Richardson — Aleksey Igudesman and Hyung-ki Joo are a piano and violin duo. That simple statement is deceptive. Actually, they are two outrageous clowns whose material is based on the format of a classical music pseudo-recital. They appeared at to the Eisemann Center for the Performing Arts' Hill Performance Hall in Richardson on Saturday, Jan. 28, performing their current show "A Little Nightmare Music."
Joo, at then piano, is the bossy one of the partnership while Igudesman and his violin are ordered this way and that. In one very funny bit, Joo works at positioning the violinist properly. He asks him take one-step to the left and then to the right then back to the left, and so on. Finally, even the hapless Igudesman realizes that he is being spoofed. He gets his own back in the second act when he suddenly finds himself in charge. He pulls the same "one step to the left" routine with gleeful relish.
Musically, both are fine players. They each have a command of their instruments and a major concert career-worthy technique. Still, they even toy with their abilities. Joo is able to play the piano while laying on the ground and Igudesman can run a scale right off the fingerboard into stratospheric notes that don't really exist except in theory. This is no surprise given their primo musical training. They met when they were 12 years old as students at the distinguished Yehudi Menuhin Conservatory, named for the world-famous violinist. You can only imagine the havoc these two wrecked on that august institution while they were there.
Their routines are all based on trying to play some Mozart, which they never seem to get around to playing. Even when they do, Joo finds fault with what downtrodden Igudesman is playing and barks out orders for corrections. The results are very funny indeed. You can find most of what they presented at the concert on YouTube, and pursuing their videos is a delightful way to spend an afternoon. Live, what they did was much the same, but the added infectious laughter of the audience adds greatly to the experience.
Joo got a chance to play something serious. In one totally slapstick bit, Joo pretended that the piano keyword cover had amputated his right hand. He then proceeded to play Scriabin's Nocturne for the left hand. This beautiful piece makes some considerable demands on the left hand of the pianist. He played it beautifully. Unfortunately, Igudesman never got his serious moment in the sun. Hearing him knock out a flashy piece, like something from the many Paganini Caprices, would have been most welcome. As it was, most nonmusicians thought that Joo was the better player. I suspect that Igudesman may have the edge (but not by much).
If their goal is to bring new audiences into classical music, they certainly succeeded. As to how many will return to a symphony concert or a serious recital is open to question. A little more serious music-making in-between the pratfally Burly-Q comedy would be a welcome relief and might help them further their cause. But they certainly packed the hall and the audience loved every antic. No one slipped on a banana peal, but that was about the only clown bit that they didn't serve up with a little classical gravy and a sprig of parsley. The audience went wild at the end and they proceeded to play three encores, two too many for my taste, all of which are multi-million hit YouTube moments.
They are developing a new show and that is good news. Although I had never seen them in person, there was not much in the show that I had not experienced online. It was a strange feeling to be familiar with a show you had never seen. The jokes were worn before I heard them. Besides, a little of I&J Schick goes a long way. The show was beginning to tire when they ended. A great comic always knows when to leave the stage. Too bad about the multiple encores. 
