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He has performed as Dr. K, often wearing his signature dark hoodie and shades, or sometimes wearing a workman's uniform, playing incognito in front of often astonished passers-by on [[public piano]]s at railway stations, airports and other open public venues, mostly around London. His impromptu performances, often weaving together classical, boogie-woogie, Irish and popular themes, are captured and uploaded to his Facebook page<ref>{{Cite web |title=Log in or sign up to view |url=https://m.facebook.com/login.php?next=https%3A%2F%2Fm.facebook.com%2Fbadassboogie&refsrc=deprecated&_rdr |access-date=2024-01-23 |website=m.facebook.com |language=en}}</ref> (with 500k followers) and his YouTube channel, where he has over {{#invoke:YouTubeSubscribers|subCountNice}} subscribers,<ref name="YouTubeStats"/> making him as of January 2024, the 1,136th most-subscribed channel.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://socialblade.com/youtube/channel/UClw8Huc_XZcz46GJh5Z0wuA|title=Brendan Kavanagh's YouTube Stats (Summary Profile) - Social Blade Stats|website=socialblade.com|access-date=22 January 2024}}</ref> Interviewed by [[James Whale (radio presenter)|James Whale]] in December 2023<ref name=":0" />{{Primary source inline|date=January 2024}} he claimed to have earnt a seven-figure sum from his channel activities that year.
He has performed as Dr. K, often wearing his signature dark hoodie and shades, or sometimes wearing a workman's uniform, playing incognito in front of often astonished passers-by on [[public piano]]s at railway stations, airports and other open public venues, mostly around London. His impromptu performances, often weaving together classical, boogie-woogie, Irish and popular themes, are captured and uploaded to his Facebook page<ref>{{Cite web |title=Log in or sign up to view |url=https://m.facebook.com/login.php?next=https%3A%2F%2Fm.facebook.com%2Fbadassboogie&refsrc=deprecated&_rdr |access-date=2024-01-23 |website=m.facebook.com |language=en}}</ref> (with 500k followers) and his YouTube channel, where he has over {{#invoke:YouTubeSubscribers|subCountNice}} subscribers,<ref name="YouTubeStats"/> making him as of January 2024, the 1,136th most-subscribed channel.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://socialblade.com/youtube/channel/UClw8Huc_XZcz46GJh5Z0wuA|title=Brendan Kavanagh's YouTube Stats (Summary Profile) - Social Blade Stats|website=socialblade.com|access-date=22 January 2024}}</ref> Interviewed by [[James Whale (radio presenter)|James Whale]] in December 2023<ref name=":0" />{{Primary source inline|date=January 2024}} he claimed to have earnt a seven-figure sum from his channel activities that year.


