As you may have seen on my Facebook page, I have been eagerly awaiting the arrival of NYC's public piano project, Play Me, I'm Yours. The same project happened last year in London and is going on this year, too. There are 29 pianos in Manhattan and several more in the outer boroughs. Well, I'll be posting my daily updates, but to catch you up...
Day 1: Monday, June 21
Watched Titanic the Musical's benefit concert at the New York Society for Ethical Culture and attended the pre-show discussion (let me say, composer Maury Yeston is a genius). Developed a new appreciation for some of the songs, and it was glorious to hear the entire score again with some original Broadway cast members and a sensational new singer named Ryan LaTour. After the concert, I walked around Lincoln Center, where there are supposedly 4 pianos, and also Columbus Circle, but could not find even one! Frustration galore. I logged onto the website the next day and found out the pianos are only available for playing from 9 AM to 10 PM, so I wouldn't have been able to play that night anyway.
Manhattan Piano Tally: 0/29
Day 2: Tuesday, June 22
Had to attend a marketing meeting in the Union Square area, where there are zero pianos (kind of disappointed about that), but after the meeting I needed to make a trip to the Performing Arts Library at Lincoln Center, so I looked again. No pianos in sight. They must not be in the Lincoln Center area that I know and love but in random places instead. I walked down to Columbus Circle and finally found a piano near the Central Park entrance and not in the actual circle. Well, it had lightly rained earlier that afternoon, so the piano was covered in plastic and locked up. Sigh. I couldn't even bring myself to take a picture, I was so disappointed.
Manhattan Piano Tally: 0/29
Day 3: Wednesday, June 23
After having to travel around the city the previous 4 days, I decided to take a break and stay at home. It was hot and humid to boot. Accomplished a lot during the work day and practiced the piano. Tested out my new Flip camcorder, and it is AWESOME.
Manhattan Piano Tally: 0/29
Day 4: Thursday, June 24
It's the afternoon in NYC, and there's humidity and now a thunderstorm. I bet the pianos are covered and under lock & key. I do need to return a book to the library though and am also going to see the play Next Fall at 8 PM, so I will check out other parts of Lincoln Center and also Times Square area before the show.
Update: Saw one of the four pianos at Lincoln Center, but someone was playing it both times that I walked by. I didn't have enough time to wait to play it, so I headed down to 50th Street on the 1 train in a subway car that had NO AIR CONDITIONING. That's just cruel punishment, even for two subway stops. It was a relief to get back outdoors, let me tell you. I walked in the pedestrian area in Times Square and found a piano between 45th and 46th Streets, but again, someone was playing the piano. This is going to be harder than I thought with the free-for-all.
Manhattan Piano Tally: 0/29
3 comments:
Lol I'm impressed by the degree of detail in your piano blogs Alli. I'm exercising considerable self-control to read things in order.
It's funny how much I relate to your frustration! Trekking to the piano not to even find it. Getting to the piano to find it's locked up and out of reach.
Waiting impatiently for someone else to finish!
This piano-hunting business is tougher than people realise.
Thanks! The piano-playing moments go by so fast, I want to capture every detail that I can so I can look back on this for years to come. (Sappy, I know, but true!)
I need more people to post pictures and locations of where the pianos are. The Google maps aren't detailed enough!
I scan the website every day before I head out to look for hints about where the pianos are, and opening hours (in London they varied).
I tried to add that detail if possible too.
I also keep hoping that one of the zillion strangers that have taken photo and video footage of me would post them on the website...but they never do. Boo!
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