Pianist Astonishes with Improvised Take on John Williams’s “Harry Potter” Score

Last month, we reported on Eshan Denipitiya, a Sri Lankan piano virtuoso who composed an amazing medley of John Williams’s Harry Potter score. Be prepared to be stunned into awe once again at a Venezuelan pianist’s take on “Hedwig’s Theme.” Gabriela Montero, 50, composed an elaborate improvised tune in the style of Bach after mere seconds of listening to the beloved movie score on an iPhone.

Montero was a child prodigy. She has been playing the piano since practically the cradle. Her debut album featured recital music by classical composers such as Rachmaninov, Chopin, and Liszt and some of her own personal improvisations on Baroque and Classical era music. Watch the full video on Classic FM’s website where she puts her improvisation skills to use and turns the famous Williams composition into a Baroque-style toccata within seconds after gathering the notes from a recording on an iPhone.

Montero is as famous for her compositions as for her impromptu takes on famous musical pieces. Her YouTube channel features improvisations on songs, anthems, and other pieces of music in the style of a musical era or a specific composer like Bach, Chopin, and more. During the past year, she has also posted improvisations in pajamas. She puts many of us to shame whose greatest achievement in jammies is turning on the coffee machine.

We strongly recommend heading on over to Classic FM’s site to see her work her magic. Montero’s effortless transformation of the familiar tune, which first appeared in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, is a kind of witchcraft that will leave you speechless.