‘Public’ Pianos Coming to the Hill

Between Sept. 23 and Oct. 10, the sight and sounds of passersby tickling the ivories will be commonplace on Beacon Hill with the installation of two “public” pianos.

The pianos located at King’s Chapel and the State House in Ashburton Park on Bowdoin Street will be part of the Celebrity Series of Boston’s “Street Pianos Boston” program, which will place 60 of the instruments in in each of the city’s 23 neighborhoods and select Cambridge locations. Each piano will feature a simple invitation: “Play Me, I’m Yours.”

Since July, 60 local artists have been painting the pianos at the Innovation and Design Building in Boston for the “Play Me, I’m Yours” installation, which was conceived by international public artist Luke Jerram.

“Street Pianos Boston embodies the Celebrity Series vision that the arts are for everyone and that all people should have the opportunity to participate,” Gary Dunning, Celebrity Series president and executive director, said in a press release. “After more than a half million Bostonians participated in Street Pianos in 2013, we knew we wanted to bring back this citywide installation that activates public space and engages the public with the joy of live performance.”

            Each piano will be hosted by a local partner, who has committed to covering the piano in inclement weather, reporting any damages and locking its keyboard at night during the installation.

 

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