An 85-year-old pianist from Watford has gone viral after performances honouring his late wife raked in more than 800,000 views on TikTok.

Alan Melinek threw himself into his love of playing the piano after losing Patricia, his wife of 46 years, to ovarian cancer. 

But his monthly concerts to a group of 30 enthusiasts from the University of the Third Age to raise money for Cancer Research UK came to an abrupt end when COVID-19 struck. 

Fortunately his granddaughter Bella came up with the idea to unleash her incredibly talented grandad on the internet. 

Now Alan, a grandfather of 14 who lives in Watford, has found fame around the world and has become an internet hit with more than 800,000 viewers, 280,000 likes and over 25,000 followers tuning in to “pianograndad” to hear him play. 

Watford Observer: Alan and his late wife Patricia were married for 46 yearsAlan and his late wife Patricia were married for 46 years

Alan has been inundated with so many messages and requests that his entire family are now involved in trying to manage his social media stardom - replying to well-wishers and ensure he gets to perform every request he can. 

While his back catalogue is largely classical, Alan isn’t shy of trying something new - recording boogie woogie, jazz and pop tracks too and willing to try his hand at anything. 

Granddaughter Bella, 22, who learned to duet with her grandad from a young age said she was introduced to TikTok by her younger sister and knew that their grandad would be a hit. 

She said: “He’s got this incredible talent and I knew it would go down well. I am so proud of him.

"I have wanted him to be famous for his piano playing and am so happy to see tens of thousands of people are now enjoying it as much as we do.” 

Watford Observer: Alan on his 85th birthdayAlan on his 85th birthday

As a three-year-old evacuee from London during the Second World War it was then that Alan first fell in love with the piano.  

Evacuated to a village pub where there were big sing-alongs, he dreamed of being able to play himself and on returning home after the War begged his father to let him have lessons.  

From the age of 12, with his lessons stopped, he continued to teach himself and continued to play during his years at University College London, where he was studying dentistry after his parents ordered him to forget his dream of being a concert pianist and follow a more prosperous career path. 

It was at Cy Laurie’s jazz club in Soho, where he often performed, that he met Pat for the first time. 

The couple went on to marry in 1960 and had five children – Andrew, Sarah, Julia, Natalie and Liz - and Alan became a dentist. 

But as they enjoyed retirement Pat was diagnosed in 2005 with ovarian cancer and she died the following year aged 66. 

Talking about their children, Alan explained that “when they were small I would sit them down next to the piano and ask them to tell me what stories they could hear in the music – dragons, fairies, angry monsters, superheros!  

One of my daughters has created a Tom and Jerry mixed with Liszt’s Hungarian Rapsody for Youtube.  

I’d like to think it was these experiences that had them take up music themselves.  

One daughter became a professional opera singer, another is in a band, one organises music festivals and  I still play duets with my granddaughter who has also taught herself to play, like me.” 

Daughter Elizabeth Melinek said: “It’s really brought us all together during lockdown and it’s actually been quite an emotional experience.

"We have learnt so much about dad’s history, his evacuation and how he came to teach himself to become such an extraordinary talent. We have been blown away.”  

“It has given him a new lease of life and has been wonderful seeing his bemusement with new technology. 

“He’s hilarious, a real character who is very unassuming, humble, and a brilliant pianist.” 

Alan said: “Cancer Research UK is a charity very close to my heart and most people have been touched by this awful disease in one way or another.  

I do believe cancer will be defeated one day – it will take time, but it is wonderful to be able to help hurry it along the way.” 

Jenny Makin, spokesperson for Cancer Research UK in Hertfordshire, said: “We have been amazed by Alan’s incredible talent as a pianist and are so glad people all over the world are enjoying it too, while helping Cancer Research UK to continue it’s vital work. 

“The truth is COVID-19 has slowed us down - but we will never stop and we are absolutely determined to continue to create better cancer treatments for tomorrow and are enormously grateful to Alan and his family for their support.”     

People have been able to choose how to tune in and watch Alan play and donate via his website: www.pianograndad.com.