Play A Happy Tune

Find A Street Piano in Downtown Enid!

The advanced art students from Waller Middle School, under the supervision of their art teacher, Pam Gilbreath, decorated a Street Piano for Main Street Enid’s Jazz Stroll, in conjunction with Tri-State.

The 15 students were divided into teams and were allowed to create the design concept for their piano.

Street Pianos have been installed in cities all over the world. The concept was discovered by accident in Sheffield, England, and has since been popularized by artist Luke Jerram’s project, “Play Me, I’m Yours.” These are community pianos, a gift of music and art, in a public space for anyone to play and enjoy.

Enid Art Council Board Member, Toni DeKock, first mentioned the idea of street pianos to Main Street Enid Director, Kelly Tompkins, and there couldn’t be a more perfect event for street pianos in Enid than Jazz Stroll / Tri-State! A second street piano will be covered with chalkboard paint so community members may add their own art and be part of the project. Having two pianos opens the opportunity for duets and maybe even dueling pianos.

The pianos will be placed outside, likely in front of the old Cherokee Strip Conference Center for Jazz Stroll / Tri-State, the evening of Friday, May 3, and will also be out during the Tri-State Parade on Saturday morning, May 4. How long will the pianos be out? We don’t know! It’s Enid’s own street piano experiment.

The Main Street Enid Public Art Committee discussed students decorating the pianos because it lets them use their talent to give back to the community in a wonderfully creative way. Pam, the art teacher, took the idea and ran with it, organizing this time for the students to be part of this project. After some initial phone calls, Sandy Roberts, the Public Art Committee Chair and Art Lab Enid affiliate has coordinated the street pianos.

We thank Kip Miles of Miles Music for these pianos. When they can no longer be enjoyed by the community, they will be disassembled and possibly repurposed as new pieces of art, depending on the condition and ideas of the Public Art Committee.

Please go downtown Friday evening, May 3, to see the art work of these students and play a tune!