Moment The Piano contestant plays song for father with Alzheimer's
- Nerys from Caerphilly played Anfoanf Angel, meaning I’ll Send An Angel
- READ MORE: The Piano viewers moved to tears as man with dementia tells of his heartbreaking struggle with syndrome
This is the emotional moment a contestant on The Piano played a traditional song for her father with Alzheimer’s – and he remembered the words.
The second episode of the Channel 4 show takes place in Cardiff Central Station – as brilliant pianists across the country showcase their talent.
In Sunday’s episode, host Claudia Winkleman and judges Mika and Lang Lang witnessed an incredibly raw performance by Nerys from Caerphilly, who played a traditional Welsh song for her father.
Nerys emotionally sang ‘Anfoanf Angel’ meaning ‘I’ll Send an Angel’ – which she used to sing with her father who is now 90 and has Alzheimer’s disease.
As she played the sweet tune, Nerys’ own angelic voice was joined by bystanders in the station, who were actually a male choir and began to sing in harmony with her.
On Sunday’s episode of The Piano, Nerys reduced the judges to tears with her performance of ‘Anfoanf Angel’ meaning ‘I’ll Send an Angel’
She played the emotional tune for her father, 90, who has Alzheimer’s disease – but he managed to remember the words
And Mika was brought to tears as her father, who was watching on in the station, could be seen mouthing the words to the song.
Before she began playing, Nerys told Claudia: ”He might not be able to remember everything but music is there always.
‘Music is the connection, sometimes you might forget other things but you always have that connection with singing’
‘So me and Dad used to sing this song together and it’s a special song and it makes him feel good. He will cry.’
As Nerys continued to play, Mika could be seen with tears in his eyes, as he exclaimed: ‘I’ve got goosebumps.’
Overcome with emotion, he even rushed out to give Nerys a hug at the end of the performance, calling her performance ‘absolute magic’, while Nerys said she was ‘speechless’ by the reaction from the Grace Kelly singer.
Cardiff Central is the smallest station the group have been to yet in their hunt for the UK’s best amateur piano players, and it gave a much more intimate feel to the performances.
Elsewhere in Sunday night’s episode, Claudia, Mika and Lang Lang were surprised by triplets and a man on a piano bike singing about conkers.
Nerys features in the second episode of the series, which takes place in Cardiff Central Station
Her angelic voice was soon joined by bystanders in the station, who turned out to be a male choir
Judges Mika and Lang Lang were moved to tears by the performance and said it gave them ‘goosebumps’
Nerys said she had sung the song with her father when she was younger, and it’s a way for them to still connect amid his Alzheimer’s
They heard from Gavin, 54, from Cardiff, who owns a snack bar on Caerphilly mountain; Katie MacGregor who played a Manic Street Preachers song; and Anton from Bristol, who is only 10 years old.
You can find out which pianist will reach the final concert held in Aviva Studios in Manchester on Sunday night’s episode.
Last week viewers witnessed another emotional performance from a man with dementia in Manchester Piccadilly station.
Duncan, 80, was seen with his wife Fran, with the couple having been married for 42 years.
He started playing the piano when he was just four years old but he was diagnosed with dementia six years ago.
Contestant Duncan told how he is still able to play but the couple spoke of how life has changed for both him and Fran since his diagnosis.
Fran said: ‘There is a vulnerability there now that wasn’t there before and there is an awful lot more that I need to do… the future is unknown.
‘Duncan is everything to me, I would have him in any situation rather than not have him.’
Judges Mika and Lang Lang return with host Claudia Winkleman for a new episode on Sunday night at 9pm
The series sees talented pianists compete in train stations up and down the country for a chance to perform at Manchester’s Aviva Studios
Duncan took to the piano at the station to play a song dedicated to his wife, named Theme for Fran.
He said: ‘It just gives me such total feeling about the girl I found and the girl I married, the girl I love and always will.’
After Duncan’s performance, presenter Claudia told Mika and Lang Lang: ‘He is going to the concert, it is not a debate.
‘It is important to have somebody like that and the fact he can speak through the piano.’
Last year viewers of Channel 4’s The Piano were left captivated by the victorious performance on the show’s debut from then-13-year-old blind and autistic girl, Lucy Illingworth.
Claudia Winkleman hears from pianists in Wales for this episode, as Nerys performed a Welsh song
The teenager from Halifax in West Yorkshire moved viewers to tears with an awe-inspiring recital of Debussy’s Arabesque, leading judges Lang Land and Mika to call her a ‘genius’.
One year on and the moment was nominated for a BAFTA, in a category with scenes from Doctor Who, Succession and Happy Valley.
Also since her amazing performance on the Channel 4 talent show, Lucy has performed to a packed Royal Albert Hall, and left the King and Queen speechless as King Charles III’s Coronation concert.
The Piano on Channel 4, stream or watch live Sunday at 9pm. Catch up here.
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