Ottawa

Young pianist plays music from video games at Ottawa City Hall

Every weekday at lunch, 14-year-old Lisgar High School student Aiden Prince performs at the grand piano located in the main foyer of Ottawa City Hall. Prince taught himself to play the piano by watching YouTube.

Lisgar student Aiden Prince spends his lunchtime playing the public piano at City Hall

Aiden Prince plays the piano at Ottawa City Hall every weekday at lunchtime

9 years ago
Duration 0:51
The 14 year-old student's repertoire is taken from video game themes

Take a stroll through Ottawa City Hall around lunch time on any weekday and you'll hear Aiden Prince tinkling the ivories on the glossy grand piano in the main foyer by the information desk.

You may have trouble naming that tune unless you're a gamer or have one in the house.  

Prince takes his repertoire from the music of the video games he likes to play — everything from The Legend of Zelda to The Elder Scrolls to Tetris

"I really like the video songs, they are epic, they are amazing and they are fun to play," said Prince, who is a 14-year-old student in the gifted program at Lisgar High School.

Prince taught himself to play by watching YouTube and working out tunes on his family's unused piano.

"Ever since I saw the piano at city hall I thought, oh my god, what a piano, I want to play it," said Prince. "But one day I asked the lady at the desk if I was allowed to play it and when she said yes I hopped on without hesitation."

Aiden's father Michael Prince says the music has helped his once introverted son come out of his shell.