This week’s “Video Find of the Week” features two budding LDS artists, pianist Jason Lyle Black, and violinist Rob Landes in their artistic rendition of Ed Sheeran’s “Photograph.” In this video, Black and Landes showcase their musical prowess as they combine their talents to create a wondrous performance for their viewing and listening audience.
Jason Lyle Black has been blessed with several musical abilities. He was born and raised in Livermore, California and began playing the piano at the age of 8. He studied classical piano with Mary Beth Cheney until he graduated from high school. He also studied piano with Professor Roy Bogas of Holy Names College. Jason has also studied trumpet, being taught by Jay Rizzetto, and he also plays the organ.
Jason is no stranger to the stage and has performed in concerts with well-known artist Jon Schmidt who is now a member of the Piano Guys. He is perhaps best known for his astounding performance on the Ellen Degeneres show in 2010 where he wowed the audience with his ability to play the piano backwards. Since then, he has been entertaining audiences across the nation in various venues to include the Draper City Amphitheater (Draper, UT – 2013, 2014), Oakland Temple Hill Visitor’s Center (Oakland, CA – 2013), Phi Kappa Phi National Convention (St. Louis, MO – 2012), and numerous public and private events. He has shared the stage with other pianists and vocalists such as William Joseph, Nathan Pacheco, and Marshall McDonald. He also has three albums of piano music to his credit: Another Point of View (original compositions and classical remixes, 2009); Midnight Clear (Christmas music, 2011), and Hope of Israel (instrumental religious, 2012).
Rob Landes is an award-winning violinist who is currently based in Salt Lake City, Utah. He gained his musical talents from being a part of a family with immense musical abilities. He started playing the violin at the age of 3 in Orem, Utah, and by the age of 10, he was performing in his first solo recital. He performed in the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, on the Disney Channel with the Disney Young Musicians Symphony Orchestra, and he also founded and performed with a piano trio throughout his teenage years. Rob has been honored to take first place at numerous music competitions, and has performed solo with the Utah Symphony, Utah Valley Symphony, San Diego Chamber Orchestra, BYU Philharmonic, and BYU Chamber Orchestra.
According to his official website:
As a first violinist of the BYU Chamber Orchestra, Rob performed in more than twenty cities throughout central and southern Europe, and as concertmaster of the orchestra, gave a concert to a sold-out audience in New York’s Carnegie Hall. Rob was awarded full scholarships to attend Brigham Young University and Rice University where he earned a Bachelor’s in Music and Master’s in Music, respectively.
Both Black and Landes are extremely gifted artists and are on the track to highly successful music careers.
