Play Me, I’m Yours.
On a recent trip to London, we were greeted by pianos all over. Some whispered silently in a park, some cried under the infamous drizzle but most made us passers-by listen and bear witness in awestruck wonder. From Tchaikovsky to The Beatles to Ten Little Indians, the crisp summer air was filled with music at every turn on the streets. A rare sight it was, for cold Londoners to slow their pace, listen for a while, and cheer for the playing strangers.
We later found out it was a project by Luke Jerram, who installed 30 old, unwanted pianos all over the city, “to get people talking to one another and to claim ownership and activate the public space”.
Street pianos are appearing in cities across the world. Located in skate parks, industrial estates, laundrettes, precincts, bus shelters and train stations, outside pubs and football grounds, the pianos are for any member of the public to enjoy and claim ownership of. Who plays them and how long they remain is up to each community. The pianos act as sculptural, musical, blank canvas’s that become a reflection of the communities they are embedded into. Many pianos are personalised and decorated.
Our friend Msxi had her take on Chopin by the Millennium Bridge.
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