NEW YORK—Be ready for some Beethoven and Mozart serenades as you walk on the streets! From June 18 to July 2, 88 beautifully decorated pianos called the pop-up pianos will be spread over all the boroughs for everyone to play.
Organized by Sing For Hope, the effort aims to achieve the goal “that all New Yorkers—from Rockaway to Riverdale, Stapleton to Sunset Park—have access to the arts.” Sopranos and school friends Monica Yunus and Camille Zamora, who wanted to spread the beauty of the arts, founded Sing For Hope.
“It [having pianos on the streets] has been done in many places around the world, so we wanted to bring it here,” said Zamora, who has graced many prestigious venues around the world throughout her career.
Anyone, from beginner players to piano masters, is welcome to just walk up to a pop-up piano and play. It is also possible to reserve time slots between 1 p.m.–1:30 p.m. and 6 p.m.–6:30 p.m. online at pianos.singforhope.org.
In addition, there will be surprise concerts by professional musicians, many of whom are members of Sing For Hope.
The schedule for each concert will be put on Sing For Hope’s website a few days in advance. Details for each location can also be found on the official website for pop-up pianos.
The pianos were donated to the organization, properly tuned, and fixed, and then handed over to volunteer artists who dressed them up in artistic styles. From real fabrics like knitted yarns to painted patterns of plaids and denim to cheerful backgrounds embellished with studs and glitter, it was evident that each artist decorated the piano in his or her own unique fashion.
In addition, there will be surprise concerts by professional musicians, many of whom are members of Sing For Hope.
The schedule for each concert will be put on Sing For Hope’s website a few days in advance. Details for each location can also be found on the official website for pop-up pianos.
The pianos were donated to the organization, properly tuned, and fixed, and then handed over to volunteer artists who dressed them up in artistic styles. From real fabrics like knitted yarns to painted patterns of plaids and denim to cheerful backgrounds embellished with studs and glitter, it was evident that each artist decorated the piano in his or her own unique fashion.
“I spent a lot of time in South Africa, I thought it would be fun to paint a piano with their patterns,” said Jen Mazer, 29, a visual artist who painted one of the 88 pianos in the same pattern that the Ndebele tribal folks in South Africa paint their houses. “I’ve done a lot of work with African themes and I’ve done a lot of work inspired by music, so it’s good to combine them together.”
Like Mazer, many of the volunteers that painted the pianos were professional artists, but there were also exceptions. Daniel Francisco Barbosa, a student intern with the organization, brought over two high school classes to handle one of painting jobs. “We try to bring engagement and unity,” said Barbosa.
Fashion designer and TV presenter Isaac Mizrahi also designed one of the pianos. Now looking like a shimmering undergarment from Victoria’s Secret, his piece is covered in hot pink acrylic paint and is wrapped up with a big ribbon and bow on the top. “A piano is a girl, and I want to call it a ‘she’,” said Mizrahi, who is set on naming his piece “hello Miss Piano.” He hoped that this goodwill effort would be an opportunity for New York artists. “I like the idea of bringing artists together. It’s so fun and energetic.”
After the event, all 88 pianos will be donated to local schools, hospitals, and community organizations. Last year, in June 2010, 60 pop-up pianos were put on the streets for two weeks.
Like Mazer, many of the volunteers that painted the pianos were professional artists, but there were also exceptions. Daniel Francisco Barbosa, a student intern with the organization, brought over two high school classes to handle one of painting jobs. “We try to bring engagement and unity,” said Barbosa.
Fashion designer and TV presenter Isaac Mizrahi also designed one of the pianos. Now looking like a shimmering undergarment from Victoria’s Secret, his piece is covered in hot pink acrylic paint and is wrapped up with a big ribbon and bow on the top. “A piano is a girl, and I want to call it a ‘she’,” said Mizrahi, who is set on naming his piece “hello Miss Piano.” He hoped that this goodwill effort would be an opportunity for New York artists. “I like the idea of bringing artists together. It’s so fun and energetic.”
After the event, all 88 pianos will be donated to local schools, hospitals, and community organizations. Last year, in June 2010, 60 pop-up pianos were put on the streets for two weeks.
