Arts and Culture, Event, Music, Parks Jun 20, 2011 Pop -Up Pianos My friend Heather alerted me to the presence of Pop-Up Pianos in Astoria and LIC last week and then over the weekend, a few other friends brought this to my (…) Share this Scoop by Meg Cotner total shares! Twitter Facebook Email Print My friend Heather alerted me to the presence of Pop-Up Pianos in Astoria and LIC last week and then over the weekend, a few other friends brought this to my (…) by Meg Cotner Share this Scoop total shares! Twitter Facebook Email Print My friend Heather alerted me to the presence of Pop-Up Pianos in Astoria and LIC last week and then over the weekend, a few other friends brought this to my attention. So what are Pop-Up Pianos, anyway? Basically, they are pianos showing up – or, if you prefer, “popping up” – in unusual spaces, and most are far from the concert hall. In Astoria and LIC they are in Astoria Park, Gantry Plaza State Park, and Court Square Park. These pianos are also painted by various artists. The artist for Astoria Park’s piano is Robert Padovano, the artist for Gantry Park’s piano is Edyta Halon, and the artist for Court Square Park’s piano is Jeannine Jones. Each piano has been painted differently, and there’s even a theme behind each one. The people behind the Pop-Up Pianos is an organization called Sing for Hope, which is “a non-profit organization that mobilizes professional artists in volunteer service programs that benefit schools, hospitals, and communities.” If you’re interested in supporting the work of Sing for Hope, you can easily send a donation via your cell phone. Text PIANO to 50555 to donate $5. Pop-Up Pianos will be accessible for 2 weeks, from Jun 18 to July 3. I actually spent a little time with the one in Astoria Park on Saturday night, and it was pretty cool to just come upon this little piano in the middle of the park. A book of sheet music is anchored to the piano, so you won’t want for something to play on the instrument. There are concerts happening at these pianos, too. On Sunday, June 26, the aforementioned Heather Meyer is going to perform at the Astoria Park piano. She’ll be joined with some friends of her, and they’ll be performing some songs, opera, and maybe even a little musical theater. The concert will be from 6-6:30pm. These pianos are for you to play and enjoy. I hope you get a chance to check them out and tickle the ivories yourself! Twitter Facebook Email Print astoria parkcourt square parkgantry plaza state parkheather meyerpop-up pianossing for hope About Meg Cotner Meg Cotner was trained as a harpsichordist and now works as a freelance writer and editor. She is the author of "Food Lovers' Guide to Queens," and is a skilled and avid home cook, baker, and preserver. 4 Comments Jeannine Jones June 23rd, 2011 Hey – thanks for writing about my piano. I’m hoping to get a day off to see it in action – I”m working with the Royal Shakjespeare Company in Manhattan at the moment. Jeannine Reply megc June 23rd, 2011 You’re welcome, Jeannine! Thank you for lending your talents and skills to something so awesome and meaningful! Reply Heather Meyer June 20th, 2011 Thanks, Meg! You’re the best! Reply megc June 21st, 2011 You’re welcome, Heather! It’s such a cool project! Reply Leave a Reply Cancel replyYour email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *Comment * Name * Email * Website Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.
Jeannine Jones June 23rd, 2011 Hey – thanks for writing about my piano. I’m hoping to get a day off to see it in action – I”m working with the Royal Shakjespeare Company in Manhattan at the moment. Jeannine Reply
megc June 23rd, 2011 You’re welcome, Jeannine! Thank you for lending your talents and skills to something so awesome and meaningful! Reply