The strains of anything from Mary Had a Little Lamb to Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata could be drifting across New Westminster’s waterfront this summer thanks to a street-piano project launched this month.
A public piano has been set up outside the River Market for anyone to play. Inspired by similar programs in Vancouver, Montreal, Toronto and New York, Pianos on the Street is a summer project that places free, playable pianos in various open-air locations throughout the Metro Vancouver area. Organized by the Piano Teachers Federation, the program is aimed at building bridges throughout the community.
Federation founder Sean Pacey hopes it will ignite or re-ignite people’s appreciation of the piano.
“Basically this is an opportunity for the general public, and also for our teachers to gain exposure,” he said.
Owner of Pacey’s Pianos in Vancouver, Pacey donated the instrument – a small, brown upright – and has partnered with the Community Living Society to add a little colour to it.
The society supports adults with developmental disabilities, and clients Mark Pacey (Pacey’s uncle) and Leslie Fehr were enlisted to help paint New West’s new outdoor piano.
“We feel this is a wonderful opportunity to collaborate and to offer our support to such a great organization as well as to connect members of the CLS through a shared love of music,” Pacey said.
The piano will be at the Quay for the rest of the summer. Those who want to go beyond just tickling the ivories for a while in the open air can also enter a video contest with cash prizes of up to $400 and a chance to play with the North Shore Symphony.
Upload a video of yourself playing the piano to www.supportpiano.com.
