Stone street was already filling up with people getting off of work. I sat down to play and played a few keys to get a feel for the piano and thought about the songs I thought people would want to hear.

Right as I am going for the first note, a woman, who was sitting speaking with a man on the other side of the piano, stood up and walked over.

“Do you work here? Are they paying you to play?” she said.

Expecting a friendly conversation I smiled and said, “No, I’m just here to play”

She replied sternly, “Well, could you stop, we are having an important business conversation.” She forced a smile.

Disheartened, I realized where I was, quietly got up and left.

I met my neighbor and her cute 2-year-old there yesterday, and we played our best renditions of ‘chopsticks’ and ‘heart and soul’, and then we attempted to sight-read a few of the very multicultural songs provided at the piano… We paid homage to Mozart, we made plans to reconvene at the piano for more music soon, and we went on our merry way.

Today: I went for my noon sunshine walk. A cute elementary-school-aged girl and her mother were at the piano, getting ready to play their rendition of ‘Lean On Me.’ I encouraged this, singing along with my most soulful sound. When they were through, I plopped down and warmed up my fingers with a couple of rusty scales, which, though rusty, still drew a friendly audience. So I dived into “O Solo Mio” at the encouragement of my new tennis playing friend Nosario. We were joined by Rafael, who lent vocals, and soon by a wonderful woman and her 2-year-old charge. After Rafael, an unidentified man with soul (talk about Guantanamera renditions!) and Nosario (Julio Iglesias tunes… wow, who knew there was so much talent around) had given us some tunes, 2-year-old curly boy gave what might have been his first public performance of an original composition and received thunderous applause.

The group made plans to reconvene for more music on Saturday at noon, with volunteers to bring food and strategies for interacting with the adjacent Saturday farmer’s market popping out of the woodwork. A community triumph.

As for the choice of music, it is sacred ground so something dignified on the Sunday afternoon I went to visit. “We shall overcome” indeed.

The End! =P

Visited the piano on Tuesday to dodge the downpour. Sounded good played some 60s stuff, a little Rameau. The only small regret is nor knowing any merengue as that was request from the audience.
Need to find some old school Fania all-star salsa sheet music.
Clever idea for leaving chalk around to color the stand and soundboard!
Mi gente!

I showed Vika how to play chopsticks. Marcia and I played Moszkowki’s “Spanish Dances,” followed by some music from Manfred Schmitz’ “Jazz Parnass.” As it turned out, Vika, who grew up in St.Petersburg Russia, knew all the melodies – her teacher Ljuba Boruchson had taught them at Childrens’ Music School. “ Heaven knows where she got them, and how she got away with it,” Vika said. Jazz hadn’t been exactly favored by the Soviet regime.

Two young people who had been standing off to the side with a large camera came up to us and introduced themselves. They were following the Street Piano event with their recording equipment in order to produce a feature for Japanese Television. Would we be willing to give an interview? What did we think of the event?

I wished we could have the pianos around all year. Wouldn’t it be great to have “Public Music Rooms”, a musical equivalent to the “Bryant Park Reading Room,” where you can sit down and pick up a book from the shelf.

A “Public Music Room” would give you a chance to just go and play a little, or sit there and listen, while you wait at the airport, at the hospital, during lunch break at work, when you need to relax or blow off steam after some unpleasant event at the office. Libraries provide public access to computers – how about public access to pianos?

Of course, there is music playing from loudspeakers everywhere, but playing yourself, or listening to someone play live music is not the same. The energy is different, it’s a “soul-to-soul” connection.

While Marcia and I were playing, we hadn’t noticed two people who had been standing off to the side for some time. “I think they might want to play something,” said my friend Carsta, who had been taking pictures.

She was right. After we invited them to the piano, they delighted everybody with the most beautiful Chinese songs. The evening ended on an international note, with an impromptu vocal ensemble, consisting of people from the US, Russia, China and Germany singing Russian folk songs.

When I accidentally found the information on the internet, I couldn’t believe it at first: The street pianos are back! 88 of them, all over New York City, between June 18 and July 2nd 2011. And here’s some additional good news: the one at Alice Tully Hall has grown from an upright last year to a grand piano this year. The decor is gorgeous, and the artist has refrained from coloring the keyboard – thank you so much for that! Unfortunately you can’t put up the music stand, so you need to bring your own, or tape the music to the lid.

