Is there a pianist in the house? Audience member steps up to perform in La La Land in Sydney During a live performance of “La La Land in Concert” in Sydney, the orchestra’s keyboardist fell ill, leading composer Justin Hurwitz to seek a replacement from the audience. Sterling Nasa, a 21-year-old university student, volunteered and successfully performed the score, including improvising a complex synthesizer solo. His unexpected performance was lauded by Hurwitz and the audience, turning a potential disaster into a remarkable moment.

• A 21-year-old university student, Sterling Nasa, improvised a performance on the keyboard during a live concert of “La La Land in Concert” when the original player fell ill.
• Composer Justin Hurwitz sought an audience member with sight-reading skills after the keyboardist became unwell, with Nasa volunteering.
• Nasa successfully played the score, including improvising a challenging synthesizer solo during the “Start a Fire” piece.
• His performance was praised by Hurwitz as remarkable, highlighting his ability to improvise on the spot.
• Nasa, a politics and international studies student, returned to his studies after the impromptu performance.