Pianist's Nightmare Turns Into The Best Orchestra Win You've Ever Seen

Pianist's Nightmare Turns Into The Best Orchestra Win You've Ever Seen

We swear we've had this premonition before. You're on stage, ready to play your [insert instrument here] when the worst imaginable scenario occurs -- you can't remember your song. At this point we normally blink our eyes, grab a glass of water and realize it was just an anxiety dream, but for Portuguese pianist Maria João Pires, it was all too real.

During a performance at Amsterdam's Royal Concertgebouw, Pires was shocked when the orchestra behind her started playing Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor, K. 466, when she was fully expecting another Mozart piece. The moment was captured in a 1998 documentary, showing Pires as she panicked and admitted on stage to her conductor that she wasn't prepared to play the song.

We sympathize with Pires deeply, because who can whip out an entire concerto from memory? Apparently she can. With a little reassurance she gives it a go and executes the piece magnificently. Just watch it.

Popular in the Community

Close

What's Hot