"The Force Awakens" is coming in a matter of days and "Star Wars" fans can't contain their excitement. Sonya Belousova and Tom Grey of Player Piano took to their YouTube channel to do their own tribute, showcasing not just a medley from the franchise but performing the songs as well on Star Wars-themed pianos.
Belousova and Grey have done covers from other famous franchises before and they chose to do one on "Star Wars" for two reasons: 1) the franchise has a soundtrack so legendary that composing an arrangement from it was an honor for Belousova; and 2) it's Star Wars (Grey credits his love for storytelling from the franchise).
As director, Grey said their videos typically last anywhere from two to four minutes. Initial discussions set their "Star Wars" medley for around five minutes but the Player Piano duo kept adding and adding to the lineup that they ended up with a video nearly 11 minutes long. Not that that's a problem!
As soon as the first notes of the "Star Wars" main title theme starts playing, it instantly grabs attention, and Grey's visual treatment of the medley manages to hold on to it until the end. The music itself is a treat but it's even more amusing to listen to when played on custom "Star Wars" pianos.
Donning Han Solo-inspired garb, Belousova starts the medley on a Millennium Falcon piano. After one song, she switches to one inspired by Darth Vader, before moving on to an R2-D2 piano for the next. Throughout, Belousova's outfit also changes to match the piano she's playing on, adding to the visual appeal of the medley.
Before "Star Wars" pianos, Player Piano have also customized instruments for "The Walking Dead," "The Legend of Zelda," "Super Mario Bros." and "Doctor Who."
"Star Wars: The Force Awakens" is due for a North American release on Dec. 18.
