Ready...set...MAMBO!

We are thrilled to present our newest music video:

Unfortunately,

due to legal necessities, we have removed the music video from YouTube and our other social media channels.

Filmed last October on location throughout New York City, this was one of the most high-octane shoots we've ever undertaken. In devising the concept, we wanted to accentuate the mind-boggling aspects of Steinway's new Spirio* instrument while paying homage to the Big Apple: the provenance of Leonard Bernstein's West Side Story, Steinway & Sons, and our duo itself. (Incidentally our alma mater Juilliard now stands at the very locale of Bernstein's beloved, brilliant musical.)

In the history of our music videos, the scope of this project was unprecedented in terms of its location-per-duration ratio. (In two short minutes, we basically traverse Gotham!) When Greg and I originally conceived the concept of the video, we imagined the Spirio working its magic in various iconic NYC sites; in order to bring this vision to life, we had to jump through a variety of daunting logistical hoops (while trying to focus on our "day job," i.e. concerts), such as crisscrossing the city during the scouting process, applying for permits and insurance, anxiously awaiting approval of these applications, then anxiously checking the hourly weather forecast as the shoot approached ("What's the precipitation percentage??"), and finally schlepping one of the rare Spirios in existence from borough to borough. Such feats were made possible by our excellent producer, Victoria Sendra (who also collaborated with us on our Taylor Swift video, which we shot later that weekend) and our supportive colleagues at Steinway. Normally our filming operations are super small—just Greg and me with one or two people helping out—but this time, we utilized a talented and enthusiastic (yet still relatively condensed) film crew. When the first day of filming finally arrived, it was a butterflies-in-stomach sensation to arrive at Washington Square Park just after sunrise and take in the sight of the Steinway piano, grand and gleaming, between the famed arch and fountain. Amid the intensity of the day's schedule, I made sure to soak in the scene as well the excitement of the crowd that spontaneously gathered around us. (Shout-out to the NYU students, sightseers, and urbanites hanging out at the park that day!)

Some standout memories of Day 1:

• Teaching our extras to shout "MAMBO!" on cue and urging them to jive to the music

• Cutting my finger on the inside of the piano during our "percussion" shenanigans #bloodonthekeys

• Getting photographed by celebrity photographer Christopher Peterson and appearing on his Instagram feed immediately after we wrapped our park footage (let's just say I was tickled to be featured among the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Sarah Jessica Parker, Alexa Chung, and Naomi Watts):

• Eating lunch with the crew on the park grounds, dazed and trying to process the epic madness that had just unfolded!

• Right after lunch, piling into a cab to a street corner in trendy Greenpoint and watching the movers unload the Spirio in front of a graffiti-laden backdrop (with the Manhattan skyline majestically in view from another angle)

• Jamming with our friend, Juilliard violist Drew Alexander Forde, for the Brooklyn scenes:

• Finding random folks on the street to join our shoot, including the guys who supported our "busking" efforts and a mother riding on a tandem bicycle with her adorable kids (we love the gung-ho spirit of New Yorkers!)

Day 2 of the shoot took place at the Steinway Factory in Astoria (also the mise en scène for our spooky music video of Schubert's Der Erlkönig). This time we filmed in a cavernous woodshed on site, which was impressively lit by John Frisbie. We chose this location as a direct reference to the birthplace of the American Steinway instruments, but also for its raw, urban quality (a nod to the ghetto of West Side Story). We juxtaposed the grit of the environment with glamorous outfits and lighting for a cinematic feel.

Waiting between takes ... behind-the-scenes at the Steinway Factory in Astoria, NY

In the end, this video celebrates bold innovation, joyous collaboration, and NYC's inimitable spirit. We give our heartfelt appreciation to everyone who brought their invaluable energy, skill, and passion to this project, and we thank YOU for watching! EJR (+ GA)

*Here is a video of us speaking about the Spirio, filmed last year after our very first encounter with this unique, state-of-the-art instrument:

Shake It Off!

