‘They started singing along': Vancouver musician plays the melodica for elephants in Vietnam

CTV News

16-06-2025

Vancouver concert pianist and composer Martin Mayer has plenty of fans around the world, especially in China, where he's known as 'Canada's Prince of Piano.'
He's performed for sold-out crowds on several multi-city tours of the country and says he's been mobbed for autographs, followed by paparazzi, and was even woken up at 3 a.m. by a fan knocking on his hotel room door.
And now Mayer has two new devotees in Vietnam—who happen to be elephants.
The musician visited Vinpearl Safari in Phu Quoc on a recent vacation, and because you can't fit a grand piano in your pocket, he brought a melodica—a handheld keyboard you play by blowing into a mouthpiece.
While feeding the elephants at the zoo, Mayer's partner suggested playing them a song. He went with the recognizable 'Perfect' by Ed Sheeran.
'These two elephants basically stopped what they were doing, stopped taking food from the other people, walked up and started listening,' he told CTV News.
They flapped their ears, put their trunks together, and 'started singing along.'
'I've played for thousands of people in concert and millions of people on TV and the whole notion of playing for two elephants in the sanctuary—I can't think of any way to top that,' he said.
Mayer was at a loss for words after the encounter and later ran back to see the elephants again. He whistled at them and the animals turned around to give him a final look.
'I remember feeling this innate sense this is beyond human-to-human, this is human-to-animal, and I'm able to communicate with these two in a way that is beyond language or anything like that,' he said. 'It's the best feeling to be able to provide joy and possibly the first music that they've ever heard.'
Mayer is now considering continuing his new gig as an animal entertainer, floating the idea of performing at the Greater Vancouver Zoo, Vancouver Aquarium, or even bringing the melodica on a boat to play for the harbour seals and orcas.
'Human beings shouldn't be the only ones that get a chance to experience music,' he said.
With files from CTV News Vancouver's Spencer Harwood