PIANOS ON STATE HISTORY
Pianos on State spontaneously reintroduces music and art into people’s everyday lives, as they go about their business, about their shopping. You don’t have to pass any test, you don’t have to have any qualifications, they’re there for everyone.
Art teaches us that you can change the pattern. A piano can be on the street. A stranger walking down the street next to you might have powers you didn’t expect. They might suddenly sit down at that piano and play Chopin’s Nocturne Opus 9 in E Flat major no. 2. And that is a hopeful feeling.
Mas(p)arade! celebrated its 3rd year of collaboration with Pianos on State in 2023.
A lot of YouTube videos have been created with and about Pianos on State over the years. We've collected a few below. In addition to formal documentation, one of our favorite things is when people spontaneously film themselves playing and just post it up. It's exactly the sort of the project is all about. Just search "Pianos on State" in YouTube to find a few.
An example of one of the many spontaneous videos posted to YouTube by artists. In this instance, pop-violinist Lindsey Sterling had just finished a show at SOHO, and she and her band wandered out to State Street late at night and found the piano on the corner of State and Victoria. This is what happened next.
The COVID-19 pandemic made Pianos on State's eleventh year in 2020 truly unique. Our community of artists and leaders came together to preserve and transform the tradition, keeping this tradition of music and art alive for us all.
Another from 2011. "Reintroduce music into people's everyday lives."
A video produced by the Santa Barbara Bowl in 2012, explaining Pianos on State's history and purpose.
Pianos on State is a collaborative project inspired by other artistic communities presenting similar programs:
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Denver, Colorado downtowndenver.com
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Lancaster, Pennsylvania lancasterpianofest.com
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New York, New York streetpianos.com