This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
At a stressful time of year in a stressful place — a Chicago Amtrak station — a Youtuber's magic piano recently showed that people are basically good.
The piano was placed in Chicago's Union Station and was designed to respond in real time to passersby. That seems to mean there was a hidden piano player, as Andrew Blendermann is credited with the performance.
Anyway, people then pass by the piano and interact with it. One of my favorite moments comes near the beginning when a little girl sits down, but the whole thing is great.
The video was produced by RobBlissCreative — the same people behind that viral homeless man makeover video. A number of people, including me, had some quarrels with that video, but I think what makes this one better is that it's more fleeting; because there are no promises about the future, it invites us to embrace the moments of existential joy in our lives, however brief they may be.
— Jim Dalrymple II
Twitter: @jimmycdii