Nasa was chosen as the celeste player because he was a capable sight reader, stepping in to handle the bell-piano role without prior rehearsal.

During the second half, Nasa faced an unfamiliar celeste keyboard and still delivered, even improvising a synth solo in John Legend’s Start a Fire when a tricky part arose.

The moment was driven by a leap of faith rather than reliance on rehearsal, and Nasa described it as a memorable, confidence-boosting decision.

The incident occurred on a Saturday night, creating an impromptu mid-concert highlight that captivated the audience.

Hurwitz urged capable audience members to sight-read and join the orchestra, with about 2,000 concertgoers in attendance.

Hurwitz lauded Nasa’s skill in sight-reading and improvisation, calling it a remarkable example of talent rising to a high-pressure moment.

Post-show reflections from Hurwitz led to plans to rehearse new keyboardists for upcoming tour legs in Melbourne and Brisbane, while Nasa returns to his studies.

Nasa emphasized the audience’s experience and the importance of delivering a quality performance under unexpected circumstances.

The night culminated in a standing ovation from the audience, the orchestra, and Hurwitz, marking a memorable opening performance of the tour.

A last-minute moment at La La Land in Concert in Sydney saw Hurwitz invite capable audience members to join on stage, and amid the interval a 21-year-old volunteer, Sterling Nasa, stepped in to play the celeste after the lead keyboardist fell ill.

Nasa, a University of Sydney student studying politics and international relations who also teaches bagpipes and plays piano and organ, volunteered from the audience to perform as a last-minute pianist, marking a remarkable onstage improvisation.

The performance proceeded with strong audience support as Nasa navigated a challenging score, with Hurwitz praising his sight-reading and improvisation under pressure.