In 2011, Joni was selected to participate in "OC, Can You Play?", a music education fundraiser in Southern California that affected thousands. Here you can see some of the press and footage from this monumental event.
SANTA ANA — In a cluttered South Coast Metro warehouse, 15 pianos were scattered about. On that Wednesday morning, the soul of Chopin emanated from one of them from the skills of Gabriel Stevens.
The 21-year-old Pacific Symphony intern and Cal State Fullerton music student was on hand for the last day of a seemingly unconventional art project: painting those 15 pianos destined for music-making throughout the county.
Those and five others — 20 in total — are just one segment of the Costa Mesa-based Pacific Symphony's three-part promotion that's part impromptu playing, part planned performance and part "American Idol."
The pianos, which were donated by the likes of Yamaha, Kawai and generous individuals, will soon be scattered throughout Orange County to comfortably rest in public places for the promotion's first act, "OC Can You Play?" They were adjusted, tuned and made ready for free by the Piano Technicians Guild.
The Newport-Mesa area has six of them: three in South Coast Plaza (Carousel Court, Jewel Court and Macy's Home Store Wing), one at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, one at the OASIS Senior Center and one at The Lab. The other county locations are at PacificSymphony.org and range from north county Brea to south county San Juan Capistrano.
The public is invited to play these decorated pianos through Feb. 6. From the novice to professional, the symphony is accepting video submissions of "OC Can You Play?" performances on its Facebook and YouTube pages. There will be a "best video" award as well. Pianists are also welcome to submit their performance times and locations at PacificSymphony.org.
To top it off, eager travelers who visit all 20 countywide piano locations can win a chance for symphony season ticket packages. Picture proof and/or check-ins on Foursquare.com are required. Or just visit three of the locations and earn 20% off a symphony ticket purchase. E-mail Kelly Dylla at kdylla@pacificsymphony.org for more information.
The other two parts of the promotion are "OC Can You Sing?" and "OC Can You Play With Us?" If you've got a voice like Paula Abdul or Frank Sinatra, submit it to youtube.com/user/OCCanYouSing. Chosen finalists will compete at a symphony pops concert alongside "American Idol" finalist Katharine McPhee March 17 to 19.
Lastly, amateur musicians age 24 and up can apply to play with the Pacific Symphony onstage in a rehearsal and mini-performance of Mussorgsky's "Pictures at an Exhibition." Registration for that opens Feb. 15 and is first-come, first-served. E-mail Molly Pontin at mpontin@pacificsymphony.org for details.
A launch event for "OC Can You Play?" will take place from 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday in the Jewel Court at South Coast Plaza. It will feature food and performances from the Irvine's Yamaha Music Center.
When not listening to Stevens play Chopin, Gershwin and Grieg, I perused the warehouse's pianos. I surmised that the county's music lovers are going to be impressed by their varied styles. Even Libby Farley, the symphony's production manager, got in the painting fun and made her piano psychedelic green.
Stevens said the pianos range in age from new to made in 1902. He said he wants to visit all 20. Hearing that gave me the idea to visit a few, too, just to see how Newport-Mesans fare on the pianoforte. I'll be on the lookout and visiting some of them in the coming weeks, maybe taking some material from those visits for a future column.
I'm no pianist myself — the "class of the brass" French horn is more my thing — but I do give requests. So if you can assemble an "impromptu," well-rehearsed orchestra and play Ravel's "Piano Concerto in G Major" at the OASIS Senior Center, send me a line. I'd call in sick to hear that.
Otherwise, I'd be quite happy hearing Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata." No orchestra required.
BRADLEY ZINT is a copy editor for the Daily Pilot and a classically trained musician. E-mail him story ideas at bradley.zint@latimes.com.
SOURCE: Daily Pilot
The 21-year-old Pacific Symphony intern and Cal State Fullerton music student was on hand for the last day of a seemingly unconventional art project: painting those 15 pianos destined for music-making throughout the county.
Those and five others — 20 in total — are just one segment of the Costa Mesa-based Pacific Symphony's three-part promotion that's part impromptu playing, part planned performance and part "American Idol."
