Play Me, I’m Yours is a project created by the british artist Luke Jerram.
Since 2008, Luke Jerram has overseen the installation of more than 1800 pianos, and has now installed them in over 55 cities across the globe, with the simplest tagline: “Play Me, I’m Yours”. The project has already reached more than ten million people worldwide.
Street pianos are appearing in cities across the world. They are at the disposal of the public in parks, streets and squares. Anyone can play freely. Play Me, I’m Yours provides access to this musical instrument and gives musicians the opportunity to share their creativity by performing in public. These pianos are transformed into works of art by local artists or community groups who decorate them in imaginative and exciting ways to make them more appealing and inviting for people to view and play.
They are often considered as an instrument of the upper class. The proposal of the installation makes the whole difference. In cities like London, hundreds of perfectly good, working, second-hand pianos get thrown away each year. Luke Jerram transports many of them annually, to different cities and countries, to give the opportunity to the public to enjoy them.
The aim of the project is to encourage togetherness through spontaneous music. It impacts people and engages their sense of creativity, inspiring interaction. The project is acting as a catalyst for conversation, many people have met for the first time around the pianos. It is said that Play Me, I’m Yours project is one of the most successful social space experiment.
The street pianos have also enticed many hidden musicians out of the woodwork. It has become apparent that there are thousands of pianists out there who don’t have regular access to this instrument. Play Me, I’m Yours generally is presented in a city for 2-3 weeks, after which, many of those are donated to schools and community groups within the area.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a virtuoso or a someone who took few lessons , just sit down and let your fingers do the talking 😉
- There is a global map of piano locations.
Geneva:” Jouez, je suis à vous”
In 2011, the project Play Me, I’m Yours took place in the city of Geneva, in this french-speaking city the project goes by the name of “Jouez, je suis à vous“.
This year, it will take place from Thursday 14 to Wednesday 27 June. 34 street pianos will fill the streets with music in 17 communes of Geneva. Located in parks, squares, bus shelters, train stations, outside galleries, markets and so on. Located there for the public to play and enjoy, they will allow encounters. Thanks to this great tool of social link that is shared music.
Each city has a unique website where the public upload and share their films, photos and stories of their interaction with the pianos. The objective of Jouez, je suis à vous is to connect the instruments with the population and to keep track of their journey in Geneva.
Photo credit: Arts Centre Melbourne