While this project has been done in several cities around the world as well as the U.S. to enormous success, it has NEVER been done in quite the same way in North Carolina… till now! In our second year, “Come Tickle Our Ivories!” is a novel partnership between the Salisbury Symphony and Rowan County’s ten public and private middle schools—China Grove Middle, Corriher-Lipe Middle, Erwin Middle, Kno
x Middle, North Rowan Middle, Southeast Middle, West Rowan Middle, Sacred Heart Catholic School, Salisbury Academy and Rowan County Early College—reflecting the symphony’s interest in not just providing concert music but also being a strong and active community partner. The project involves art students decorating donated pianos with a theme of their choice to be placed in outdoor downtown Salisbury locations from May 6 through September 30 for the public to play and passersby to enjoy any time day or night! Ten locations with sufficient overhang protection have been secured and here’s the list of where the Pianos will be located:
North Main – east side
• Textile Products: 119 N. Main St
CHINA GROVE MIDDLE SCHOOL
Piano Theme: DOWN INTO THE RABBIT HOLE
• Sweet Meadow Café: 111 N. SOUTHEAST MIDDLE SCHOOL
Piano Theme: INTO THE JUNGLE
South Main – east side
• Maia’s Fashions, 103 S. ROWAN COUNTY EARLY COLLEGE
Piano Theme: WE CAN SEE THE FUTURE, CAN YOU?
• Salisbury Square Antiques & Collectibles: 111 S. SALISBURY ACADEMY
Piano Theme: UNDER THE SEA
• The Candy Shoppe: 119 S. ERWIN MIDDLE SCHOOL
Piano Theme: EBONY & IVORY
• Firehouse Sweets: 209 S. KNOX MIDDLE SCHOOL
Piano Theme: INTO THE WOODS
• Meroney Theater: 213 S. NORTH ROWAN MIDDLE SCHOOL
Piano Theme: UNDER THE SEA
South Main – west side
• Ruby’s: 210 S. CORRIHER-LIPE MIDDLE SCHOOL
Piano Theme: MUSIC MAKES THE SPIRIT SOAR
• Growing Pains: 122 S. SACRED HEART CATHOLIC SCHOOL
Piano Theme: MAN IN THE MIRROR
• On square beneath clock (directional/display only piano): SW corner of Main & Innes Streets
• Salisbury Depot: 215 Depot St. WEST ROWAN MIDDLE SCHOOL
Piano Theme: CELEBRATING THE WEST ROWAN BULLDOGS
We’ve received truly overwhelming local support. Piano owners were thrilled to see their instruments take on a new life. Students are completely jazzed about their talent being showcased. Shops jumped at the chance to host a piano; sure it would help bring additional customers. Our well-known local company, Kluttz Piano, is donating its labor to move the pianos from homes/church to the schools and the schools to the sidewalks. Kluttz’s regular tuner has agreed to tune them for an incredibly discounted price. Walmart has contributed gift cards for decorating supplies. Lowe’s is providing tarps. Office Depot has provided some printing. Professional artist Glen Yost has donated his labor to create a large advertising sign, while another—Marietta Smith—has donated her labor to decorate an 11th piano to be on our main public square for display purposes only, with signage showing where all the pianos are located. We’re partnering with Downtown Salisbury Inc. to stage a grand celebratory unveiling of all the pianos during DSI’s First Friday of May 6th, and have recruited music students to “tickle the ivories” of their respective school piano from 6 – 9 pm. While the pianos are meant for anyone to play anytime, we’re planning additional “special events” throughout the five months to keep the energy alive. At the end of the run, schools will have first option to reclaim their piano as a memento so students can continue “tickling their ivories.” Unclaimed pianos will be auctioned off; hoping a company or some other organization will love to have such a fine piece of art in their lobby! The project has several goals. We want to showcase our students’ creative and artistic talent, to put the “A” for Arts in the STEM curriculum, giving education the STEAM it deserves! We hope to uncover hidden talent in those who might sit down and play—there are heartwarming stories of a homeless person, also a janitor, who never had access to a piano till they found one like this on the street! We think this will be a great way to enliven our downtown and bring people to patronize our merchants… and act as a bridge in uniting our often polarized county and city. We have made this project a fundraiser with money going to the schools’ art departments, whose teachers regularly dig into their own pockets for supplies, as well as our treasured symphony that’s making this project possible. Our sponsorship levels are $50-$100 keyboard; $200-$250 spinet; $500 upright; $1,000 baby grand.
