Sixty upright pianos popped up yesterday in public parks and plazas. Jairo Nunez plans to play them all.
“I’ve always wanted to just walk down the street and play piano. It’s like god heard me,” the aspiring singer/songwriter said between songs in City Hall Park. He played an original tune before moving onto “Winter,” by his favorite, Tori Amos. Passers-by, confused to see a piano in the park, paused and took their headphones off.
“This is my stadium right now,” said Nunez.
The public art project by British artist Luke Jerram, and presented by the nonprofit Sing for Hope, may launch sing-alongs, inspire piano-hopping or just invite people to pounce tunelessly on the keys.
Miriam Trokan was searching for entertainment during her lunch break in Lower Manhattan. Like the others, a piano on Stone Street said, “Play me, I’m Yours.” She demurred.
“I used to play,” she said.
She has until July 5.
