Brick Piano Player Still Chasing Dream Of Being Next Liberace

BRICK, NJ — He's versed in Chopin and show tunes, Gershwin and Billy Joel and any manner of musical styles. But Nick Blum's favorite piece of music?

"The Beer Barrel Polka," he says. Blum, a 2016 Brick Memorial High School graduate who is studying music at he University of the Arts in Philadelphia. The sophomore is competing in PBS's Celebration of Music, a talent search hosted by the public broadcasting network. There are six regional competitions, and the winner gets the opportunity to go to Los Angeles and play in the live competition there, while also getting exposure to music producers. The competition is hosted by teen music star Ethan Bortnick, a pianist and composer who headlined his own world tour at age 16.

Blum, who started playing piano at the age of 4, is hoping the competition will launch him to the next level and help him reach his dream.

"I want to be the next Liberace," Blum said. "It’s always been my dream to be a performer and be a well-known celebrity pianist like he was."

Blum, who spoke of his admiration of Liberace when he was competing in the Big Joe Jersey Talent Show two summers ago, said his love of performing hasn't waned.

"It gives me a feeling that cannot be explained," Blum said. "I just love being a showman."

That said, he has broadened his outlook, taking lessons in conducting and getting involved with the pit orchestra.

"Being in the pit orchestra teaches me how to collaborate," said Blum, who performs under the name NGXB, which is his initials, Nicholas George Xavier Blum. He said he loves musical theater, and got a taste of it in high school, both performing onstage and with the orchestra.

"We did 'We Will Rock You' and I was in the ensemble cast," he said, "and I just fell in love with it."

This sumer he will get another taste of it, this time on Broadway, where he is scheduled to shadow the assistant producer on the show "Dear Evan Hansen." His favorite musical is "Jersey Boys," which highlights the music of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons.

"I just love that style of music," he said. And that's one of the things he hopes to do as a performer.

"I want to bring back an appreciation for that," Blum said. His musical tastes run the gamut. Chopin, Billy Joel, Freddy Mercury and Queen. He loves the foundations of classical music, and cites Franz Liszt's Liebestraum No. 3 and Clair de Lune by Claude Debussy as among his favorite pieces of classical music to play, because they challenge him. Also a favorite: Rhapsody in Blue by George Gershwin. "It’s a classical piece but combines jazz," he said of the piece by the American composer.

The PBS competition is based on a public vote. Home videos of the contestants were aired last week and viewers could then look at the contestants' profies and vote by entering their email address. (You can see Blum's profile and vote for him here.)

"There's also a producers' vote," Blum said, where the producers look at the contestants and select the one they like best.

Blum performed Liberace's version of the Beer Barrel Polka. (You can watch it below.)

"It matches my personality," he said. "It’s challenging and it’s my absolutely favorite song." And he's hoping his skills as well as his showmanship will catch the eyes of the public, but more importantly, one of the producers. The regional winners get announced this Sunday, he said. Blum is in the Greater Lehigh/Philadelphia regional competition, and will be in Bethlehem, PA, for the announcement.

"If I win this competition this will be a dream come true," he said.

Photo of Nicholas Blum, by David Byrd, used with permission