EAST LANSING, Mich. – The East Lansing Downtown Management Board (DMB) and Downtown Development Authority are pleased to announce the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Keys in the Cities pianos in East Lansing. The ceremony will take place on Friday, May 29 at 11 a.m. at the green space located at the corner of Abbot Road and Albert Avenue.
As a part of the inaugural Keys in the Cities project, artfully decorated pianos have been placed throughout the Lansing and East Lansing communities. Three one-of-a-kind pianos have been placed in downtown East Lansing and will be available for the public to play and enjoy. The goal of this innovative community project, brought to the region by the Capital Area Blues Society, is to provide professional musicians, residents, students and visitors with a new platform to highlight their musical abilities.
“For me, this project is about creating stronger connections between residents and their community,” said Keys in the Cities Program Director Larry Grudt. “When a passerby sees one of these pianos, we hope it will affect how they perceive the location. We hope it will inspire individuals to sit down and play or enjoy the music of others.”
“We are so excited to recognize the installation of these beautiful pianos in our downtown,” said East Lansing DMB Coordinator Amy Schlusler. “Not only do the pianos provide unique cultural enrichment, they add to the vibrancy in our downtown.”
East Lansing’s pianos will be placed in Fountain Square, located at the corner of Albert Avenue and M.A.C. Avenue; the public alley between the Greater Lansing Convention & Visitors Bureau office and Moe’s Southwest Grill; and the green space located at the corner of Albert Avenue and Abbot Road. The pianos are scheduled to remain in the downtown through October 2015.
East Lansing Mayor Nathan Triplett and representatives from the Keys in the Cities project and DMB will speak during the ceremony. Local musicians will also perform. The public and members of the media are welcome to attend.