Pianist Tony Ann’s pop-leaning, neoclassical style is winning over Toronto’s sports teams.Adit Dixit/The Canadian Press
The Toronto Raptors are back in the playoffs, and their hype videos are doing things a little differently this time.
There’s no thumping bass or blaring beats in the promotional reels on social media. Instead, a more emotional, piano-driven score accompanies Scottie Barnes and RJ Barrett dunking and hitting fadeaways.
The man behind that sound is Toronto composer Tony Ann, whose pop-leaning neoclassical style is quickly winning over the city’s sports teams.
“I tell so many people my biggest inspirations and heroes are athletes. I grew up watching Vince Carter with the Raptors and Michael Jordan with the Wizards — I know that wasn’t his prime anymore, but it was still pretty cool,” says the 32-year-old, speaking from Antwerp, Belgium.
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He’s midway through a European tour that’s taken him from small towns in Switzerland to ornate concert halls in London.
“You can really see the diligence, the hard work, the dedication, motivation — you know, all the training that they need to endure. I take that into my practice and the way I try to carry out my career.”
The Beijing-born, Toronto-bred pianist was also tapped by the Toronto Blue Jays for a pump-up video during their post-season run last fall — a clip that opens with him playing the familiar “Charge!” theme at the Rogers Centre before drifting into something more intricate and meditative.
He’s not just scoring the moment — he stars in the videos as well. The Raptors’ hype reels show Ann in a jersey at centre court in Scotiabank Arena, hammering out his dramatic track “Rush of Life” on the keys.
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“I got to shoot some free throws. I missed all of them, but it was really cool,” Ann chuckles. “It really was a bucket list thing for me.”
He says the collaborations grew out of a conversation with his label Universal Music Canada about his passion for sports. That led first to a partnership with Paris Saint-Germain Football Club in 2023, with a video where he showcased his piano chops at Parc des Princes stadium.
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Raptors parent company Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment says it partnered with Ann to help excite fans “no matter their language, their age or their culture.”
“We also saw a synergy between Tony’s story of determination and hard work to perfect his craft and the dedication and passion the Raptors continue to commit to this post-season,” says Sherry Jean, the company’s senior manager of digital content strategy.
His massive online presence may have been a factor, too — he boasts more than three million Instagram followers. Ann broke out in 2017 after a video cover of a Chainsmokers song caught the EDM duo’s attention and earned him a spot in their touring band. Since then, he’s built an international following via a modernized take on classical music and an instinctive feel for what lands online.
“I would never categorize my music in the same world as 1800s artists like Beethoven and Chopin. That’s true classical music. I’m really closer to the world of pop music,” he says.
“The harmonies are very simple. The melodies are a bit easier to understand and digest. I’m not really trying to impress musicians by throwing a bunch of chords in my music just to sound smart.”
He notes his more accessible approach appeals to a younger crowd: “When I look out at the stands, I see a lot of kids or people my age.”
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Being fluent in social media also helps.
Ann’s #playthatword series routinely goes viral on TikTok and Instagram, with the pianist improvising original melodies based on words suggested by fans. Next week, the Raptors will release a video featuring him taking on the challenge with the word “Raptors.”
He says the team gave him some guidelines for the piece: “They wanted it to be energetic, exciting, something that was optimistic, something that sounded hopeful.”
What Ann ended up creating, he adds, is “something fast-tempo, uplifting and kind of like EDM.”
“Raptors basketball has a lot of high-paced intensity …. I just wanted to create something that matched with the ambience. I didn’t want to create something that felt like a breakup ballad.”
Ann had a conscious uncoupling of his own a few years ago — after years of living in Los Angeles pursuing music, he decided to move back to Toronto.
“I missed the seasons,” he says.
“Toronto’s always going to be a very special place for me. When I see a Canadian flag there’s definitely some feelings of emotions, because this is my home.”
As for his feelings on the Raptors’ matchup versus the Cavaliers?
“Raptors in six,” he says.