'A big, wild experiment': Saskatoon sidewalk piano strikes a chord
A piano outside Broadway Avenue store is striking a chord by giving anyone a chance to share their joy of music.
“Mostly they’re just happy,” said Corey Neufeld.
He’s owned The Better Good for 13 years. It specializes in sustainable products, so when a friend gave him a used piano, he wanted to get as many hands on it as possible.
Since pianos can be expensive and guarded instruments, having it accessible to anyone attracts a wide audience. He sees between 10 to 20 people a day sit down to play.
“The kids love to tinker around. Many have never played so that’s fun to see. Lots of people just want to hammer out a couple bars of chopsticks,” he said.
But the effect this piano is having out on the street goes far beyond the music for Neufeld — who doesn’t play any instrument.
“There’s definitely something bigger. We’re trying to bring the street to life. We’re trying to get people talking and out of their regular thought patterns, engaged and this is how you do it. Someone starts playing and you have a conversation,” he said.
Finn Day-Wiggins, stops by regularly to play.
“For me it’s meditative and just to let all the ideas out, it feels good,” he told CTV News.
Day-Wiggins used to be a professional keyboard player, playing with bands around the city, but gave it up about four years ago. He appreciates the opportunity to play.
“It’s great to have more music on the streets any old time. Saskatoon can be dry from time to time so it’s nice to have something cool going on,” he says.
The piano has been out for about a month according to Neufeld.
“People have been thrilled, they are stopping on the street, and now that it’s been painted, they want to just look at it and take pictures and of course, people want to play it,” he said.
The painting was done by another Broadway business, Alt Haus. Staff there wanted to get in on the positive vibes and pitched in to add colour to the piano.
Some who play are just passing by, while others work in the area and frequent the ivories.
Neufeld even gets skilled musicians who play with the symphony to hammer out a tune.
Future plans for the piano will be taken one note at a time.
“It just sits out here until it starts getting cold and then we’ll give it away. Why not. We’ll see. It’s just a big wild experiment.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Federal government grants B.C.'s request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces
The federal government is granting British Columbia's request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces, nearly two weeks after the province asked to end its pilot project early over concerns of public drug use.
Testifying in hush money trial, adult film actor Stormy Daniels describes first meeting Trump
Stormy Daniels took the witness stand Tuesday at Donald Trump's hush money trial, describing for jurors a sexual encounter the porn actor says she had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid off to keep silent during the presidential election 10 years later.
MPs agree Canadian gov't should improve new disability benefit
The federal government needs to safeguard the incoming Canada Disability Benefit from clawbacks and do more to ensure it actually meets the stated aim of lifting people living with disabilities out of poverty, MPs from all parties agree.
King Charles too busy to see son Prince Harry during U.K. trip
Prince Harry will not be seeing his father King Charles during his current visit to Britain as the monarch will be too busy, Harry's spokesperson said on Tuesday.
Boy Scouts of America changing name for first time in 114 years, aiming for inclusivity
The Boy Scouts of America is changing its name for the first time in its 114-year history and will become Scouting America. It's a significant shift as the organization emerges from bankruptcy following a flood of sexual abuse claims and seeks to focus on inclusion.
opinion Tom Mulcair: Trudeau's handling of Poilievre's 'wacko' House turfing a clear sign of Liberal desperation
When Speaker Greg Fergus tossed out Pierre Poilievre from the House last week, "those of us who have experience as parliamentarians simply couldn't believe our eyes," writes former NDP leader Tom Mulcair in his column for CTVNews.ca
Security guard shot, seriously injured outside of Drake's Toronto mansion
A security guard working at Drake’s Bridle Path mansion in Toronto was seriously injured in a shooting outside the residence early Tuesday morning, police said.
Katy Perry's mom was fooled by AI images of the singer at the Met Gala
Katy Perry did not attend the Met Gala on Monday, but some of the singer’s fans – and even her mom – thought she did.