Things you might see while biking: public pianos

That’s right. This summer, there have been random pianos springing up in various Portland locations with an invitation to “please play me!” There was one right by the Salmon Street fountain for a while, one in Pioneer Square, and this one in front of the Portland Art Museum:

portland public piano

It’s sponsored by the Snowman Foundation (which I only know about because I just looked it up:), an organization that works to create access to music for kids. And even if it’s not kids playing these pianos necessarily (though one girl I heard in Pioneer Square was fricken phenomenal), being able to simply walk around the city and hear free music that people just like you are creating has to be good for everyone, kids included.

It’s a lovely idea. A piano for the masses. And every time I’ve biked past one (or, when I walked home from work, walked past one:), someone’s been playing it. Usually very well.

Public art. I love it.

2 Comments:

  1. hey….someone just sent me the link to your post about the pianos….I run that project …..its actually called Piano! Push Play! and if you want to find out more about the work that we are doing and when there are going to be more pianos out…..https://www.facebook.com/Pianopushplay…..cheers……megan

    • Hey! Thanks for the comment and the link! I’m psyched that someone pointed you here. But even more psyched that Piano! Push Play! exists in this world:) Thanks for facilitating so much impromptu music around Portland! :)

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