Mysterious Piano + Strangers = Magic

Have you ever felt like you needed some movie-style musical accompaniment in your life?

That's exactly what a new viral stunt by Rob Bliss, the same guy who brought us the stunning time-lapsed makeover of a homeless man, is doing.

Setting up a piano in Chicago's Union Station, travelers or passers-by were met with piano music that seemed to match their mood or actions.

"I kind of saw it as trying to tailor the experience to the people around us. To take what they gave us and respond to it via music," Bliss told TheBlaze Friday.

A little girl playing chopsticks was met with a piano that "magically" accompanied her.

Image source: YouTube

A businessman in a heated phone conversation who found the darker, tense music matching his tone somewhat annoying actually yelled at the piano. Poor piano.

Image source: YouTube

A curious older gentleman in a blue suit let out his inner dancing fiend. And a couple of other musicians who had instruments with them played along with the piano, which was decked out with holiday bells, poinsettias and the word "hello."

Image source: YouTube

Image source: YouTube

Image source: YouTube

During rush hour, the piano even played in tune with travelers running to catch their train.

Image source: YouTube

Just wait to see how the piano reacted to seeing Santa:

After watching the video, you might be wondering how Bliss and his friends pulled this off.

Bliss said they outfitted an ordinary piano with technology that allowed it to be remotely controlled by "a really talented pianist," Andrew Blendermann. In order for Blendermann to see and hear what was happening near the piano, Bliss said they had planted cameras and recorders that fed into a control room.

As for the reactions and interactions of people passing by, Bliss said they alerted local performing arts schools in general terms that something would be happening at Union Station, but Bliss feels that the more than 100 people who interacted with the instrument were not actors.

Amtrak was involved in sponsoring Bliss' project and gave him access to the Chicago train station.

"I came to them with this idea, and they thought it would be really cool for holidays," Bliss said. "They wanted to do something above and beyond for passengers for holiday season."

(H/T: Gizmodo)

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