The pianos, which were donated by the likes of Yamaha, Kawai and generous individuals, will soon be scattered throughout Orange County to comfortably rest in public places for the promotion's first act, "OC Can You Play?" They were adjusted, tuned and made ready for free by the Piano Technicians Guild.
The Newport-Mesa area has six of them: three in South Coast Plaza (Carousel Court, Jewel Court and Macy's Home Store Wing), one at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, one at the OASIS Senior Center and one at The Lab. The other county locations are at PacificSymphony.org and range from north county Brea to south county San Juan Capistrano.
The public is invited to play these decorated pianos through Feb. 6. From the novice to professional, the symphony is accepting video submissions of "OC Can You Play?" performances on its Facebook and YouTube pages. There will be a "best video" award as well. Pianists are also welcome to submit their performance times and locations at PacificSymphony.org.
To top it off, eager travelers who visit all 20 countywide piano locations can win a chance for symphony season ticket packages. Picture proof and/or check-ins on Foursquare.com are required. Or just visit three of the locations and earn 20% off a symphony ticket purchase. E-mail Kelly Dylla at kdylla@pacificsymphony.org for more information.
The other two parts of the promotion are "OC Can You Sing?" and "OC Can You Play With Us?" If you've got a voice like Paula Abdul or Frank Sinatra, submit it to youtube.com/user/OCCanYouSing. Chosen finalists will compete at a symphony pops concert alongside "American Idol" finalist Katharine McPhee March 17 to 19.
Lastly, amateur musicians age 24 and up can apply to play with the Pacific Symphony onstage in a rehearsal and mini-performance of Mussorgsky's "Pictures at an Exhibition." Registration for that opens Feb. 15 and is first-come, first-served. E-mail Molly Pontin at mpontin@pacificsymphony.org for details.
A launch event for "OC Can You Play?" will take place from 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday in the Jewel Court at South Coast Plaza. It will feature food and performances from the Irvine's Yamaha Music Center.
When not listening to Stevens play Chopin, Gershwin and Grieg, I perused the warehouse's pianos. I surmised that the county's music lovers are going to be impressed by their varied styles. Even Libby Farley, the symphony's production manager, got in the painting fun and made her piano psychedelic green.
Stevens said the pianos range in age from new to made in 1902. He said he wants to visit all 20. Hearing that gave me the idea to visit a few, too, just to see how Newport-Mesans fare on the pianoforte. I'll be on the lookout and visiting some of them in the coming weeks, maybe taking some material from those visits for a future column.
I'm no pianist myself — the "class of the brass" French horn is more my thing — but I do give requests. So if you can assemble an "impromptu," well-rehearsed orchestra and play Ravel's "Piano Concerto in G Major" at the OASIS Senior Center, send me a line. I'd call in sick to hear that.
Otherwise, I'd be quite happy hearing Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata." No orchestra required.
BRADLEY ZINT is a copy editor for the Daily Pilot and a classically trained musician. E-mail him story ideas at bradley.zint@latimes.com.
SOURCE: Daily Pilot
The eyes of a famous Mexican muralist are where sheet music would go and a long American flag stretches below the keyboard at a piano placed near the Mission San Juan Capistrano.
It took local artist Arturo Guevara about a week to paint the piano, one of 20 placed in cities throughout Orange County by the Pacific Symphony Orchestra as part of a public arts project called "OC Can You Play?"
Jeff Buenviaje, of Norwalk, holds his 11-month old son Jeff Jr. as he bangs away on a piano at The Block at Orange Monday. Pacific Symphony is sponsoring the "OC Can You Play?" where about 20 pianos are placed in public spaces throughout the county. "Music makes everything better," Buenviaje said.
Guevara painted his piano purple, orange and yellow for about eight hours a day for a week straight.
When the piano was placed at Camino Capistrano and Vedugo Street a few days ago, Guevara watched as a young boy played the instrument.
"He told me that when he walked by he saw the eyes watching him so he had to sit down and play," Guevara said. "You just see the joy in people playing the piano."
The orchestra invited local artists to paint the pianos, which can be found from Brea to Laguna Beach until Feb.6. The project was inspired by the symphony's 2010-11 season, which features top pianists.
But the street pianos aren't just for virtuosos.
