Hit All the Right Notes in London this Summer!

London’s streets will resonate to the tune of everything from Chopsticks to Chopin this summer as 50 Golden Street Pianos take up residence across the British capital as part of the City of London Festival’s 50th anniversary celebrations.

The pianos, which are free for anyone to play, will also help mark the launch of the City of London Festival. In a lead up to the festival, the pianos will be on tour from June 18th to 23rd, hitting major commuter hotspots around town – and on Sunday the 24th,  the pianos will mark the official launch of proceedings as members of the public will be offered a chance to have one of 300 free piano lessons by students from London’s leading music conservatories.

Spandau Ballet legend Tony Hadley will also be on hand for the launch, performing some memorable hits like Spandua Ballet's 80s smash hit, Gold. At 12.45 p.m. on the 24th at a piano installed on the north side of the Millennium Bridge (closest Tube: St Paul's), Hadley will be accompanied by some of the country’s best young musicians from the National Youth Jazz Orchestra.

Throughout the festival the pianos will continue to form the focal point of two performance programmes: The Golden Keys to the City programme (June 26th and 28th and July 3rd and 5th) will see four local schools explore folk, gospel and popular songs from Africa, South America, Europe, Asia, and, of course, London, on a Golden Street Piano Tour where they put into practice what they have been learning over the spring term for the public to enjoy. From June 27th to 29th of June, the Sydney Dance Company will present on the spot dance duet performances especially created for the festival’s 50 Golden Street Pianos. Two dancers will emerge, rendezvous and disappear against a dramatic and ever-changing London backdrop, set to solo piano pieces composed and played by Mercury Prize-nominated, Gwilym Simcock.

The 50 pianos will all have unique golden designs created by five emerging London street artists, who will each produce ten variations of their own distinctive styles.

The Golden Pianos will remain in place for three weeks for members of the public to enjoy until July 13th. To see a map of the piano locations or to organize your own events involving the pianos visit www.streetpianos.co.uk. Follow @CoLFestival on Twitter for live updates on performance dates, locations and times.

Book a flight to London this summer for all the sites and sounds of an amazing vacation.

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photo: ashley-rly