Julien Cohen’s Jaw-Dropping 300-Artist Street Show
Strings strike, voices rise, and a street performance suddenly becomes a huge wall of sound beneath the open sky. The surprise is absolutely stunning: Julien Cohen and Violin Phonix bring 300 artists together for five wildly different musical worlds, with the official performance announcement also calling out the children’s choir and ballet.
It begins with Believer, led by Tim, Viola Marie, and Lou Deleuze as children’s choirs, kid dancers, Batucada, Chris and Max on violin, Julien Cohen on piano, and a string orchestra keep adding power. Tchaikovsky arrives with Victoria Dauberville and Forgetmat dancing alongside a wind orchestra and opera singers, then Elsa’s button press opens Carol of the Bells. Music Pulse readers won’t want to miss 13:00, when the opening question of Bohemian Rhapsody sends the finale into the air.
Julien Cohen directs and produces the project with Violin Phonix, the duo of Christopher Cohen and Maxime Morise. Cohen is back at the piano here, while Chris and Max bring their violins into the enormous Believer arrangement.
The piano was provided by Kawai Pianos France and Nebout Hamm, and Kawai’s look at Cohen’s Bohemian Rhapsody flashmob puts the piano at the center of the Queen number. For another huge surprise performance, Julien Cohen’s Paris BTS flashmob is a related video worth watching.
Carol of the Bells brings solo guitar from Guitarolly8, the Petits Chanteurs a la Croix de Bois children’s choir, and the Garde Republicaine wind orchestra. Its bells, voices, and festive chorus turn the street into a full Christmas celebration.
At 09:39, Silence pulls the scale back to Maya Little Pianist at the piano, with Sacha, Calum Sauniere, and Timothee Percussion on percussion. Then Mickey Callisto leads Bohemian Rhapsody, joined by Sone Sings, Coline Sic, second guitarist Axel Thomas, and bassist Pasmanian Devil as the song charges through its familiar confession, operatic confrontation, and final release.
Julien Cohen and Violin Phonix’s 300-artist street performance is one of the most incredible live music videos around, packing Believer, Tchaikovsky, Carol of the Bells, Silence, and Bohemian Rhapsody into one soaring show. The official Bohemian Rhapsody arrangement is also available to stream, check the useful links below.
The show starts with a single vocal line and ends with a crowd roaring after one of rock’s biggest final notes. That jaw-dropping contrast is what makes this performance so unforgettable.
If you would like to see more from Julien Cohen and Violin Phonix, you can follow them on Facebook or subscribe to their YouTube channel.