"People connect to music most when they are doing it themselves," said Kelly Dylla, director of audience engagement for the company. "The symphony could do an event and invite big people to play and everyone else watch, but I want people to play the piano."
A similar project took place last summer in New York City.
On the side paneling of the San Juan piano, there's an image of swallows flying, a nod to the famous birds that visit the Mission in the spring. Images of farm workers carrying food are also prevalent, showing off Guevara's inspiration, Diego Rivera, a Mexican muralist and husband to artist Frida Kahlo.
"It was like touching the body of a woman," Guevara said, describing how he sanded down the new Kawai piano to prepare its frame for the paint.
In addition to playing the instruments, which range from 1920s to brand new, locals are invited to participate in a variety of contests. Those who visit all 20 pianos have the chance to win two season tickets packages to the symphony. Visiting three pianos gets you 20 percent off a Pacific Symphony Orchestra purchase. Those who create a music video of their performance have the chance to win tickets to an upcoming concert.
SOURCE: Orange County Register
It took local artist Arturo Guevara about a week to paint the piano, one of 20 placed in cities throughout Orange County by the Pacific Symphony Orchestra as part of a public arts project called "OC Can You Play?"
Jeff Buenviaje, of Norwalk, holds his 11-month old son Jeff Jr. as he bangs away on a piano at The Block at Orange Monday. Pacific Symphony is sponsoring the "OC Can You Play?" where about 20 pianos are placed in public spaces throughout the county. "Music makes everything better," Buenviaje said.
Guevara painted his piano purple, orange and yellow for about eight hours a day for a week straight.
When the piano was placed at Camino Capistrano and Vedugo Street a few days ago, Guevara watched as a young boy played the instrument.
"He told me that when he walked by he saw the eyes watching him so he had to sit down and play," Guevara said. "You just see the joy in people playing the piano."
The orchestra invited local artists to paint the pianos, which can be found from Brea to Laguna Beach until Feb.6. The project was inspired by the symphony's 2010-11 season, which features top pianists.
But the street pianos aren't just for virtuosos.
"People connect to music most when they are doing it themselves," said Kelly Dylla, director of audience engagement for the company. "The symphony could do an event and invite big people to play and everyone else watch, but I want people to play the piano."
A similar project took place last summer in New York City.
On the side paneling of the San Juan piano, there's an image of swallows flying, a nod to the famous birds that visit the Mission in the spring. Images of farm workers carrying food are also prevalent, showing off Guevara's inspiration, Diego Rivera, a Mexican muralist and husband to artist Frida Kahlo.
"It was like touching the body of a woman," Guevara said, describing how he sanded down the new Kawai piano to prepare its frame for the paint.
In addition to playing the instruments, which range from 1920s to brand new, locals are invited to participate in a variety of contests. Those who visit all 20 pianos have the chance to win two season tickets packages to the symphony. Visiting three pianos gets you 20 percent off a Pacific Symphony Orchestra purchase. Those who create a music video of their performance have the chance to win tickets to an upcoming concert.
SOURCE: Orange County Register
Pacific Symphony wants to know: “OC Can You Play?” and if you can, have we got a piano for you! And if you can’t, why not?!
The Symphony has taken on a big, exciting three-prong project, which begins with the installation of pianos in public spaces throughout Orange County for a...ll to play and enjoy during the latter half of January 2011, the project also includes two other initiatives. Details on a launch party are forthcoming! Keep up with all the activities and where to find a piano when you need one at www.pacificsymphony.org/OCCanUPlay.
Approximately 20 pianos are about to turn up in public spaces throughout the county—Sunday, Jan. 16 to Sunday, Feb. 6, 2011—with three pianos at South Coast Plaza (including a grand in Jewel Court); one at…downtown Disney in Anaheim; the Irvine Spectrum Center; the Block at Orange; Main Beach in Laguna Beach; on a hilltop at Whiting Ranch, downtown Brea; and one near the Mission in San Juan Capistrano.
Also among the hosting sites is the Orange County Performing Arts Center (the Symphony’s artistic partner); Irvine Barclay Theater, the University of California, Irvine; The Lab in Costa Mesa; Great Park in Irvine; Fullerton; OASIS Senior Center in Newport Beach; Mile Square Park in Fountain Valley; Downtown Santa Ana's Artists Village Promenade; and the Norman P. Murray Community and Senior Center in Mission Viejo…so far!
