Events

UofU Piano Monster Concert

Thank you for your interest in the UofU Piano Monster Concert! This event started in 1976! As the Community Liaison, I will communicate with you for the Director, Dr. Vedrana Subotic.

You can fill the 15 pianos (30 performers) by yourself or combine with other teachers. The theme is “Just Dance.” I will submit your music choice to Dr. Subotic. I will contact you within a week with the approval. Please fulfill your commitment, and start rehearsing immediately for a polished performance including walking on, bowing, and leaving the stage. The group piano lab at Fine Arts West on the UofU campus will be available to schedule a rehearsal with your entire group. More info to come.

The only requirement for participating in the UofU Piano Monster concert is the purchase of two adult tickets and a polished performance. The link for ticket purchase is here: https://music.utah.edu/community/piano-monster-concert.php

The rehearsal for Monday, May 5 is TBA. The concert on Tuesday, May 6 will begin at 7:30 pm and student performers will need to arrive between 6 and 6:30 pm. The final schedule will be announced two weeks’ prior to the event.

A month prior to the event, you will need to send me an alphabetical list of the teachers and then the students involved in the performance.

I will send a floor plan of the pianos on stage so you can assign performers specific positions. You can hire a percussionist to keep your group together. The UofU Percussion Department is an excellent resource. To cover the cost of the percussionist, you can charge your own group a participation fee.

You can coordinate performance attire or costumes. Please, no makeup on hands.

Fill out this Google Form https://forms.gle/GgHWq2YfS5kHGsqeA so I have more information on your group.

The link for student performers to register is https://music.utah.edu/community/piano-monster-concert.php

Scroll down to past UofU Monster concerts which my studio and combined teachers have participated in.

Contact me via email at barbbgill@gmail.com

Past UofU Monster Concerts

The UofU Piano Area Monster Concert is a highlight the first Saturday in May. With 15 pianos on stage (5 grands and 10 uprights) and up to 30 performers playing at one time, it’s amazing. Usually 10 groups perform a piece centered around the concert “theme.”

For two years, a community group has been allowed to play with the other groups, organized by me! The secret to our success and sauce is a great piece/arrangement, outside rehearsal time as a group, and a percussionist.

For 2019, our group performed, “Tetris” for the video game theme. My student Elena performed.

For 2018, our group performed, “Fly Me to the Moon” for the “Out of this World” theme. My students Elena, Ben, Drew, and Damon performed.

Silent Film Celebrations & Monster Concerts

The Davis Chapter of UMTA gave our students an amazing experience on Saturday, August 14, 2021 at the Megaplex Theatre in Centerville, Utah. With 11 films, over 200 students and 23 teachers combined to make the donation of two upright pianos to assisted-living centers in Davis County.

The Davis Chapter of UMTA raised $24,000 to donate new pianos to CenterPoint Legacy Theatre on November 2, 2019. I served on the committee and played in the Avengers (Teacher group). My students performed in Balloon Pop Polka and Pirates of the Caribbean Medley. These concerts are so motivating and this time I got to join in the performance!

Silent Film Festival

The Bountiful Davis Art Center has an annual fall event where students play music to match the scenes of Buster Keaton or Charlie Chaplin’s silent films. Here are photos from the 2018 Silent Film Festival.