Why I take the piano on the road … and in the air

Pianist Daria van den Bercken fell in love with the baroque keyboard music of George Frideric Handel. Now, she aims to ignite this passion in others. In this talk, she plays us through the emotional roller coaster of his music — while sailing with her piano through the air, driving it down the street, and of course playing on the stage.

Recently, I flew over a crowd

of thousands of people in Brazil

playing music by George Frideric Handel.

I also drove along the streets of Amsterdam,

again playing music by this same composer.

Let's take a look.

(Music: George Frideric Handel, "Allegro."
Performed by Daria van den Bercken.)

(Video) Daria van den Bercken: I
live there on the third floor.

(In Dutch) I live there on the corner.

I actually live there, around the corner.

and you'd be really welcome.

Man: (In Dutch) Does that sound like fun?
Child: (In Dutch) Yes!

[(In Dutch) "Handel house concert"]

(Applause)

Daria van den Bercken: All this was a real

magical experience for hundreds of reasons.

Now you may ask, why have I done these things?

They're not really typical for a musician's

day-to-day life.

Well, I did it because I fell in love with the music

and I wanted to share it with as many people

as possible.

It started a couple of years ago.

I was sitting at home on the couch with the flu

and browsing the Internet a little,

when I found out that Handel had written works

for the keyboard.

Well, I was surprised. I did not know this.

So I downloaded the sheet music and started playing.

And what happened next was

that I entered this state of pure,

unprejudiced amazement.

It was an experience

of being totally in awe of the music,

and I had not felt that in a long time.

It might be easier to relate to this when you hear it.

The first piece that I played through

started like this.

(Music)

Well this sounds very melancholic, doesn't it?

And I turned the page and what came next

was this.

(Music)

Well, this sounds very energetic, doesn't it?

So within a couple of minutes,

and the piece isn't even finished yet,

I experienced two very contrasting characters:

beautiful melancholy and sheer energy.

And I consider these two elements to be

vital human expressions.

And the purity of the music makes you hear it

very effectively.

I've given a lot of children's concerts

for children of seven and eight years old,

and whatever I play, whether it's Bach, Beethoven,

even Stockhausen,

or some jazzy music,

they are open to hear it,

really willing to listen,

and they are comfortable doing so.

And when classes come in

with children who are just a few years older,

11, 12, I felt that I sometimes already had trouble

in reaching them like that.

The complexity of the music does become an issue,

and actually the opinions of others —

parents, friends, media — they start to count.

But the young ones, they don't question

their own opinion.

They are in this constant state of wonder,

and I do firmly believe that we can keep listening

like these seven-year-old children,

even when growing up.

And that is why I have played

not only in the concert hall

but also on the street, online, in the air:

to feel that state of wonder,

to truly listen,

and to listen without prejudice.

And I would like to invite you

to do so now.

(Music: George Frideric Handel, "Chaconne in G Major."
Performed by Daria van den Bercken.)

(Applause)

Thank you.

(Applause)