Sterling Nasa, a 21-year-old university student, found himself in a dreamlike scenario on Saturday night at the ICC's Darling Harbour theatre. He was attending La La Land in Concert, a touring production where the film is projected onto a screen while a live orchestra performs the score in sync. However, the performance hit a snag when the orchestra's keyboardist suddenly fell ill.
Unexpected Opportunity
During an extended 40-minute interval, the film's Oscar-winning composer and conductor, Justin Hurwitz, addressed the audience with a plea: was there a pianist in the house with exceptional sight-reading skills? Speaking to Guardian Australia, Hurwitz revealed that behind the scenes, panic had set in. The orchestra had no backup keyboardist, and offers of replacement players were too far away. Hurwitz took a gamble, asking the audience repeatedly to ensure someone was truly capable.
Nasa, who plays piano and organ and is the bagpipes tutor at his old school, hesitated initially. But his friend Scarlett raised his hand for him, and he eventually found the confidence to volunteer. A longtime admirer of Hurwitz's work, Nasa suddenly found himself at an electric keyboard, facing a complex score he had never rehearsed.
The Ultimate Test
The most daunting moment came during the John Legend piece "Start a Fire," which features an intricate synthesiser solo designed to match Ryan Gosling's character's erratic hand movements on screen. Hurwitz was most nervous about this part, fearing even a high-level professional would struggle. Nasa acknowledged the challenge, telling ABC Radio he doubted he could sight-read it in one go. Instead, he took a creative liberty and improvised the solo, trusting his instincts.
The gamble paid off. Nasa's improvisation carried the orchestra through the number, earning him a resounding ovation from the 2,500-strong audience. Hurwitz praised his remarkable skill, noting that improvising a cool solo in the right key and scale on the fly with no rehearsal is a whole other level beyond sight-reading.
Aftermath and Reflection
After the final bow, the backstage debrief was filled with mutual disbelief. Hurwitz expressed his gratitude and amazement, while Nasa reflected on the surreal whirlwind of media attention that followed, including appearances on breakfast television and radio. He described it as a blessing to play a soundtrack he had admired for years.
While the production team now scrambles to rehearse new keyboardists for upcoming legs in Melbourne and Brisbane, Nasa returns to his university lectures in politics and international studies. Hurwitz noted that the young Sydneysider certainly has the talent for a music career, but ultimately, as La La Land teaches, one must do what they love most.
