COOLHUNT - Playing the piano together.

Last week when I arrived at the train station in Nijmegen something was different. I heard a beautiful sound coming towards me. It was the sound of a beautiful piano piece. It sounded loud and with a great  acoustics. Then I saw it. A guy was playing the piano on the station. At first I thought what is this? Did someone bring their piano to the station? But when I came a little closer out of curiosity I found out what it was. 

WHAT? It's an initiative from the organization 'Buiten Spelen'. It's the fifth piano in Nijmegen. There were already other piano's spread through the city. The intention is to bring people together spontaneously so that they can make music together. When I arrive at the station I hear people play beautiful music and it's really worth to listen to them. The piano is paid out of crowd funding. They renovated the piano before they put it on the station. Now it's a great way for people who have to wait for the train to come together and make great music! You can see the photo that I made myself. And also a video from 'Omroep Gelderland'. They will tell you something more about the initiative (in Dutch). 

WHY? This is a really cool idea because the train station (NS) is often compared to negative thoughts, trains who are always late, people who are in a hurry and little irritations between travelers. This piano brings a bit of life and joy to the train station! I thinks it's a great way of sharing which in my eyes is the 'macro' trend in this story. We are so busy with sharing everything through social media and even in restaurants you see that sharing is a trend (like tapas). It's also a great example of togetherness. People come together and they just forget their stress and hurry and just make some music! And other travelers who are maybe not as musical as the people who are playing can just enjoy the music. Because the acoustics are great in the station! 

source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8F_TtVkbBk

Source: my own photo

Source: http://www.omroepgelderland.nl/web/nieuws-1/2070232/vrij-bespeelbare-piano-op-station-nijmegen.htm#.VC-lgEuVd4E