He broadcasts some of his performances directly, via [[live streaming]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ireland-calling.com/lifestyle/irishmen-piano-duet/|title=Two Irishmen meet by chance and play most amazing piano duet you've ever heard|date=12 August 2019|website=Ireland Calling|language=en-GB|access-date=16 January 2020}}</ref><ref name="cfm1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.classicfm.com/music-news/teen-sound-of-music-edelweiss-youtube-viral/|title=Teen's rendition of The Sound of Music's 'Edelweiss' at London Underground station goes viral|publisher=Classic FM|language=en|access-date=18 January 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.timeout.com/london/blog/a-workman-wowed-commuters-with-his-piano-skills-at-st-pancras-station-041117|title=A 'workman' wowed commuters with his piano skills at St Pancras station|website=Time Out London|date=11 April 2017 |language=en|access-date=19 January 2020}}</ref> One of his [[YouTube]] streams, uploaded in January 2024 achieved over 7.9 million views. It showed Dr. K interacting with [[British Transport Police]] and a group of flag-waving Chinese media at [[St Pancras railway station]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Loh |first=Matthew |title=6 Chinese people demanded that a British pianist remove their faces from his public live stream. The ensuing fight has gone viral. |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/brendan-kavanagh-chinese-youtuber-pianist-demand-live-stream-face-police-2024-1 |access-date=2024-01-23 |website=Business Insider |language=en-US}}</ref> The video was interspersed with Dr. K playing the station piano and heated discussions about privacy and [[image rights]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://stpancras.com/news-events/sir-elton-john-s-piano|title=Sir Elton John's Piano}}</ref><ref name="RFA">{{cite web |last1=Zifei |first1=Chen |last2=Heung Yeung |first2=Lee |title=Chinese flag-wavers call in London cops over YouTuber's livestream |url=https://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/video-livestream-01232024105150.html |website=Radio Free Asia |access-date=23 January 2024}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |title=Police Called To Stop Filming During Piano Livestream |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65iwnI2hjAA |access-date=2024-01-23 |language=en}}</ref> World-wide interest led to Dr. K interviews with mainstream media on the topic of free-speech issues thathad been raised. He was interviewed by [[Piers Morgan]]<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-01-25 |title=VIDEO: Brendan Kavanagh tells Piers Morgan that 'forces are at play' to remove his viral video from YouTube {{!}} TalkTV |url=https://talk.tv/piers-morgan-uncensored/44960/brendan-kavanagh-piers-morgan-viral-video-youtube |access-date=2024-01-26 |website=talk.tv |language=en}}</ref> and also joined journalist [[Mike Graham (journalist)|Mike Graham]]'s show on [[TalkTV (British TV channel)|TalkTV]] on 22 January 2024, to discuss his video clip going viral.<ref>{{Citation |title="We Are Not In Communist China" {{!}} Bizarre Viral Confrontation Of Musician Brendan Kavanagh |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tHIX03ACGY |access-date=2024-01-23 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Piano Man |url=https://twitter.com/Iromg/status/1749529765227249827}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |title=Dr K Vs. The Chinese Communists - Interview On TalkTV |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BIm-vF-YeY |access-date=2024-01-24 |language=en}}</ref>
He broadcasts some of his performances directly, via [[live streaming]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ireland-calling.com/lifestyle/irishmen-piano-duet/|title=Two Irishmen meet by chance and play most amazing piano duet you've ever heard|date=12 August 2019|website=Ireland Calling|language=en-GB|access-date=16 January 2020}}</ref><ref name="cfm1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.classicfm.com/music-news/teen-sound-of-music-edelweiss-youtube-viral/|title=Teen's rendition of The Sound of Music's 'Edelweiss' at London Underground station goes viral|publisher=Classic FM|language=en|access-date=18 January 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.timeout.com/london/blog/a-workman-wowed-commuters-with-his-piano-skills-at-st-pancras-station-041117|title=A 'workman' wowed commuters with his piano skills at St Pancras station|website=Time Out London|date=11 April 2017 |language=en|access-date=19 January 2020}}</ref> One of his [[YouTube]] streams, uploaded in January 2024 achieved over 7.9 million views. It showed Dr. K interacting with [[British Transport Police]] and a group of flag-waving Chinese media at [[St Pancras railway station]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Loh |first=Matthew |title=6 Chinese people demanded that a British pianist remove their faces from his public live stream. The ensuing fight has gone viral. |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/brendan-kavanagh-chinese-youtuber-pianist-demand-live-stream-face-police-2024-1 |access-date=2024-01-23 |website=Business Insider |language=en-US}}</ref> The video was interspersed with Dr. K playing the station piano and heated discussions about privacy and [[image rights]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://stpancras.com/news-events/sir-elton-john-s-piano|title=Sir Elton John's Piano}}</ref><ref name="RFA">{{cite web |last1=Zifei |first1=Chen |last2=Heung Yeung |first2=Lee |title=Chinese flag-wavers call in London cops over YouTuber's livestream |url=https://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/video-livestream-01232024105150.html |website=Radio Free Asia |access-date=23 January 2024}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |title=Police Called To Stop Filming During Piano Livestream |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65iwnI2hjAA |access-date=2024-01-23 |language=en}}</ref> World-wide interest led to Dr. K interviews with mainstream media on the topic of free-speech issues that had been raised. He was interviewed by [[Piers Morgan]]<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-01-25 |title=VIDEO: Brendan Kavanagh tells Piers Morgan that 'forces are at play' to remove his viral video from YouTube {{!}} TalkTV |url=https://talk.tv/piers-morgan-uncensored/44960/brendan-kavanagh-piers-morgan-viral-video-youtube |access-date=2024-01-26 |website=talk.tv |language=en}}</ref> and also joined journalist [[Mike Graham (journalist)|Mike Graham]]'s show on [[TalkTV (British TV channel)|TalkTV]] on 22 January 2024, to discuss his video clip going viral.<ref>{{Citation |title="We Are Not In Communist China" {{!}} Bizarre Viral Confrontation Of Musician Brendan Kavanagh |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tHIX03ACGY |access-date=2024-01-23 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Piano Man |url=https://twitter.com/Iromg/status/1749529765227249827}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |title=Dr K Vs. The Chinese Communists - Interview On TalkTV |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BIm-vF-YeY |access-date=2024-01-24 |language=en}}</ref>


==References==
==References==

Revision as of 02:48, 26 January 2024

Brendan Kavanagh
Kavanagh in 2021
Background information
Also known asDr K
BornOctober 1967 (1967-10) (age 57)
London, England
Genres
Occupations
  • Pianist
  • piano teacher
Instruments
YouTube information
Channel
Years active2012–present
GenreMusic
Subscribers2.49 million Edit this at Wikidata[1]
(February 2024)
Total views1,292 billion[1]
(January 2024)
100,000 subscribers
1,000,000 subscribers

Brendan Kavanagh (born October 1967[2][3]), also known as "Dr K" due to his PhD in English, is a British pianist and piano teacher of Irish descent. He specializes in playing and promoting the boogie-woogie genre, almost exclusively improvised, often combined with classical, jazz, blues, rock & roll, and traditional Irish music themes. He regularly performs in open venues on public pianos, sometimes in duet formats with musically inclined passers-by, friends or family. He also plays the piano accordion, with emphasis on traditional Irish tunes.[4][5]

Education

Kavanagh attended the Roman Catholic St Aloysius' College, in Highgate from 1978 onwards.[6][non-primary source needed] He went on to study and then graduate from Middlesex University with first class single honours BA in English. He then obtained his MA in Anglo-Irish Literature and Drama at University College Dublin, followed by a PhD in English language and literature from University College Cork.[7]

In the late 1980s, Kavanagh studied classical piano with professor Nelly Ben-Or MBE,[8] who helped him complete his Grade 8 theory and practical requirements. He credits his success today as an improvisational classical/boogie-woogie pianist to her support and encouragement of his improvisational style.[9]: 01:28 

Online presence and open public venue performances

In 2007, Kavanagh founded Dr. K Media Limited and changed his focus to online teaching, selling, performing and promoting piano music, with a strong emphasis on the boogie-woogie style. With the advent of smartphones which allow virtually anyone to capture and disseminate musical performances, he began performing in open public venues.[3]

He has performed as Dr. K, often wearing his signature dark hoodie and shades, or sometimes wearing a workman's uniform, playing incognito in front of often astonished passers-by on public pianos at railway stations, airports and other open public venues, mostly around London. His impromptu performances, often weaving together classical, boogie-woogie, Irish and popular themes, are captured and uploaded to his Facebook page[10] (with 500k followers) and his YouTube channel, where he has over 2.49 million subscribers,[1] making him as of January 2024, the 1,136th most-subscribed channel.[11] Interviewed by James Whale in December 2023[6][non-primary source needed] he claimed to have earnt a seven-figure sum from his channel activities that year.

He broadcasts some of his performances directly, via live streaming.[12][5][13] One of his YouTube streams, uploaded in January 2024 achieved over 7.9 million views. It showed Dr. K interacting with British Transport Police and a group of flag-waving Chinese media at St Pancras railway station.[14] The video was interspersed with Dr. K playing the station piano and heated discussions about privacy and image rights.[15][16][17] World-wide interest led to Dr. K interviews with mainstream media on the topic of free-speech issues that had been raised. He was interviewed by Piers Morgan[18] and also joined journalist Mike Graham's show on TalkTV on 22 January 2024, to discuss his video clip going viral.[19][20][21]

References

  1. ^ a b c "About @DrKBoogieWoogie". YouTube.
  2. ^ "Brendan KAVANAGH personal appointments - Find and update company information - GOV.UK". find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
  3. ^ a b Mitchell, Jonathan (7 May 2017). "'Police officer' musician fools Londoners with dazzling piano skills". Evening Standard. Archived from the original on 7 May 2017. Retrieved 16 January 2020. Brendan Kavanagh, 49, from Wealdstone, donned various guises to appear at train stations and iconic landmarks across London to show off his musical prowess.
  4. ^ "The two best piano players on YouTube have joined forces, and yes, it is brilliant". Ireland Calling. 15 October 2019. Retrieved 20 January 2020.
  5. ^ a b "Teen's rendition of The Sound of Music's 'Edelweiss' at London Underground station goes viral". Classic FM. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
  6. ^ a b Dr K Interview on The James Whale Show/TalkTV, retrieved 23 January 2024
  7. ^ "Musician's incredible piano skills make people stop and stare in Cork Airport". Irish Independent. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
  8. ^ Nelly Ben-Or on ITV news 26/1/21 (copyright ITV News) in HD, retrieved 26 January 2024
  9. ^ "Dr K's classical and boogie-woogie mentors (01:28)". YouTube. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  10. ^ "Log in or sign up to view". m.facebook.com. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
  11. ^ "Brendan Kavanagh's YouTube Stats (Summary Profile) - Social Blade Stats". socialblade.com. Retrieved 22 January 2024.
  12. ^ "Two Irishmen meet by chance and play most amazing piano duet you've ever heard". Ireland Calling. 12 August 2019. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
  13. ^ "A 'workman' wowed commuters with his piano skills at St Pancras station". Time Out London. 11 April 2017. Retrieved 19 January 2020.
  14. ^ Loh, Matthew. "6 Chinese people demanded that a British pianist remove their faces from his public live stream. The ensuing fight has gone viral". Business Insider. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
  15. ^ "Sir Elton John's Piano".
  16. ^ Zifei, Chen; Heung Yeung, Lee. "Chinese flag-wavers call in London cops over YouTuber's livestream". Radio Free Asia. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
  17. ^ Police Called To Stop Filming During Piano Livestream, retrieved 23 January 2024
  18. ^ "VIDEO: Brendan Kavanagh tells Piers Morgan that 'forces are at play' to remove his viral video from YouTube | TalkTV". talk.tv. 25 January 2024. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
  19. ^ "We Are Not In Communist China" | Bizarre Viral Confrontation Of Musician Brendan Kavanagh, retrieved 23 January 2024
  20. ^ "Piano Man".
  21. ^ Dr K Vs. The Chinese Communists - Interview On TalkTV, retrieved 24 January 2024
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