The melodies of music echo through UCLA's Hill campus.
UCLA Introduces Outdoor Pianos for Students and Community
The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) has introduced an innovative project called the UCLA Piano Project, which has placed four outdoor pianos around campus for anyone to use. This initiative aims to promote music engagement and creativity by making pianos accessible in public spaces.
The project was conceived as part of UCLA’s efforts to enrich student life and the campus environment by integrating music into public spaces where students can spontaneously play and share music outdoors. This aligns with UCLA's broader mission to nurture the performing arts and community involvement, as emphasized by the Herb Alpert School of Music.
The UCLA Piano Project was started by Jeremy Barrett, a music enthusiast who has been playing piano since he was 6 years old. Barrett's dream for the project is to foster friendships and create a better campus environment through music. The project has received funding from the UCLA Semel Healthy Campus Initiative Center, donations from the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music, and support from Chancellor Gene Block, UCLA Housing, and others.
One student who has benefited from the project is Alethea Sung-Miller, an electrical engineering major at UCLA. Sung-Miller discovered the piano by chance and later learned about the UCLA Piano Project. She often plays her own classically inspired compositions on an outdoor piano near UCLA. For Sung-Miller, the piano serves as a "home away from home" and a respite from chronic migraines.
The pianos have resulted in impromptu performances and heartwarming social interactions, according to Peter Angelis, the assistant vice chancellor of UCLA Housing and Hospitality. The project has also helped to address a surprising issue: students living on campus had gone without instruments.
The fourth piano in the UCLA Piano Project arrived with fanfare in January. However, non-music majors may find it challenging to find an instrument on campus, according to Barrett. He hopes that the project will continue to grow and provide more opportunities for students to engage with music.
References: [1] UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music. (n.d.). About Us. Retrieved from https://music.ucla.edu/about/
Read also:
- Setting Up and Expanding Operations at a Soil Blending Facility
- Surveying the Scene: Legality, Drones, and American Anti-Terror Strategy
- Regional University's healthcare system strengthened through collaborative partnership with Chancellor Dr Fiona Hill
- University of Minnesota announces Certification for their course, Introduction to Human Behavioral Genetics
