Mandurah students and staff are invited to attend a public piano launch on Wednesday 17 August from 12:30pm. The Guild has partnered with Access, Wellbeing and Equity to provide light catering at the launch, and there’s word a few piano players will be sharing their talents.
The Play me! I’m yours! initiative received funding in 2021 from the VC Small Steps of Innovation and SSAF, enabling multiple public pianos to be installed for staff and students to enjoy.
Kelly Parsons from Access, Wellbeing and Equity says the pianos are a creative way to reignite campus culture and inspire social connection through music.
“At the South Street campus, we have been blown away by the popularity of the pianos. We had hoped they’d contribute to general wellbeing by attracting musicians out of the woodwork to share their talents, but it’s exceeded our expectations. The pianos have been used to open conferences, for Guild club sing-alongs and one person was seen self-recording an audio track for a sound tech assignment!”.
The project incorporates collaborative artwork to decorate an Indigenous artwork-themed piano sitting at the entrance to the Library, and a pride-themed piano sitting in the corridor of Building 460. Earlier this year a pulse survey revealed that people were loving the pianos, with one person saying they felt they were being serenaded each evening on their way home.
“To hear that people’s spirits are lifted when hearing the music makes me so happy. And I can’t believe how many amazing pianists we have here at Murdoch! So much talent!”
Mandurah campus is home to Creative Arts Therapy (CAT), so it was a great opportunity to collaborate with a CAT student for the artwork. Jess Wilkes was successful in her bid to apply her artistic talent to the piano and surrounding wall cavity of the alfresco area. Her design concept connects humanity, heart and beauty to reflect the key discipline areas of Nursing and Creative Arts Therapy at Mandurah. Local native plant species are also woven into the design.
“The rays of the sun and moon intersect, referencing connection of people, thoughts and affect. This depicts the science and alchemy of our existence as well as multi-dimensional learning pathways” Jess said.
Come on down and join us next Wednesday!
