88 ‘Keys’ to the city

The City was a piano bar yesterday. Everyone from classically trained musicians to average Joes who have dreamed of tickling the ivories in front of a live audience grabbed a bench at any of the 60 pianos scattered throughout the five boroughs to kick off a two-week, live-art installation.

Even pros like concert pianist Victor Goldberg can hardly resists . He said he was thrilled to entertain a crowd outside Lincoln Center because his Steinway Grand is stuck in storage until he finds a larger apartment.Other professional players said it was thrilling to do his afternoon practice outside in the sun.

Dubbed the “Play Me, I’m Yours,” the project has provided public pianos in cities all around the world, including London and Sao Paulo, Brazil. “The difference in New York is that we seem to be getting a lot more professional musicians as well as the amateurs,”. The pianos were all donated, but the cost of securing the 60 locations in mostly in public spaces and managing the project will run around $250,000.

Category: -