Everett unveils eight pianos for everyone to hear and play

EVERETT -- When Christy Browning received a text message from a friend telling her pianos were coming to downtown sidewalks, she was excited.

On Wednesday morning, Browning arrived on Colby Avenue with sheet music in hand. On corners downtown, eight pianos were rolled out as part of an interactive art project, Everett's Street Tunes.

"It's so amazing, playing outdoors; there's a certain energy you don't get when you're inside," said Browning, an Everett resident and piano teacher.

She was one of the first to play several musical selections on a brightly painted piano dubbed "Mambo Kings Sing Songs of Love." It was set up outside Mermaid Cafe at 2932 Colby Ave.

Street Tunes was modeled after another art project, "Play Me -- I'm Yours" by artist Luke Jerram. That project has featured pianos in public places in cities including New York and London. The pianos in Everett are planned to be on the streets through Aug. 25.

A piano named "Unlock Your Imagination," which was decorated by children, was the first unveiled Wednesday morning at Imagine Children's Museum on the corner of Hoyt Avenue and Wall Street.

Museum volunteer Chuck Newcombe sat behind the piano decorated with door keys painted neon yellow, orange and red and mostly covered with glitter. He smiled at passersby and asked if they would like to help him play a tune.

Toddlers Amira Braddock and Nora Lisica happily banged on keys as Newcombe played a rendition of "Row, Row, Row Your Boat."

"This is great," Amira's father, Adam Braddock, said. "She loves to dance and pound on the piano."

Another piano, christened "Music Leopard Lounge" and painted to depict a leopard's face, was placed on Colby Avenue and California Street. The piano, "Pacific Sound," painted blue with a landscape of trees and an orca, sat waiting to be played on the corner of Wetmore and Hewitt avenues. Other pianos were placed along Colby Avenue, and outside Comcast Arena, the main Everett Library and Everett Station.

The "New Life" piano on Colby Avenue was reserved for a band to use as part of their rehearsal. Everett resident Aron Glidden and five other members of the band, 20 Riverside, performed for a small crowd.

"We usually play loud, kind-of-in-your-face (music) but we're going to tone it down and keep it nice and jazzy for the businesses," Glidden said.

Local artists started painting the pianos three weeks ago in public view inside the Red Door Art Gallery on Wetmore Avenue, according to Carol Thomas, Everett cultural arts manager. The city of Everett received one donated piano and purchased the other used pianos for $350 each.

"In truth, (the pianos) were kind of on their last legs. They looked like heck," she said. "My only requirement was that they be playable."

Everett resident Gary Hatle played the "Sun in Raven in Whale" piano outside the Everett Station. A professional accompanist, Hatle played while Tom Hingson, director of Everett Transit, sang an original piece, "An Ode to Transit."

Not everyone who uses the pianos in the next three weeks needs to know how to play, Thomas said. Even testing a few keys or playing a simple rendition of "Chopsticks" will do.

"It's just about having fun," she said. "We hope the buzz will get going and people will enjoy the pianos and come down to play them."

Volunteers will care for the pianos, she added, wrapping them up and unwrapping them every morning, and covering them in the event of rain.

The pianos could be auctioned off with proceeds going toward the city's general fund once the art project is over, according to Thomas. Or they might be saved for another round of the Street Tunes project.

"Our initial plan has been to auction them off," she said. "If at the end of three weeks we have an outstanding response we could put them in storage and roll them out again next year."

Pick your favorite

Vote for your favorite piano at http://tinyurl.com/29tbvf9.