Sterling (Colorado) Journal-Advocate Published March 11, 2006
I am not a fancier of classical music. For me, the only exposure to the
classics have been through Bugs Bunny cartoons when I was growing up or
on television commercials for United Airlines. Thursday night I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed the Sterling Arts Councilıs offering of ³Donıt Shoot Me Iım the Piano Player" featuring David Scheel.
Scheel, an Australian with an English accent fostered by years with the
BBC, brought several hundred people out on a weeknight for his show.
We were in for a treat. Scheel blended classics, jazz, blues and his own
compositions with his personal style of humor and storytelling. His
explanation of the meaning of the unofficial Australian National Anthem,
Waltzing Matilda, brought many belly laughs.His hands danced across the keyboard in a tribute to George Gershwin and he even poked fun at his own entertaining style with a satire of Victor Borge.
His finale of the top 20 requested piano music included tunes we all knew
and brought some audience members to their feet with shouts of Bravo!
In the past this column has urged more cultural activities to enhance the
lifestyle in Sterling. The presentation of performers such as Scheel shows
that the Sterling Arts Council is on the right path.
-------------- Barry Heifner, editor