The "Keys For The City" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Actually, a beautiful, ordinary day and I thought I should get out and take a few photographs in my hometown, Lancaster, Pennsylvania which is known as the Street Piano Capital of the World!  Guess you didn't know that, did you?  Well, a few days days ago, "Keys for the City" began for the summer with 12 custom-designed pianos that were displayed throughout the city of Lancaster at various hot spots and sidewalk locations which are accessible to the public at all times of the night and day.  And...at these locations are placed pianos which are meant to foster creativity through music and build a sense of community among the public and in the process raise resource awareness for local music and visual arts eduction initiatives.  

Prince St. Garage, 111 N. Prince St., Lancaster

Lancaster's program has been going on for the past thirteen summers, with a brief respite the past few years for COVID.  But, this year the program is in full throttle with 12 pianos in the city and one more in the nearby city of Lititz, Pennsylvania.  My chore for the day was to try and locate all of the pianos and take photos of each one as well as try and play a song on each one.  I was lucky enough to locate all but one piano in Lancaster as well as the one in nearby Lititz.  I took photographs of all that I found and did manage to sit at a few of them and play a tune or two before I headed to my next destination.  My song of choice was "Lady of Spain."  You never heard of that one before?  I used to play that song and sing along when I played my accordion years and years ago. 

LDub playing one of the many pianos.

Actually, 65 plus years ago!  Mr. Sinoppoli, my accordion teacher would have been proud of me for remembering that song after all these years.  Actually, I only know the righthand part since the pianos I had found today didn't have buttons anywhere on them like my accordion did.  At one location today, someone stopped and offered to take a photo of me while I was playing and singing.  

Piano that was in Lancaster's Musser Park at 135 N. Lime Street

Too bad they were too young to remember the song or maybe they might have sung long.  The "Keys for the City" mark the annual return of the "MFE" Street program.  "MFE" means "Music For Everyone" if you didn't already know.  "MFE" is a non-profit with a mission of cultivating the power of music.  The 12 pianos have been been placed at various locations in Lancaster city, with one in the nearby town of Lititz.  They will be available to the public 24/7 until mid-October.  Whether people stop by to play a few notes or join in the music with voices, it still joins people together through music.  

Piano at the Lancaster Arts Hotel at 300 Harrisburg Ave.

The pianos have all been  painted and a few have special themes to them.  Take a look at a few of the pianos and see if you don't agree with me that the artwork is amazing.  If you live closeby Lancaster, please stop by one of the addresses listed below and take a look.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  

A better view of the piano I was playing!

Musical locations are: (1) Ware Center: 42 N. Prince Street; (2) Prince St. Garage: 111 N. Prince St. (3) PA College of Art & Design: N. Prince & Chestnut Sts; (4) Lancaster Public Library, 125 N. Duke St.; (5) The Lumber Yard, 555 N. Charlotte St,; (6) Penn Square: 1 Penn Square; (7) Tellus360, 24 E. King St.; (8) Tabor Bldg., 308 E. King St.; (9) Musser Park, 135 N. Lime St.; (10) Wells Fargo Bank, 100 N. Queen St.; (11) Lancaster Arts Hotel, 300 Harrisburg Ave.  PS: There is one more location in nearby Lititz Called Pebbles and Lace which is at 56 E. Main Street, Lititz, PA.