TOURING SHOW

Piano heist

Piano Heist

Lifelong friends, and colleagues, Nico Rhodes, and Patrick Courtin, shocked and appalled by the realization that piano just isn’t cool anymore, set off on a divine quest to redeem the keyboard and reinstate its reputation as the greatest instrument of ALL TIME! Armed with the music of the greatest composers, songwriters and performers of the past 400 years, and the technology of the 21st century – their virtual orchestra (Bob), Nico and Patrick deliver everything from classical piano raptures to bombastic boogie woogie, from romantic piano ballads to 80’s keyboard synth battles in their show Piano Heist! What ensues is a mishmash of theatrical wonder, comedy, audience participation, heartfelt stories, a pinch of history, and a world of musical madness.

PIANO HEIST

Music includes:

Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen – Traditional; Prelude in C Major – J.S. Bach; Fur Elise. – Beethoven; Nocturne n.2 – Chopin; Hungarian Rhapsody n.2 – Liszt; Claire de Lune – Debussy; Rhapsody in Blue – G. Gershwin; Maple Leaf Rag – Joplin; Fly Me to the Moon – Bart Howard; Great Balls of Fire – Otis Blackwell; Piano Man – Billy Joel; Crazy – Willie Nelson; Imagine – John Lennon; Let it Be – John Lennon/Paul McCartney; Can You Feel the Love Tonight – Elton John; Crocodile, Rock – Elton John; Light My Fire – The Doors; The Winner Takes it All – ABBA; Green Onions – Booker T and the Mg’s; I Heard it Through the Grapevine – Barrett Strong/Norman Whitfield; Superstition – Stevie Wonder; Spain – Chick Corea; Popcorn – Gershon Kingsley; Jump – Van Halen; We Are the Champions – Queen.

PROJECT CREATOR

Nico Rhodes is a genre jumping, multilingual musician who collaborates with other artists and artforms to experience and explore music in as many styles as possible. Growing up touring around the globe surrounded by artists and the world of theatre – he is equally comfortable playing jazz, classical, funk or roots music, orchestrating a symphony, writing musicals, and conducting choirs. He begins his day with an expresso and practicing his Japanese, the language he is currently embracing.
Nico Rhodes is one of the most in demand young arranger/musical directors in Canada, with 40 stage musicals to his credit. He’s written 400 original compositions, four original musicals and arranged two symphonic pops concerts. He’s been nominated for two Jessie and five Ovation Awards and in 2019 was honoured with Nanaimo’s Emerging Cultural Leader Award. He composes for stage, screen, and media, collaborates with multiple choirs, plays with several jazz trios and tours in a duo with his mother, renowned chanteuse Joelle Rabu. In 2022 Nico created his dream show – Piano Heist and produced a series of four multi-artist multi-genre concerts entitled Chapters for The Port Theatre in Nanaimo B.C.

MULTI-INSTRUMENTALIST

Patrick Courtin is a multi-instrumentalist, accompanist, arranger/composer, music director, transcriber and music teacher working on multiple projects and genres that include jazz, classical, musical theatre, funk, rock, folk. He has toured extensively in North America and Asia and currently resides in Parksville, BC. Patrick and Nico have been performing together for over 20 years.