A Vancouver dog who begs his owners to play him live music by pawing the piano keys got the experience of a lifetime recently after he was invited to watch the Vancouver Metropolitan Orchestra.
Billy the rescue mix donned a dapper shirt collar and lay on his dog bed during the VMO’s rehearsal.
“He was honoured to be invited to listen to the Vancouver Metropolitan Orchestra’s first rehearsal for their upcoming concert. Billy had an amazing time, and his musical expectations are higher than ever now,” his owners wrote on TikTok.
@billy.the.talking.puppy Billy’s 1st time hearing a live orchestra!! 🤩🎶 He was honoured to be invited to listen to the Vancouver Metropolitan Orchestra’s first rehearsal for their upcoming concert. Billy had an amazing time, and his musical expectations are higher than ever now! In this clip, they’re rehearsing the first movement of Schumann’s Symphony No. 4 in D minor. If you’re in Vancouver BC, check out VMO’s upcoming concert: Friday September 6th at 7:30pm, Orpheum Theatre! Billy highly recommends it! 🎻 #vmocanada #ilovevmo #classicalmusic #spoileddog #musicaldog #rescuedog #orchestra ♬ original sound – Billy
Billy loves listening to live music, and his owners have shared videos of their dog using speech buttons to ask for music and tapping the home’s piano pedals in an effort to get his parents to play for him.
“Billy would not stop crying until we played (more) music for him,” the couple wrote in one TikTok caption.
@billy.the.talking.puppy Billy would not stop crying until we played (more) music for him!! #spoileddog #classicalmusic #rescuedog ♬ original sound – Billy
In one video, the couple shares how they called in reinforcements to keep their pooch entertained — a professional violinist and string quartet visiting their home.
@billy.the.talking.puppy Due to Billy’s constant requests for live music, we were forced to call in reinforcements to keep him entertained. We invited our dear friend, @estiehwang to play violin for him and he LOVED it! 🤩🥰 (as did we!!) I guess we’ll have to start a private recital series for Billy. Esther is playing an excerpt of Meditation from Thais by Massenet. #spoileddog #classicalmusic #violin #fluentpet #rescuedog ♬ original sound – Billy
Billy’s love for live classical music has sparked joy among his followers, and some speculate that he may have been a musician in a past life.
Daily Hive has reached out to his owners and the VMO for comment. The orchestra is a non-profit society founded in 2003 by maestro Kenneth Hsieh. It performs at venues around Vancouver including the Chan Centre and the Orpheum.