 22, 2016 5:05 PM KST

By Yun Suh-young

Watching a classical music concert may not be the most exciting experience in a person’s life time, especially if they are not a classical music aficionado. But after watching “Piano Battle” they might think otherwise.

Two Caucasian men ― one wearing a black suit and the other wearing white ― appear on stage and start making jokes. After a quick chitchat with the audience, they settle at their respected pianos. They each play a piece that they have prepared for that particular challenge (one begins after the other is finished). The pieces range from those of Chopin, Liszt and Debussy to Mozart and Bach. When one round is over, the audience votes, each holding up either a white or black card. This is repeated six times. The audience gets to see 12 performances. The pianist who wins the most number of rounds is the winner of that day's battle.

Having performed in Korea for the first time in May last year, the duo is returning for a second concert in Seoul Arts Center on June 8. The Korea Times conducted an email interview with the "Piano Battle" duo coming from Germany ― Paul Cibis and Andreas Kern. The following is an excerpt.

Q How was your first performance in Seoul last year and what was your impression of the Korean audience?

A: PAUL:

It was our very first time performing in Seoul. The moment we appeared on stage, we were already loudly cheered on by the audience. What a fantastic surprise!

ANDREAS:

After the concert, we had the longest signing session ever. Well, at least my part of the line felt never-ending.

Q

How did you two meet? And why did you decide to team up?

It all started in Hong Kong. We both had been in touch with the Hong Kong City Festival, and we both wanted to play in a solo program. Then the festival asked whether we would also consider playing a concert together.

ANDREAS: Yes, we both knew each other vaguely but had not been in touch for several years. As we then both lived in Berlin, we met up in a cafe to discuss some ideas, but we quickly realized that we actually didn’t want to play together. No way! So we took the situation as it was: two pianists but only one concert ― for which we then had to battle each other on stage!

Q Is the battle just a game on stage or do you take it seriously?

A: ANDREAS:

No, not too seriously. We both know that it is different with every Battle. The result is just the result of merely one evening. So we do not feel too bad about losing.

PAUL: The music we play was not written for competitions. Sure, we both want to win when we get on stage, but in the end our Battle is a playful one with the aim of presenting to the audience an interesting and exciting concert experience.

Q: What do you particularly focus on during the performance?

My focus is definitely on the music, I want to let it speak to the audience, I want the audience to immerse in it. That's sometimes quite a challenge in our Battle as you have to quickly switch from talking our dialogues and presenting the show elements to playing the virtuoso classical music.

ANDREAS: For me that is not so difficult. I focus on feeling happy, free and comfortable on stage.

Q In the clip of last year's performance, you play games in the middle of the concert. Does that happen for all concerts?

Yes, every show features a game element, which allows us to interact with members of the audience. Interacting forms part of the bedrock of the PIANO BATTLE philosophy.

As classically trained pianists, we love classical music, but a good musical experience is always a two-way experience, and an interactive experience. This is one thing that really sets us apart from traditional classical concerts. Apart from the game session, there are other elements to keep this dialogue going, such as the voting, the improvisation round, etc.

Q: What are the characteristics and differences in each of your performance styles?

I think I enjoy a bit more than Andreas playing the traditional repertoire, and I am working on playing them in an authentic way and with a deep knowledge of the specific styles.

Well, I am not the opposite, of course, but I often choose pieces which are more unusual and more interesting. I would say. I am a lot more keen to experiment with different things and also interpret things in my own way.

PAUL:

Sometimes Andreas thinks his own creativity is more important than the composers’ instructions, which can be quite risky at times, to say the least!

Well, it’s better than playing what people expect you to play! But let’s see which approach the Korean audience prefers.

Q: What would say of each other's strengths?

Sight-reading. (Reading and performing of a piece of music that the performer has never seen before.)

Haha. For him: showmanship.

Q: Why do you think you are popular in Asia?

A PAUL:

There is no shortage of classical musicians from around the world performing in Asia every year. I guess people remember us because, for one thing, we are offering something more and something different on top of classical music: the thrill of voting, having a say in a concert, and elements that are unpredictable even to us the performers. Besides, battle implies certain feelings and emotions, which may serve to establish a somewhat personal link between us and the audience.

Almost every time we finish a concert in an Asian city, we would have a long line of members of the audience queue up for our signatures and photos taken with us. In other parts of the world, the queues are usually shorter. Whereas one may conveniently attribute this to the so-called celebrity effect associated with two tall German musicians, I’m inclined to see that as people’s positive response to the unconventional, interesting format of the Piano Battle. They find it refreshing to see two classical musicians break the norm and present classical music in an unorthodox way without taking away the gist of the music out of the equation. And then, of course, there is my breathtaking stage charisma, haha!

Q: What do you have in plan for your June concert in Seoul? Could you give a slight preview for our readers?

As mentioned, the concert in Seoul will present our brand new show which is completely different to the original PIANO BATTLE show.

It’s a bit like a sequel to a movie. The main characters/actors are the same but story they go through, the challenges they experience, they are all different.

PAUL: Instead of singing a famous Korean song we will present something our home country is famous for…

… though singing might still be part of the show!