Barcelona hosts "Your city is full of pianos"

"The “Your city is full of pianos” initiative of Fundación Occident, of GCO (Grupo Catalana Occidente), and the Maria Canals International Music Competition, are coming to the Catalan capital on 31 May. "

Both organisations are bringing piano playing closer to the public with this initiative, which will turn the iconic Barcelona boulevard into an outdoor music stage with 10 grand pianos, 2 of them full concert grands.

The ten pianos will be available from 11 am to 8 pm to professional musicians, music students, amateurs, schools, children, and anyone else who wants to experience the joy of playing a piano in an incomparable setting and enjoy this unique and enriching initiative.

The 10 pianos will be located in the following spots:

1. Paseo de Gracia nº2

2. Paseo de Gracia nº17

3. Paseo de Gracia nº38-40

4. Paseo de Gracia nº43

5. Paseo de Gracia nº74

6. Paseo de Gracia nº79

7. Paseo de Gracia nº92

8. Paseo de Gracia nº99

9. Paseo de Gracia nº110

10. Jardines Salvador Espriu nº123

The day's highlights can be shared on social media through photos, videos and messages with the hashtag #PianosBarcelona.

The “Your city is full of pianos” project invites the public to engage with, activate and take ownership of their urban environment through music. It is one of the leading activities organised jointly by Fundación Occident and the Maria Canals Competition to bring music closer to the entire Spanish population.

“This initiative seeks to democratise access to music and the piano, break barriers and reach everyone, whether they can play the piano or not. We want people to come by, dare to give it a try and experience creating music in the special setting that is Paseo de Gracia. Barcelona is a key city for the companies tasked with bringing this initiative to life, and we are proud to make 10 pianos available to all our city's residents so they can enjoy a day of music outdoors”, says Ignacio Gallardo-Bravo, the director of Fundación Occident.

Jordi Vivancos, the director of the Maria Canals Competition, notes that “The pianos on Paseo de Gracia have always been set up as part of the Maria Canals Competition and, for the first time, we are including them in the 'Your city is full of pianos' tour". This change, he underscores, "serves to highlight the goal of this initiative, which is to bring music closer to society and discover young new piano talents who want to take part in the prestigious Maria Canals International Music Competition". 

The close collaboration between Fundación Occident and the Maria Canals Competition has allowed this cultural activity to take place in cities all over Spain, including Barcelona, Madrid, Bilbao, Seville, Cádiz, Málaga, Salamanca, Toledo, Santiago de Compostela, Valencia, León, Granada, San Sebastián, Zaragoza, Cáceres, Santander, Córdoba, Palma de Mallorca and Valladolid. After Barcelona, the initiative will be held in Bilbao on 21 June.