A homeless man is pushing an overly-stuffed shopping card along a city sidewalk. He’s trundling under the south side of the Cambie Street Bridge, near the bike path by the Canada Line station. The man spots a colourfully decorated piano, exposed to the elements. The man brings his shopping cart to a halt alongside the piano and shuffles up to the keys. He takes a seat on the piano bench, and for the next several minutes, his dirt-encrusted fingers make the piano come alive, entertaining surprised passersby with a transcending, 10-minute piano concerto.
Once finished, and to a round of polite applause, the man rises from the bench, returns to his shopping cart and rolls on, as does the audience, more than one with a smile on their face.
That’s just one of the memories for the organizers of last summer’s city-wide, interactive, public piano installation known as Keys to the Streets, which placed 10 pianos in various public locations for anyone to play. Pianos were tuned regularly and barbeque covers were provided in case of rain.
The project was originally the idea of GP Mendoza, an alumnus of the CityStudio program, which brings university students together with city staff to co-create ideas and initiatives for a healthier, greener, and more engaged Vancouver. Despite skepticism from the city, GP placed the first “test piano” in Robson Park near Kingsway and Fraser a few summers ago. It proved to be a tinklin’ hit, and everyone respected the instrument.
Besides the odd bit of minor graffiti, the piano remained upright and untouched but for butts on the bench and fingers on keys. That success counted in the rest of the project for the past few summers.
Keys to the Streets very much hopes to bring their pumpin’ pianos back for your sizzlin’ summer of 2015. Plans are in place to hopefully have another 10 pianos in outdoor locations near Science World, the Aquarium, Chinatown and other spots with heavy foot traffic. To do that, they’re asking for your help through an ongoing fundraising campaign. The goal is to raise $20,000 by Canada Day, when they hope to have their first piano outside of Canada Place in Coal Harbour. The money raised goes towards their costs of running a program where the average installation piece weighs 800 pounds, needs care, maintenance, winter storage, and regular tuning by a professional, not to mention extremely strong and skilled movers to transport and lift these great eighty-eights into place. The pianos are also brightly decorated by a team of local artists.
The pianos themselves surprisingly don’t cost a thing. They’re all donated. Who knew so many Vancouverites had pianos they wanted to get rid of?
“I’m staring at six emails right now from people who want to just give us their pianos,” says Aaron Tilston-Redican, who, along with Becky Till, is organizing this year’s Keys to the Streets. Aaron is also quick to point out that there’s a charity element with Music Heals. One piano will be auctioned off at the Music Heals year-end gala and will be placed permanently in a hospital or hospice somewhere in Vancouver.
Here’s hoping Keys to the Streets will bring back the ivories to our city this summer, because really, there are few things more soothing than the sound of live music floating on a salty summer breeze. And hey, it’s a lot better idea than a mass yoga sit-in on a bridge, right? #keys2streets
