Pianist who performed Imagine after Paris terror attacks visits Liverpool

The pianist who played John Lennon’s Imagine outside the Bataclan theatre following the Paris terror attacks has visited Liverpool.

Davide Martello made the 400-mile trip to Paris from a pub in Germany after watching the terrorist explosions began at the Stade de France during an international football friendly. The performer put his piano on a trailer and drove all night before towing his instrument through the Paris streets to the venue where at least 89 people were killed when terrorists opened fire in the crowd. His performance of Imagine outside the Bataclan went global.

Martello, who also performs under the name Klavierkunst, last week came to Merseyside while filming a documentary about his life. And he popped into The Beatles Story at the Albert Dock to perform at the John Lennon peace memorial.

While at the waterfront, he said: “ John Lennon’s music means a lot to me. He didn’t do it because he had to, he did it because he wanted to. “He was a true pacifist and music was his gift to people. He’s the one of the most important people to me”. Speaking about his performance outside the Bataclan, Martello said: “Imagine was always the first choice for me to perform. “It resonates with me because the words are what people need. I didn’t know how much impact the performance in Paris would have. “I just had a voice behind me saying do it. “It’s a very important thing to send a message of peace through music and today I’m standing here next to a piece of history and I am very proud to be here. “The piano is incredible, it looks very fantastic to me.”

By: Luke Traynor

Source: Liverpool Echo

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