Come, play, videotape a performance and display it on You Tube and the Symphony’s Facebook page! The Artists Village piano, painted by local artist and singer-songwriter Joni Renee will be located on the Second Street Promenade between Broadway and Sycamore from Sunday, January 16th to Sunday, February 6th !
Presenting sponsor Yamaha and supporting sponsor Kawai have donated pianos, which are being painted by local professional artists, and the Piano Technicians Guild is providing significant support in preparing and tuning the pianos. The public—those who already play and those who don’t—is invited to play tunes, teach their children “Chopsticks,” “Ode to Joy” or whatever they like, or create “piano mobs” and impromptu or planned classical, rock and jazz performances are welcome.
SOURCE: Downtown Inc. Santa Ana
The Symphony has taken on a big, exciting three-prong project, which begins with the installation of pianos in public spaces throughout Orange County for a...ll to play and enjoy during the latter half of January 2011, the project also includes two other initiatives. Details on a launch party are forthcoming! Keep up with all the activities and where to find a piano when you need one at www.pacificsymphony.org/OCCanUPlay.
Approximately 20 pianos are about to turn up in public spaces throughout the county—Sunday, Jan. 16 to Sunday, Feb. 6, 2011—with three pianos at South Coast Plaza (including a grand in Jewel Court); one at…downtown Disney in Anaheim; the Irvine Spectrum Center; the Block at Orange; Main Beach in Laguna Beach; on a hilltop at Whiting Ranch, downtown Brea; and one near the Mission in San Juan Capistrano.
Also among the hosting sites is the Orange County Performing Arts Center (the Symphony’s artistic partner); Irvine Barclay Theater, the University of California, Irvine; The Lab in Costa Mesa; Great Park in Irvine; Fullerton; OASIS Senior Center in Newport Beach; Mile Square Park in Fountain Valley; Downtown Santa Ana's Artists Village Promenade; and the Norman P. Murray Community and Senior Center in Mission Viejo…so far!
Come, play, videotape a performance and display it on You Tube and the Symphony’s Facebook page! The Artists Village piano, painted by local artist and singer-songwriter Joni Renee will be located on the Second Street Promenade between Broadway and Sycamore from Sunday, January 16th to Sunday, February 6th !
Presenting sponsor Yamaha and supporting sponsor Kawai have donated pianos, which are being painted by local professional artists, and the Piano Technicians Guild is providing significant support in preparing and tuning the pianos. The public—those who already play and those who don’t—is invited to play tunes, teach their children “Chopsticks,” “Ode to Joy” or whatever they like, or create “piano mobs” and impromptu or planned classical, rock and jazz performances are welcome.
SOURCE: Downtown Inc. Santa Ana
Joni's diary and notes from piano painting day and the days following:
10 AM. I arrived and found my piano. It's wonderful! I love the deep, rich wood, and the tinny sound of the keys. This piano is definitely right for me and for Santa Ana. It does NOT sound like a concert Steinway, and I like it like that.
1 PM. I sanded the piano, which was exhausting, and then I covered it in primer. It's starting to look really nice. I'm starving so I am going to get chicken soup and come back later!
3 PM. I finished the base coats of spray paint. There is a lavender base coat covered with several shades of blue. I already have such a vision for this piano!
5 PM. All of the "first draft coats" are done. Tomorrow is when I get to start adding fun details and finishing work!
I call it "Many Hands". It has a bunch of handprints and graffiti, and it basically is about how many people influence or assist an artist i.e. a teacher, lover, friend, parent, etc.
Here you can see a detail of the seat on the day before I finished.
Sometimes you just have to stand back a bit.
This is Mr. Warner's piano in Laguna. I really love his creations. They were among my favorites! What a delight to play out in the sun while the ocean is crashing just beside you. That was truly a memory I will carry with me for the rest of my life.
Here you can see a detail of my piano's pedals. I spent way too much time on these three little guys. I probably did and re-did them about 20 times, which is why the paint is layered SO thickly on them.
It's been really fun to see how much press our pianos are getting. I am so honored to help raise money for such a good cause. We have had a blast throughout this entire experience.