In Sunday’s (4/22) Burbank Leader (California), Laura Tate writes, “Louie Nicolaides recently sat outside to play some jazz, rock and classical pieces at an upright piano in the elevated courtyard in front of Vroman’s Bookstore in Pasadena. The piano was painted in teal-blue tones with bright orange accents. A small bust of Beethoven sat on top, and the invitation ‘Play Me I’m Yours’ was stenciled in white letters on the side. The piano is there as part of the public arts projects, ‘Play Me I’m Yours,’ originally conceived by British artist Luke Jerram, and installed and promoted locally by the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra. Thirty pianos have been placed at 30 locations throughout Los Angeles County, including three in Pasadena and one in Glendale. The pianos—turned into three-dimensional canvases by celebrated and community artists—are available for anyone to play at any hour through May 3. In addition to promoting the visual and musical arts, the installation concludes the season-long celebration of LACO Music Director Jeffrey Kahane’s 15th anniversary with the orchestra. … More than 500 pianos have been placed in 22 cities throughout the world, from New York to Sydney, Australia, as part of the ‘Play Me I’m Yours’ project.”
Posted April 23, 2012