Ladies and gentlemen, we proudly present our latest music video:

Taylor Swift is undeniably one of the biggest superstars of our time, obliterating sales records left and right with her catchy and canny songs (thus keeping the recording industry afloat), selling out stadiums worldwide, and inciting countless conversations about feminism, power, commerce, celebrity, aesthetics (country or pop?), philanthropy, #squads, and so much more. She is beloved yet scrutinized, a receptacle for both dreams (see the legions of passionate Swifties who idolize this down-to-earth dynamo) and controversy (albeit unwitting and often imposed by others—the infamous Kanye incident at the 2009 VMAs and the media's colorful speculations on her love life immediately spring to mind). Amidst all the hype, Taylor has stood tall and resolute, largely thanks to a recently (i.e. 1989-era) claimed attitude of "shaking it off." All of us, in every walk of life, can take possession of our own happiness by ignoring the "haters" and abiding by our own truth. A powerful message indeed.

As children of the '80s and aficionados of pop culture, Greg and I decided to take on "Shake It Off" and transform it into a virtuoso two-piano mini-fantasy, incorporating elements of minimalism, jazz, and dubstep. I personally couldn't resist the call of 1989 when it was released, and it became an oft-played album on my phone ... or should I say "Walkman"? ;-) The confidence and cohesion in Taylor's new sound appealed to me, and I also enjoyed Ryan Adams' introspective homage to this record (especially his covers of her massive hits "Blank Space" and "Bad Blood"). Taylor's songwriting prowess and autonomy over her artistic trajectory deserve respect; she writes from the heart and refuses to let her creative voice be dimmed (in the harsh glare of the spotlight, no less). Moreover, she seems to genuinely care about connecting with her fans in a generous way. We admire these qualities of hers.

This video is an ode to Taylor's craft and persona, with its vintage look and styling: "You got that James Dean daydream look in your eye / And I got that red lip classic thing that you like" (to quote "Style," another excellent 1989 track). Crimson lipstick? Check. Cateye? Check. Minidress? Check. Dapper guy? Check. With the Grammys airing on Monday (she is nominated in categories across the board, including the coveted "Album of the Year") we wanted to pay tribute to her charismatic, romantic, and irreverent spirit.

We filmed the video on a chilly autumn day at the Steinway Factory in New York City with filmmaker Victoria Sendra, an imaginative and intrepid collaborator. Her background in dance served us well: she literally ran circles around us dozens of times to give the camerawork a swirling and ecstatic feel, and when we asked her to "get in our way" in order to capture action-packed shots of our hand and arm gymnastics, she managed to do so with grace and precision. (Per usual, Greg and I also had great fun behind the camera, experimenting with an array of different vantage points and movements.) To be sure, the dancelike energy of the video is an affectionate nod to Taylor's dance-centric "Shake It Off" music video. And while we wished we were swathed in warm coats and scarves during the shoot (A&R music videos = sacrifice of personal comfort!), we treated ourselves to a very satisfying meal at Roberta's afterward. As always, we give our heartfelt thanks to the awesome team at Steinway; placing two valuable concert grands alfresco is no small feat!

And as you can see in the third image above, Greg's video editing is a piece of art unto itself, a mosaic of ideas and images...

Hope all of you enjoy our cover and video! "It's like I got this music in my mind / saying 'It's gonna be alright.'"

Yours in Swiftiness,
Liz (& Greg)

Rite: BUGS! RoS: Episode 9

Our concept for this particular movement—entitled "Ritual Action of the Ancestors" in Stravinsky's score—revolves around the idea of decay and dissolution. If the organ, in all its curlicued, hoary stateliness, symbolizes the corporeal, then, as with all material things, it cannot exist forever.

Ashes to ashes, dust to dust ...

Its decay is not only inevitable; it is revealing. Appearances are often deceiving: what is beautiful and alluring on the outside can be corrupt and even depraved within. This episode examines what happens when the protagonists choose to relinquish their material attachments in order to face Reality unencumbered. To communicate this narratively crucial (and rather existential!) denouement, we sought ways to make the organ's degeneration not only visceral but disturbing. In choosing to have the bugs emerge from the organ as it rots, we took inspiration from two things: 1) the organ itself, with its macabre aesthetic, not to mention its many orifices!, and 2) the music, which sounds creepy and crawly and haunting and ominous, with its undulating tell-tale heartbeat spelling doom.

To give credit where it's due, Greg—my ultra imaginative yet sometimes off-his-rocker colleague—was the one who thought of the bugs in the first place, on one of our many in-flight brainstorming sessions during our Asia concert tour last fall. (Although I love to sleep / read / watch movies / basically avoid work on flights, I can attest to planes providing an incredibly fruitful setting for creativity: a) you're captive, b) you're in an almost dreamlike state half the time, and c) you're literally miles and miles above the ground ... that's gotta affect one's mental state, right? Needless to say, folks, the majority of concepts within this Rite of Spring film were dreamt up in the air!) OK, so this long, ostensibly random tangent leads to what I'm about to say .....

I DID NOT enjoy the filming of the millipedes, harmless as they were; to put it simply, I am not a fan of bugs. Just writing about the experience now makes my skin crawl. *shudder* That said, I'm generally open to trying new things, and I'm willing to sacrifice personal comfort (to a degree) for the sake of art. And for all you entomologically-inclined people out there, don't worry—we didn't pluck random bugs off the sidewalk or from someone's yard. We went the "official" route and ordered a bunch of millipedes online, and while they were in our care, Greg fed them little bits of veggies from the nearby farmer's market (not kidding!). To assuage my jitters, I jokingly gave them nicknames (to be said in a kiddie voice for maximum effect): Millie A, Millie B, etc., etc.

The filming required lots of patience, trusty assistants (thank you, Caitlin and Cody!), and chopsticks to keep the millipedes on course. They had a tendency to go astray, crawling in the exact opposite direction from what we wanted. There was always the errant one (or three) that would crawl right off the keyboard, almost into my lap, and every time I yelped in horror. To make things even worse, the first one that was placed on my hand excreted—I think it sensed my fear! Speaking of fear, whenever the millipedes felt threatened, they would curl up in a cinnamon-roll-like bundle, ruining the shot and interrupting the flow of filming. So while they might look coordinated onscreen, they were actually very unpredictable. 

Still, all the discomfort (and squealing on my part) appeared to be worthwhile; the millipedes leave quite an indelible impact and fill the viewer with dread, setting up the organ's cataclysmic swan song. Vivent les mille-pattes! Vive le sacre!

EPISODE 9 of 10: Upon grappling with their inner demons, the journeyers emerge even stronger and more vigilant. This newfound awareness shakes the foundation of their egoic attachments and material trappings. The degeneration of these worldly fetters opens the pathway to their final, inevitable task.

ROS: Episode 3

Greg and I spend a lot of time together. A lot. Between performing, traveling, working on new videos and arrangments, and of course, REHEARSING, it's safe to say that we know each other pretty well. Filming this segment, however, we got to try something we've never done with each other: fighting. Well, at least we've never had any physical altercations ... we have a harmonious relationship for the most part. ;)

Amid all the "fighting," some beautiful images from our recent trip to NYC have been folded into this episode. The last shot in particular was a gift from the city. Thank you, New York -- we love you!

EPISODE 3 of 10: In the blazing heat of the sun, reality starts to bend. As the wanderers continue to drift through the urban jungle, their inner alienation is reflected by the scorched wasteland of the desert. The strain of the journey mounts to a pivotal breaking point.

Rite: ON! ROS: Episode 1

And so it begins ...

A century ago on this day, The Rite of Spring received its infamously riotous premiere in Paris. As a tribute to this milestone in musical history, we present the opening installment of our Rite of Spring video project:

Igor Stravinsky's groundbreaking, timeless composition has compelled us to push ourselves to the hilt and to challenge the parameters of our filmmaking abilities. One of our favorite pieces to perform, the Rite has proven to provide fascinating fodder for a music video (albeit a very lengthy one!): the literal and symbolic connotations of spring and rites of passage -- the resurgence of the earth in all its elemental glory; the poignancy of discovery; the loss of innocence; the heated intensity, even eroticism, of primal urges; the shedding of layers, physical and metaphorical; etc., etc. -- are full of rich cinematic possibility, and we've let our imaginations run wild in an effort to capture the searing vision of this masterwork.

{Future episodes of this 10-part, 35-minute film will be released on YouTube, every other Wednesday throughout the summer. The next episode will air on June 12, 2013.}