--- title: Danish Orchestra performs after eating world's hottest chili peppers description: Danish National Chamber Orchestra performs after eating some of the world's hottest chili peppers. canonical: https://time.com/3555296/danish-national-orchestra-chili-peppers/ author: Eliza Berman article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2014-11-03T23:12:53.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-04-13T07:14:19.339Z og:title: Danish Orchestra performs after eating world's hottest chili peppers og:description: Danish National Chamber Orchestra performs after eating some of the world's hottest chili peppers. og:url: https://time.com/3555296/danish-national-orchestra-chili-peppers/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt0a3fa8c8cd82ff3d/698763f5a988ca2d1a6aa2c0/screen-shot-2014-11-03-at-6-12-01-pm.png?branch=production&width=724&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 724 og:image:height: 407 og:image:alt: Screen Shot 2014-11-03 at 6.12.01 PM og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Danish Orchestra performs after eating world's hottest chili peppers twitter:description: Danish National Chamber Orchestra performs after eating some of the world's hottest chili peppers. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt0a3fa8c8cd82ff3d/698763f5a988ca2d1a6aa2c0/screen-shot-2014-11-03-at-6-12-01-pm.png?branch=production&width=724&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Watch the Danish National Chamber Orchestra Perform After Eating World’s Hottest Chili Peppers > Sponsored content. 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Nov 3, 2014 11:12 PM UTC  YouTube  by [Eliza Berman](https://time.com/author/eliza-berman/)  ## Eliza Berman Berman is a senior editor at TIME. Nov 3, 2014 11:12 PM UTC How do you get your orchestra to perform a more rousing rendition of Tango Jalousie? Force them to eat some of the world’s hottest chili peppers before placing lips to bassoon and bow to cello. In what appears to be either a playful marketing gag or the most sadistic tactics ever used by a conductor, the Danish National Chamber Orchestra attempted to hold it together while performing under the influence of chili peppers. Led by conductor Claus “Chili” Pilgaard and concertmaster Erik Heide, the orchestra began the piece on empty stomachs and then, partway through, popped the peppers as if on cue. The next several minutes have them grimacing, crying, and steadily reddening until the final note, at which point they place their expensive instruments carefully on the floor and flee the stage. To the musicians’ credit, the execution sounded flawless, at least to an untrained ear. 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