60 pianos. 7 days. All City.
All City Days 4-7 from Ross Finkel on Vimeo.
After a week of slogging through the stifling NYC summer and venturing to corners of the city they would have never otherwise discovered, pianist Nigel Hall did it, and the Guagua crew filmed it all.
Play Me I’m Yours, hosted by Sing for Hope, took music to the streets as public art that brought 60 pianos to the parks, public spaces and the off-the-beaten-path of New York City. From June 21 to July 5, the pianos were placed throughout the city’s five boroughs to be played by all who passed by — students, tourists, children, nannies, doctors, merchants, artists — in a festival of music open to all New Yorkers.
The “All City” quest to play all of the pianos from Staten Island to Times Square succeeded, ending with piano # 60 in McCarren Park in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
It was undoubtedly a crazy and exhausting week, punctuated by logistical follies, and spontaneous moments, but there’s no rest for the weary. Nigel is heading out on tour across the country, and the Guagua team is heading home to edit the past week’s footage into a short film. That film should be debuting several weeks from now and will be released here on the Atlas Obscura blog.
The final exhibition wrapped up with fellow musicians Eric Krasno of Soulive, Adam Deitch of Lettuce, and trumpeter Maurice Brown.
Thanks to everyone who was a part of this, both on the web and in the streets of New York!
Follow us on Twitter to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders.
Like us on Facebook to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders.
Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook