Romanian-born pianist Zoltán Thurzó sets new world record by playing at the highest altitude paved road in the world

Oradea-born pianist Zoltán Thurzó, a double Guinness World Record holder, set a new world record on Wednesday, June 12, by playing the piano at the highest altitude paved road in the world, the Umling La Pass in India, Ladakh region, at an altitude of 5,798.51 meters.

He therefore broke his own altitude record, previously set on Everest at 5,325.77 meters.

“On June 12, 2024, in the Himalayas of India, I played nine classical piano pieces. I spent a total of 31 minutes and 40 seconds playing the piano at the top of the highest paved road in the world, Umling La Pass. After that, I played four anthems: Hungarian, Szekler, Romanian, and Indian,” the pianist posted on his Facebook page.

While he was playing the piano, the temperature ranged between 0 and minus 5 degrees Celsius, but due to the strong wind, the real feel temperature was much more severe, around -10 degrees, or even -13 degrees Celsius, according to Agerpres.

After returning home, Thurzó will take all the steps necessary for the recognition of the new Guinness World Record.

“If everything goes well, I will soon officially hold three Guinness World Records in two categories. This project was a different and more dangerous challenge than playing the piano on Mount Everest. Without the experience gained there, the current project would have been impossible,” he said.

Zoltán Thurzó’s previous records include the highest altitude concert on Mount Everest and the world's longest marathon concert, lasting 130 hours.

The goal of his global efforts is to establish a Music Museum in his hometown, Oradea, considering that his family, musicians for three generations, holds a significant musical heritage. The pianist hopes that through these Guinness achievements, he will draw the world's attention to realize his dream.

“I would like to travel to many places to play the piano and with the funds raised there, help the 'Music Museum' Foundation […] to buy the building for EUR 500,000,” the pianist said.

(Photo source: Thurzó Zoltán - concert pianist, zongoraművész on Facebook)