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Are you a fan of music? Have you heard about Piano Day? Well, there is a day to celebrate this famous instrument. World Piano Day is an annual event observed on 29th of March. It takes place on the 88th day of the year corresponding to the number of keys on the piano. It’s a worldwide event which lasts for a couple of days. The aim of the day is to create a platform for piano related projects in order to promote the development of musical dimensions and to continue sharing the centuries-old joy of playing piano. It’s a great day to learn or teach others about this instrument.
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Pianos have always brought us joy irrespective of whether we play it or listen to it. It was invented in 1700s by an Italian, Bartolomeo Cristofori. It was first called “clavicembalo col piano e forte” which can be translated as “a harpsichord that can play soft and loud noises”. In 1821 Sébastien Érard invented the double escapement action, which made it easier to rapidly play and repeat notes. At present there are many types of pianos – vertical, spinet, console, studio, upright, digital, pianola (self-playing piano), grand, and baby grand. They come in a variety of sizes too.
The main thing we need to familiarize ourselves with is the keys. When we look at the keyboard we see white and black keys that run from left to white. They do not actually alternate. There is a pattern that is made of five black keys and seven white keys in a certain order. An interval is formed from the beginning of one set of keys and the ending, which is at the beginning of the next set. This is called an ‘octave’, which is simply a type of interval which is the musical distance between two sounds. The highest keys of the piano are on the right and the lowest on the left.
History of World Piano Day
It is the celebration of “the King of Musical Instruments”. The day was founded by a group of like minded people who aimed to create a platform for piano related projects to promote the development of music and to share the joy of playing the piano. German pianist and composer Nils Frahm initiated World Piano Day in 2015. The idea behind it was to celebrate the piano across the world by holding events, performances, masterclasses, lectures, etc. Since it’s inception, World Piano Day has gained immense popularity, with participation from pianists, promotors, organizers, distributors, technicians, piano enthusiasts, and basically anyone associated with the instrument. In 2018, the World Piano Day team announced the construction of the Klavins M450. This was constructed by David Klavins is the largest upright piano every built.
How to Observe World Piano Day?
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Different events are organized around the globe. Deutsche Grammophon will present its third international virtual festival to celebrate World Piano Day on 29 March 2022. This year, instead of a one day festival, the comprehensive programme opening on 24 March and ending on 29 March, includes six piano concerts from Deutsche Grammophon’s world-class pianists on DG Stage, a film of rediscovered performances from legendary artists, and a specially curated collection of piano albums on sale in the DG Store. A very special collection of 32 exclusive and unreleased piano pieces reflecting the diversity and adaptability of the instrument has been compiled as part of Piano Day 2022. This will be released on March 29th.
Below are some of the ways you can be a part of the celebrations:
- Advocate Piano Day and inspire your family members to start playing.
- Commit to taking piano lessons.
- Play the piano for your community and encourage others to join.
- Get in touch with an elementary school, play for the youngsters and give them a piano lesson. This might attract them to the instrument.
- Organize a piano session in a local hospital. Music plays a vital role in soothing the minds and may contribute to the healing process.
- Create your own concerts or live stream events with friends or send your videos, photos, stories, poems or anything that is piano inspired.
- Listen to some beautiful classical music on your favorite device.
- Attend a concert at your local theater.
- Use the hashtag #worldpianoday on your social media devices and let everyone know about the day.
Used in concerts everywhere, the piano has a long history of bringing music to life with its delicate sound and beautiful resonance. World Piano Day is to celebrate everything associated with the instrument and to promote its evolution.
World Piano Day 2022 Quiz
When was the piano invented?
Ans: 1700s
Who invented the piano?
Ans: Bartolomeo Cristofori
How many keys are there in a piano?
Ans: 88
How many white keys are there in a piano?
Ans: 52
How many black keys are there in a piano?
Ans: 36
What are the 52 white keys for?
Ans: The notes of the C Major scale (the notes C, D, E, F, G, A and B)
What are the 36 shorter black keys for?
Ans: The black keys are for the “accidental” notes (♯/G♭, G♯/A♭, A♯/B♭, C♯/D♭, and D♯/E♭)
When did the electric piano become a popular instrument?
Ans: In the 1960s and 1970s
What are the two basic configurations of modern acoustic pianos?
Ans: The grand piano and the upright piano
