Brendan Kavanagh
Kavanagh in 2021
Background information
Also known asDr K
Born1967 or 1968 (age 55–56)
London, England
Genres
Occupations
  • Pianist
  • piano teacher
Instruments
YouTube information
Channel
Years active2012–present
GenreMusic
Subscribers2,12 million[1]
Total views1,285 billion[1]
Last updated: 20 November 2023

Brendan Kavanagh (born 1967 or 1968[2]), 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 or friends. He also plays the piano accordion, with emphasis on traditional Irish tunes.[3][4]

Education

Kavanagh graduated 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.[5]

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.[2]

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 YouTube channel, where he has over 2.09 million subscribers, making him as of November 2023, the 1,108th most-subscribed channel.[6] He also broadcasts some of his performances directly, via live streaming.[7][4][8]

References

  1. 1 2 "About BrendanKavanaghDrK". YouTube.
  2. 1 2 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.
  3. ↑ "The two best piano players on YouTube have joined forces, and yes, it is brilliant". Ireland Calling. 15 October 2019. Retrieved 20 January 2020.
  4. 1 2 "Teen's rendition of The Sound of Music's 'Edelweiss' at London Underground station goes viral". Classic FM. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
  5. ↑ "Musician's incredible piano skills make people stop and stare in Cork Airport". Irish Independent. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
  6. ↑ "Brendan Kavanagh's YouTube Stats (Summary Profile) - Social Blade Stats". socialblade.com. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
  7. ↑ "Two Irishmen meet by chance and play most amazing piano duet you've ever heard". Ireland Calling. 12 August 2019. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
  8. ↑ "A 'workman' wowed commuters with his piano skills at St Pancras station". Time Out London. 11 April 2017. Retrieved 19 January 2020.
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