Another grand piano is located inside the Rubenstein Atrium on 62nd and Broadway, if you prefer a quieter, more concert like atmosphere – in fact, I’m planning to play Preludes and Fugues from Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier there tomorrow from 6:00 to 6:30 pm.

Last Wednesday, some friends and I gathered at the Alice Tully Hall piano for a little impromptu birthday concert. Having a birthday at the beginning of summer is no guarantee for good weather. Fortunately the overhang from the building kept us dry during a heavy downpour just as people were arriving.

I showed Vika how to play chopsticks. Marcia and I played Moszkowki’s “Spanish Dances,” followed by some music from Manfred Schmitz’ “Jazz Parnass.” As it turned out, Vika, who grew up in St.Petersburg Russia, knew all the melodies – her teacher Ljuba Boruchson had taught them at Childrens’ Music School. “ Heaven knows where she got them, and how she got away with it,” Vika said. Jazz hadn’t been exactly favored by the Soviet regime.

Two young people who had been standing off to the side with a large camera came up to us and introduced themselves. They were following the Street Piano event with their recording equipment in order to produce a feature for Japanese Television. Would we be willing to give an interview? What did we think of the event?

I wished we could have the pianos around all year. Wouldn’t it be great to have “Public Music Rooms”, a musical equivalent to the “Bryant Park Reading Room,” where you can sit down and pick up a book from the shelf.

A “Public Music Room” would give you a chance to just go and play a little, or sit there and listen, while you wait at the airport, at the hospital, during lunch break at work, when you need to relax or blow off steam after some unpleasant event at the office. Libraries provide public access to computers – how about public access to pianos?

Of course, there is music playing from loudspeakers everywhere, but playing yourself, or listening to someone play live music is not the same. The energy is different, it’s a “soul-to-soul” connection.

While Marcia and I were playing, we hadn’t noticed two people who had been standing off to the side for some time. “I think they might want to play something,” said my friend Carsta, who had been taking pictures.

She was right. After we invited them to the piano, they delighted everybody with the most beautiful Chinese songs. The evening ended on an international note, with an impromptu vocal ensemble, consisting of people from the US, Russia, China and Germany singing Russian folk songs.

(Unfortunately, the photos from this memorable evening won’t upload on the “Sing for Hope” website. You can check them out on my blog, Music, Life and other challenges : http://musiclifeandotherchallenges.blogspot.com )

Come one come all!

Been playing music for several years now, but only started playing piano a few weeks ago (bought a Rhodes).. Had a great time jamming out on some “Mercy Mercy Mercy”, and attracted a little crowd.. Then some Beck: “Where it’s at” and had 2 passerbys stop to help out with the singing.. (the beauty of internet enabled phones to pull lyrics) just a beautiful spontaneous music moment in NYC.. And turned this guy on to Beck.. So Beck if you’re reading, give me a dollar.

thanks for spreading the music and art!
My favorite art exhibit of all time ever!

-mike

(Meserole and Waterbury)

In partnership with
SING FOR HOPE

Presents

FREE Community Music series dedicated to Conductor and Founder of All City Chorus and Concert Choir, Dr. John Motley

Where: St. Nicholas Park, 135th Street on St. Nicholas Avenue, NY

Featuring the Jewels of West Harlem:

Felipe Hall (Concert pianist, composer, and historian) – June 18th and 20th.
Time: 1:00pm -2:00pm
Theme: Adventures of the Piano – History of piano, sing-along, and play-along.

Harlem School of the Arts – June 21st
Time: 1:00- 1:30pm

Emme Kemp (Broadway Composer Bubbling Brown Sugar) – Saturday, June 25th
and July 2nd. Time: 1:00pm-2:00pm.
Theme: Celebrating Life in Song

Tanyard Musical Ambassadors Young People’s Chorus- Fridays, June 24th and July 1st
Time: 6:00pm – 6:30pm
Theme: Young People’s Choral Music to make you sing and shout
Hamilton Grange Library will be on site on July 1st .

Joyce Adewumi and the New York African Chorus Ensemble Inc
Sundays June 19th and 26th Time: 5:00pm -6:30pm
Theme: African Choral Songs and stories to connect you with the homeland.

For more information contact Joyce at joyce@nyafricanensemble.com,
or call 212-862-4858.
Website: http://www.nyafricanensemble.com

Piano design by is Jen Mazer who named the piano ‘Ndebele’ after the Ndebele ethnic group in South Africa who inspired the art work. Photo by Michael Palma.

For directions to Pier 1, see our website:
http://www.brooklynbridgeparknyc.org/visit/directions