Kids will play 10 pianos at once at ‘Monster Concert’
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AMMON — Ten pianos will be played at once by 40 hands at what’s being called a “Monster Concert” this weekend.
The Idaho Falls Music Club is presenting “Listen to the Music,” which is free and is performed by Idaho Falls area teachers and students.
“A monster concert is where you have 10 pianos going at once. So when you have 10 pianos, you’ve got two kids on each piano, and that’s 40 hands at once playing all at the same time,” said Beverly Beck, the director of the Monster Concert.
The concert will be on Saturday, Oct. 14, at 1 p.m. at the Hillcrest High School Fine Arts Center.
“We have 17 groups, and there’s 34 songs,” Beck said. “When you see it, it’s spectacular. It’s so fun.”
There will be a variety of songs played, like “For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow,” “Inspector Gadget” and “Cruella de Vil.”
Each group will play two songs. Eighteen teachers and more than 200 students are involved. They have been practicing throughout the week at the Piano Gallery in Ammon.
The business donated 10 pianos for students to use in the concert.
“They are clavinovas. They are like pianos, but they are electric,” Beck explained. “They are bringing them over and setting them up. This is something they are doing out of the kindness of their hearts to bring these pianos into the high school so that these kids have these to play on.”
Nine-year-old Declan Hunter will be one of the kids playing Saturday. He has played piano for three years and is excited about the performance. He will be playing alongside his sister.
“It’s kind of hard following the beat with my sister, but once you get used to it, it’s actually pretty fun,” he said. “It just feels great when I play. I like the way the songs sound.”
At the concert, there will be a raffle to help raise money for students.
“I made a blanket that I am hoping we can raffle and raise some money because any of the money we raise, we give to kids for scholarships for students that are serious with piano,” Beck said.
The blanket has music notes on it and says, “Music Warms the Soul.” Concertgoers can get six tickets for $5 if they are interested in the blanket. You can pay with cash, check or Venmo.
Beck said that the concert happens about once every three years and it has been done so far for 25 years.
She added she hopes people will come and watch because it is amazing to see and hear.
“We just want to keep inspiring kids playing and when you do fun things like this, this is what keeps them playing. I am a big advocate for a lot of recitals and concerts, and the kids don’t get to play as much. It’s a real fun thing to get them excited about playing,” Beck said.
