OCR Text |
Show WEDNESDAY, ARTS OCTOBER 29, 2003 & ENTERTAINMENT DIXIE SUN - 15 Jon Schmidt, "miracle maker on lished some of his popular album titles in what has been called the most user friendly Unconventional pianist delights and enthralls and by Jordan Perry Most and Chase Grant piano recitals are ect performances. However, those fortunate enough to attend the Jon Schmidt concert last Tuesday, Oct. 21, will immediately tell you that his concert is nothing like that at all. With everything from playing music with his head, to throwing rubber balls at the audience, to doing a backflip off a chair, Jon Schmidt performs concerts to delight all audiences. as most newspapers and call him, and as he himself prefers, has sold over 50,000 copies of his five CDs and several thousand copies of his songbook, as well as selling out shows numerous times in both Abravanel and Kingsbury Halls. Despite his tremendous achievement musically, Jon is one of the most guys Ive ever met, said Jake Denning, DSC studentbody president. Jon, fans h Ive never pretended to be a musical Jon genius, remarked I dont even want to act like it. Goofy and fun, Jon is the type of person who is almost always ready for a laugh, and will make you laugh regardless of your mood. Born to German immigrants who raised him on classical music, Jon was already playing Mozart and Beethoven as well as composing his own music by the age of eleven. By sixteen he had written his first major song, entitled Riding West. Jon produced three albums by the age of 29, only four years after establishing his own recording career. He T piano ! ! t , i Ironically, Jon never intended to pursue his musical talent. He even went so far as to turn e down a music scholU of U because the at arship full-rid- thought of to be nights of relaxed, composed, incredibly professional and almost perf- down-to-eart- entertaining i I music book in history. community M. the piano" has performed all over the country and has pub "I've never pretended to be a musical genius. don't even want to act like it." I Jon Schmidt he didnt want to be a music major. I never really wanted to be in music in the first place, I actually wanted to be a business major, and get an MBA. Jon reflects. Regardless, Jon has catapulted himself into the hearts of listeners and has repeatedly captivated and audiences with his witty performances. His concert at the Cox Auditorium was no exception. Despite coming onstage in a and dockers, and despite playing (at times) the piano music from beneath the piano, or with his elbows, and making goofy faces the entire time and throwing cush-ball- s out into the audiit was ence, mostly his music that left the listeners captivated and deeply moved Jon plays with his entire being, even when he is joking around The music can make you cry, take your breath away, exhilarate your senses, do all three at the same time. My major success was mostly from my mom, and also from my sister. My mom pushed, my sister taught, said Schmidt. Jon is a miracle maker on the piano, said Micah Wright of Salt Lake City. He incorporates every human emotion there is into his music. When he plays, he plays with so much emotion, it almost makes you dizzy. Jon Schmidt piays his keyboard. Schmidt was recently featured 14 trouble and be the center of attention. The Scarlet Pimpernel is a snob, said Hale. What am I supposed to say? Im the bad guy. Hes a ladys man and he outwits the French Republic. Norton originally wanted to go into television but because of his interest in music became interested in the musical theater genre and fell in love with it. He has played many roles, including, Joseph in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and has had roles in My Fair Lady, and Fiddler on the Roof. Its a show that you can really get into, a benefit concert at this show. I think its a love twist that so many people can relate to with Marguerite falling in love with Chauvelin who is the bad but (like guy, Marguerite) you end up falling in love and marrying the good guy. Its just so Cox Auditorium. ly like PLAY continued from PAGE in said Pease. think that anybody can real I show that anybody can get into." "It's a Amory Pease (Marguerite) heart wrenching because Chauvelm almost makes her fall in love with him again so many times. Pease and Hale both agreed that Norton has the starring role, though Hale admitted it reluctantly. The star depends on who youre looking for, said Hale. If you want the bad guy to be the star . . Norton however said that even though the show revolved around the charac- - ter of Percy as the Scarlet Pimpernel, his character would be nothing without the characters Marguerite and Chauvelin. He believed that the show doesnt just have one star but it has three. I love my fellow leads, said Im very honored Norton that I get to play this role with those two, Amory and Ben They are both very professional actors, they bring a lot to this performance, and they have great work ethic. |