Forums > Can Anyone Think Of Famous People Who Play The Piano As A Hobby?

Robodoc

Feb 29 2008, 08:25 PM

QUOTE(Mad Tom @ Feb 29 2008, 05:46 PM)

Just how good are some of these other celebrities? Does anyone know how well they play? Has anyone heard them? Tara Palmer Tomkinson, Jonny Wilkinson, Clint Eastwood, ... It would be nice to hear that Tara is say a Grade 5 or Grade 8 standard player, or that Clint could make a living from it (as could Rolf Harris when he wasn't busy painting, being silly, or winning national titles at backstroke!)

I know some celebrities list chess as a serious hobby, but when I check up on them they it usually turns out that they wouldn't make into the 4th team squad in a small village!

Clint Eastwood as a Blues pianist is "pretty good", but I'm not sure I would be able to pin it down any more accurately than that. However, in one of his films there is a scene in which he is playing blues piano whilst smiling and having a conversation over his shoulder, and whilst doing that he plays a descending glissando in octaves with his right hand. I think you have to be "pretty good" to do that. Also his documentary about piano blues is excellent.

bahrain_pianist

Mar 1 2008, 03:52 PM

U.S. Secretary of State, condoleezza rice, is a trained concert pianist.

singerpianist

Mar 1 2008, 04:01 PM

QUOTE(Mad Tom @ Feb 29 2008, 05:46 PM)

Just how good are some of these other celebrities? Does anyone know how well they play? Has anyone heard them? Tara Palmer Tomkinson, Jonny Wilkinson, Clint Eastwood, ... It would be nice to hear that Tara is say a Grade 5 or Grade 8 standard player, or that Clint could make a living from it (as could Rolf Harris when he wasn't busy painting, being silly, or winning national titles at backstroke!)

I know some celebrities list chess as a serious hobby, but when I check up on them they it usually turns out that they wouldn't make into the 4th team squad in a small village!

I don't know how good he is, but I know that Jonny Wilkinson taught himself the piano and guitar as a getaway from playing rugby...I saw it in an interview - I think he must have been playing for about 4 years now?

And apparently he plays in a band with his brother or something...(but not a professional one - just a random one!)

But I don't know anything about Tara Palmer Tomkinson or Clint Eastwood's playing...

Chris H

Mar 1 2008, 04:05 PM

I wonder if I ought not to use the celebs who are "really good" as examples - perhaps people will get the wrong impression of my piano playing

Minuet3

Mar 2 2008, 09:47 PM

Tara P-T is pretty accomplished I believe. She has played publicly several times for fundraisers and I saw her on TV, she can definitely play.

chocolatedog

Mar 2 2008, 10:55 PM

My immediate thought was Tara P-T - plus did anyone see the Top Gear episode where all 3 guys played together as a band - James May on keyboard, Richard Hammond on guitar, and Jeremy Clarkson on drums?.... Interesting!!! ......

SueHM

Mar 2 2008, 11:43 PM

Apparently, Prince Charles plays cello and bagpipes..

freda_bloogs

Mar 3 2008, 12:01 AM

QUOTE(chocolatedog @ Mar 2 2008, 11:55 PM)

My immediate thought was Tara P-T - plus did anyone see the Top Gear episode where all 3 guys played together as a band - James May on keyboard, Richard Hammond on guitar, and Jeremy Clarkson on drums?.... Interesting!!! ......

I saw that - Hammond and May held their own...but Jezza let the team down. I think he'd only had a matter of 3 lessons or something!

enharmonic

Mar 3 2008, 08:02 AM

I think I remember Tara P T saying in an interview that she did grade 8 and wanted to go to music college but she didn't get in. Of course by that stage she may have had other distractions.

Chris H

Mar 5 2008, 12:50 PM

Well, I've done the presentation now, and the other course members particularly liked the beginning where I handed out sheets with photos of the celebs on them, and asked them to guess what hobby I had in common with them.

I did waffle on a bit too much, and still had things I wanted to say at the end of my 10 minutes, but all in all it was quite a successful talk.

Thank you all for your suggestions.

singerpianist

Mar 7 2008, 09:10 PM

QUOTE(Chris H @ Mar 5 2008, 12:50 PM)

Well, I've done the presentation now, and the other course members particularly liked the beginning where I handed out sheets with photos of the celebs on them, and asked them to guess what hobby I had in common with them.

I did waffle on a bit too much, and still had things I wanted to say at the end of my 10 minutes, but all in all it was quite a successful talk.

Thank you all for your suggestions.

Yay, that's great that your presentation went well, and that we were all able to help!!

Digby

Mar 10 2008, 11:48 AM

Ahh sorry I missed this thread - I was going to add Richard Gere and Princess Michael of Kent (who I believe teaches in London)

Glad it went well.

StuMac

Mar 11 2008, 04:09 PM

QUOTE(SueHM @ Mar 2 2008, 11:43 PM)

Apparently, Prince Charles plays cello and bagpipes..

Reputedly not very well!

Apparently Lady Di was a much better musician (piano) and started to take great delight in showing him up in public. There was a film clip I saw of them visiting some sort of music school. Charles played cello to polite appreciation from onlookers.

Di then got hacked off, and so sat down at one of the pianos. This wasn't in the plan at all, but the response from the music teachers was much more enthusiastic that the response they gave Charles.

How much truth there is in all this I don't know!

petrat

Mar 11 2008, 04:20 PM

I have just thought to add Violet Carson who played Ena Sharples in Coronation Street for many years. She was an excellent pianist according to a former cello teacher of mine who played with her on occasions. (classical cello and piano stuff) I see that your presentation has been now.

mennea

Apr 10 2008, 04:04 PM

Former Presidend Richard M. Nixon, mostly classical, some pop; William F. Buckley, big Bach fan. both played passably well.

zippy113

Apr 10 2008, 07:25 PM

The Actore Kevin Klein plays the piano, he played it in the film De-Lovely ( a really good film btw so watch it if you get the chance).

chocolatedog

Apr 11 2008, 12:54 PM

Oops - just deleted what I wrote as I found out it wasn't quite right - I thought of Jeremy Northam in Gosford Park, as he plays and sings, but I'm not sure if he also plays as a hobby or not.......

ianporsche

Apr 16 2008, 10:43 AM

QUOTE(hazel @ Feb 26 2008, 10:45 PM)

James May (blokey car fanatic, TV presenter, does Top Gear and also a wine thing) is a talented pianist I believe.

Harpsichord at Uni I believe....