We at Sing for Hope knew that June 1 would be a long, busy day. We also knew that it would be an extraordinarily gratifying one. After over a year of planning, our pianos were finally open for business.

The weather that first day was perfect, and it seemed like everyone in New York wanted to come out and play in more ways than one. Some people already knew about the Pianos and had mapped out a route of the locations they wanted to seek out. Others had no idea that their neighborhood park was now the host of a brightly colored musical instrument. The looks of shock, confusion, and delight as people saw our pianos for the first time never got old.

All weekend, Sing for Hope staff and volunteers darted back and forth across the city, moving from piano to piano to make sure everything was running smoothly. Along the way, we encountered people with amazing stories.

There was the young girl at the Riverside Park Pier who brought her beginner sheet music along and played (with her mom's encouragement) a timid ,Mary Had a Little Lamb for a captive audience of adult strangers. There was the impromptu jam session at Grand Army Plaza, and the picnic on Randall's Island, and the regular piano lessons in the Bronx's Whalen Park.

All over New York, people were enjoying the pianos: playing and listening, singing and watching. Most importantly, they were sharing an experience, brought together by art, music, and a spirit of community.