3 of Anderson & Roe’s best performances: part 1
KNOWN FOR THEIR ADRENALIZED PERFORMANCES, ORIGINAL COMPOSITIONS, AND NOTORIOUS MUSIC VIDEOS, GREG ANDERSON AND ELIZABETH JOY ROE ARE REVOLUTIONIZING THE PIANO DUO EXPERIENCE FOR THE 21ST CENTURY. DESCRIBED AS AND “THE MOST DYNAMIC DUO OF THIS GENERATION” (SAN FRANCISCO CLASSICAL VOICE), “ROCK STARS OF THE CLASSICAL MUSIC WORLD” (MIAMI HERALD), AND “THE VERY MODEL OF COMPLETE 21ST-CENTURY MUSICIANS” (THE WASHINGTON POST), THE ANDERSON & ROE PIANO DUO AIMS TO MAKE CLASSICAL MUSIC A RELEVANT AND POWERFUL FORCE AROUND THE WORLD.
Their albums on the Steinway Label (When Words Fade, An Amadeus Affair, and The Art of Bach) were all released to critical acclaim and have spent dozens of weeks at the top of the Billboard Classical Charts, while their Emmy-nominated, self-produced music videos have been viewed by millions on YouTube and at international film festivals.
The duo comes to Portland in March for two exhilarating concerts at Lincoln Hall. These are some of our favorite performances by Anderson & Roe on their Youtube channel.
1 . What a Wonderful World. This performance brings us nothing but happiness! The way that Anderson & Roe play the notes of this piece bring out the beauty and essence of the song, even without lyrics. They bring a new life and new voice to the Louis Armstrong classic!
2 . Lose Yourself to Dance. Not only is this performance incredible, but what a beautiful video! The title of this speaks for itself — you’ll lose yourself in the rhythm of this song and the disco-themed, brightly colored, sequined roller rink featured in the video. Originally recorded by French electronic music duo Daft Punk, Anderson & Roe bring their unique spin to this tune.
3 . Let it Be. Thankfully, Anderson & Roe don’t take on this motto when it comes to music. The way they reinvent songs, like The Beatles’ classic “Let it Be”, brings out how unique and creative these two pianists really are. In this arrangement, they take on the roles of dueling gospel pianists, while also underscoring the redemptive uplift of the song’s message—and the power of music to illuminate the darkness.
Anderson & Roe have so many more hits that we couldn’t include them all in one blog. Stay tuned for next week, where we’ll unveil our next three favorite performances!
To see Anderson & Roe live on MAR 14 / 15, learn more about their program and get tickets here. The duo’s performances will include a rendition of “Let it Be” (how exciting!), as well as Ravel and Radiohead.