Pianist nears world record in TT

Brunner sat in a corner of the Carnival Bar at Trinidad Hilton where a video camera was capturing his every move. Several people were in the lounge giving the Hungarian-born pianist moral support, among them Trinidad Hilton’s manager Ali Khan.

This is the third time Brunner is going after the world record which he set two years ago in October 2004. Back then he played for 58 hours 26 minutes, a record he held until 2005 when Tim Buie of the USA played for 61 hours.

Since then both men have been keeping in touch with each other. Brunner went after the record again in 2003 and moved past Buie by two hours, playing for 63 hours.

In July of this year Buie ran past Brunner’s 63 hours by 11 minutes taking the record once again. At press time yesterday the TT-based musician was just hours away from taking the record once more. Brunner’s Trinidadian wife Verlier said he has been holding out well, apart from some cramps in his legs and very painful fingers.

To achieve the world record, Brunner had to adhere to more than ten pages of rules from the Guinness World Record organisation. For example, each song must not be longer than two minutes and there should only be a 30-second break between each song. Because of the length of time it will take to break the record, officials could not be present so Brunner had to have four prominent people drop in on him to see what’s taking place. One of these people was Minister of Culture Joan Yullie-Williams who supported Brunner by giving him a “special” chair to use.

Verlier said on Friday night the lounge was full of supporters and well wishers who not only took in Brunner’s playing but made a lime of the occasion.

The last time Brunner broke the record for the longest playing at a piano, he was on a cruise ship.