Issue link: http://cp.revolio.com/i/837897
13 In Southern Utah's town of Saint George, creating a viral video was always Paul Anderson's endgame. He was on to something in 2010—these days marketing via social media and user content is a standard practice for most advertisers, but seven years ago risk-taker Paul was ahead of the game. e idea of using viral marketing to sell his piano shop inventory was unheard of at the time, but his dream came true, morphing into something else altogether: a successful classical-pop crossover group with 7 albums and more than a billion YouTube views. But that is exactly e Piano Guys' reality. After a chance meeting in his shop introduced Paul to successful solo pianist Jon Schmidt, he in turn brought coincidental neighbors Steven Sharp Nelson and Al van der Beek into the fold. Together they started creating knockout mash-ups of classical and popular music, pairing energetic performances with roving videography and visually striking videos. is formula has been an absolutely smashing success for e Guys, on stage and online. Freezing in ice caves to combine "Let It Go" from Disney's "Frozen" with Vivaldi and transporting a grand piano to the stone gates of Jordan's Petra for an Indiana Jones-Arabian Nights remix are just routine parts of the gig. e thing is, e Piano Guys really are just four regular guys with an impeccable sense of social marketing. Even now, with over five million YouTube subscribers, they're still reinventing the online game. At this moment you can literally hang out with them in their virtual "Living Room"—illustrated with a screenshot of each member in the comfort of their own home. is latest project brings the fans closer than ever, featuring fly-on-the-wall footage and behind-the-scenes video shoot content that complements the energy of their live shows. All in all, Paul's plan worked! His piano shop, also called e Piano Guys, is still selling pianos in Saint George today. An Evening with the Piano Guys WED, AUG 23 | DELL HALL | 8PM For These Virtuosos, YouTube Was Only the Beginning LONG CENTER PRESENTS 2017 S U M M E R/FA L L S E A S O N 13