Sonya Belousova (far right) and Tom Grey (center) at the 2014 ASMAC Golden Score Awards. Image – PlayerPianoMusic.com
It takes a lot of skill to play the piano — but it takes even greater talent to come up with complicated piano arrangements for well-known songs on the spot.
Sonya Belousova, a classical pianist and recipient of the Russian Ministry of Culture Award, is such a prodigy and thanks to Kotaku, I am now a huge fan of her work. Her YouTube channel, playfully called “PlayerPiano,” houses of the most elaborate renditions of familiar video game themes — from popular modern titles such as Halo, BioShock and Skyrim to classics like Castlevania, Super Mario Brothers and Tetris. And just for good measure, she also tackles classical concertos and symphonies as well.
Her technical abilities are fantastic, her enthusiasm is infectious and her renditions are exceptional.
Seeing is believing, so check out their latest “On The Spot” video below:
For more on Belousova’s and PlayerPiano director Tom Grey’s mission to “put a classical twist on your favorite songs and soundtrack themes,” visit their webpage and if you can, support their IndieGogo campaign to fund larger productions of Belousova’s musical interpretations.