BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. — Just off of Santa Monica Boulevard in Beverly Hills, blocks away from the city’s famed Golden Triangle, the gentle notes of Beethoven’s "Moonlight Sonata" drifted among the din of midday traffic.
Rhode Island teenager Matthew D’Artista had just sat down at one of two pianos temporarily installed at Beverly Gardens Park, stretching out his hands as his mother stood, with her camera at the ready.
“It was a fun surprise. It made my mom pretty happy,” Matthew said after playing a few bars, letting his younger sister take his spot at the keys. “I’m at the point where I can say I know how to play piano, but I’m not where I can say that I’m good.”
The D’Artista family was on a walk through Beverly Hills on their first trip to Los Angeles when they stumbled upon the piano, one of 16 installed in the city in a collaborative effort between Beverly Hills and Sing for Hope, a nonprofit intended to improve the world through the spread of music.
Sing for Hope’s piano program treats the musical instruments as interactive public art installations — in this exhibition, Sing for Hope worked with artists to paint on the pianos as if they were a canvas, then installed them in parks and other public places throughout Beverly Hills, where they’ll be from Aug. 5 to Sept. 6.
“Los Angeles and Beverly Hills are beautiful, resilient cities and we’re thrilled to bring hope and healing to people in these communities as the country continues its path to reopening,” said Sing for Hope co-founder Monica Yunus. “Music and art bring people together, and as the world emerges from the pandemic, the Sing for Hope pianos aim to share vital moments of joy, connection, and arts for all.”
The pianos are scattered throughout the city, both at Beverly Hills landmarks (one in bright pink stands along Rodeo Drive) and quiet neighborhood hideaways (like a residential pocket park just off of Hamel Drive).
“We couldn’t be more excited to welcome these wonderful works of art to our public spaces for all to enjoy,” said Beverly Hills Mayor Bob Wunderlich. “We are delighted that these one-of-a-kind piano artworks will continue to be an artistic resource and source of joy when they are moved to schools and other community-based permanent homes following their public display.”
When the exhibit is done, the pianos will be moved to public schools across the Southland. According to a press release issued by Sing for Hope, those new homes will include Jordan High School in Watts, Montebello Gardens Elementary School in Pico Rivera and George Washington Carver Middle School in South Park.
Pop-up mini-concerts have been scheduled for throughout the piano project period, but the project's beauty is in average people — like the D'Artistas — stumbling across the pianos in the course of their trip through a park.
“I think it’s good for people to stop and take a moment to enjoy, rather than just walking through. To actually engage, you know?” said Matthew’s mother, Carmel D’Artista.
For more information on Sing for Hope's Beverly Hills piano project, including an interactive map of the pianos, a concert schedule, and information on the piano artists, visit Sing for Hope here.