NEW HAMPSHIRE’S FASTEST GROWING ONLINE NEWSPAPER

The drumbeat of change moves ever forward for Rochester arts scene

Comment Print
Related Articles
The piano now out by RiverStones Custom Framing, and a typical percussion park, inset. In case you were wondering, pianos, xylophones and drums are all considered percussive instruments. (Courtesy photos)

ROCHESTER - From outdoor pianos to a percussion park, the beat goes on in downtown Rochester.

It was just last year that a group of volunteers set about to bring pianos to the city's downtown to bring the joys of tickling the ivories to all walks of life.

Sixteen months later the same group has fine-tuned its piano initiative, and is exploring new ways to drum up interests in the arts among budding local musicians.

"We'd love to get a percussion park in the downtown where families can enjoy music with their children," said Emily Pelletier, chairman of Main Street's Design Board.

Pelletier said she's seen some examples of what the percussion park would look like, with weather-resistant xylophones and drums installed permanently.

"With the piano project now under our feet we had a meeting last night as a committee for strategic planning and to raise funds for the percussion park," said Pelletier, who added such parks can cost upwards of $10,000-$15,000.

She added that the new focus on a percussion park plays to the message of "arts for everyone" which was also the mantra of the former Community Vibrancy Committee she also chaired.

She said that now her group has partnered with Main Street, her focus is more on the downtown.

As part of that focus, the Design Group recently placed a spinet piano in front of RiverStones Custom Framing and Franklin Gallery on North Main Street.

The new installation shows how the piano initiative has matured. Pelletier said they now have a dolly to move the piano in and out of RiverStones to keep it accessible by day and safe from vandalism and the elements overnight.

Other larger pianos are now permanently installed inside at the Community Center and Lilac Mall near Papa Gino's.

She said both pianos are played often and recently a man playing the piano in the Lilac Mall was recorded and uploaded onto Facebook. She hopes that starts a bit of a trend.

Right now the group is looking for anyone who might be willing to volunteer to paint the piano now at RiverStones over the winter.

And although all their pianos they now have are in tune, at some point they'd love to find someone willing to volunteer to provide an occasional tune-up.

Meanwhile, if you want to come and play your best version of chopsticks in public, the piano at RiverStones will stay out about another six weeks before it's put inside for the winter.

Read more from:
Rochester
Tags:
None
Share:
Comment Print
Powered by Bondware
News Publishing Software

The browser you are using is outdated!

You may not be getting all you can out of your browsing experience
and may be open to security risks!

Consider upgrading to the latest version of your browser or choose on below: