Street pianos

Music has always been a huge part of my life, and many moons ago I was a  pianist, among other things. Performance, for me, can be inside or outside - both have qualities and benefits. Especially, I love stumbling across it in unexpected places, and in different time-scales. So I have followed this particular project with considerable interest, which is the brainchild of an artist based in Bristol called Luke Jerram. His venture is called "Play Me I'm Yours", which started in 2008, where pianos are sited  in public places in cities around the world , and anyone can play on them.

Last summer while on a trip to Preston, I came across this one at Turton Towers near Bolton. Imagine your surprise when you enter a driveway, turn a corner, and come face-to-face with a piano sitting under trees!

All of the pianos are donated, and decorated by artists and the public wherever they are sited. 

This last week, thirty-four pianos have been installed around Adelaide in Australia, next week a similar event occurs in Texas - so if any of you live in Texas, keep your eyes peeled!
They don't just appear like magic, however. For such things to happen, a huge amount of work has gone into it, and it appears evident that in all these cities, communities and groups of people have got together to help. That in itself is an event, and what makes it so worthwhile.

http://www.streetpianos.com/adelaide2011/

http://www.artallianceaustin.org/play-me-i-am-yours.html

The project has a main website, do take a look :

http://www.streetpianos.com/

Apart from  videos I have seen of the whole of Carnaby Street in London gathered round a piano singing "Hey Jude" and gatherings in New York city, under the "Play Me I'm Yours" umbrella,  I think this is one of my favourites- a video of a piano being decorated, under the title of Salisbury's public piano experiment. Short and sweet. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-LmwlgnXmQ

Have a good weekend!