I started thinking of ways to busy the sidewalks and parks in the downtown area and realized a way to spark some interest would be through music, a piano! I have visited New York, Boston and other cities and have seen the pianos randomly placed in parks and on sidewalks. A public piano invites others to play along and gives way to song and laughter, accidental bonding and new friends. This project is important for the City because it helps build community. The piano creates a space for spontaneous interaction between people. The idea of taking an instrument that's most commonly associated with living rooms and big concert halls and putting it outside sort of captivates the imagination.
The point is simple: Bring communities together through random acts of public music. The piano is the musical instrument that any person of any age and any ability can walk up to and put their fingers on and make a beautiful sound. It’s quite amazing how they transform the area and indeed, introduce strangers to each other and spread the joy of real and spontaneous music. The pianos were donated by Wal*Mart Manager, Mickey Gilmore. Mickey donated his mother’s piano and Partners For Pets donated the other one. The Artist Guild of Northwest Florida has done a beautiful job painting the piano. One is almost complete and will be placed at Madison Street Park on the stage in the next few weeks.
