Elizabeth Pulanco/Winonan

Winona State University kicked off the 2013 Family Weekend with a performance by Midwest Dueling Pianos.

As the doors opened for admission, many families and students were excited to start their weekend with a musical twist.

“It is our first time going to family weekend, and it seemed like fun thing to go to”, Mary Anne Lantz, mother of senior Kelly Lantz, said.

It was the first time seeing a dueling piano show for many other audience members as well.

“It will be exciting to see, because the piano players will be playing what you ask them to play,” sophomore Myranda Johnson said.

As soon as the performers sat on their piano benches, they started to take requests. The first few requests included Neil Diamond’s classic “Sweet Caroline” and Robin Thicke’s chart-topping hit “Blurred Lines.”  To make more playing time for other requests, the performers mashed the two songs together to form “Blurred Caroline.”

Another highlight of the night was a performance of Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” while the audience participated in singing along.

“One of the enjoyable things about this job is the audience interaction; making them laugh and having a good time,” David Puzykowski, who has been playing for Midwest Pianos for the last two years, said.  “It is the best job to have as a musician.”

Recently, dueling piano shows have been becoming more popular due to the changing venues.

“The height was in the 1990s when performances mostly in bars, but now venues have been more weddings, office parties, and college events,” Joe Montanaro, another performer for Midwest Pianos, said. Montanaro has been performing for the last three years.

The set list for the night was more than just the classics and Top 10 radio songs. The pianists also played requested songs from Disney movies, such as “Under the Sea” from “The Little Mermaid.”

Throughout the show, the auditorium was filled with a lively and fun atmosphere that was not only enjoyed by the students, but by their parents as well.

The night closed with a fitting final performance of Billy Joel’s famous “Piano Man.”

Contact Elizabeth at [email protected]