Play Me Again Pianos Installs New Public Piano At The Alpharetta Arts Center

Play Me Again Pianos, a nonprofit aspiring to make metro Atlanta more musical through 88 public piano installations, will introduce its newest donated piano Saturday, June 24th, at 5:00 p.m. on the Alpharetta Arts Center terrace. The event is free and open to the public and everyone is encouraged to play the piano, named “Ms. Jean,” after the ceremony.

“Public pianos inspire people to connect with each other in ways that were once common, but seem increasingly rare,” said Jason Brett, co-founder of Play Me Again Pianos. “By adding our pianos to the landscape throughout the metropolitan area, we hope to nurture that connection into an evolution of Atlanta’s culture, community and the arts.”

Having partnered with the Alpharetta Recreation, Parks and Culture Department to host five other public pianos in their city, Play Me Again Pianos is excited to extend that relationship to include a new installation at the Alpharetta Arts Center for the debut of their 26th piano installation in the metro area. “Ms Jean” replaces “Ekphrasis” which was placed at the Alpharetta Arts Center in August 2019 and was retired in December 2022.

“The painted pianos in our parks are loved and played daily by all ages and skill levels,” said by Morgan Rogers, Director of Alpharetta Recreation, Parks and Cultural Services.

This newest piano was brought to life by Sarah Mangalapalli, a long-time resident of Alpharetta. “My design for the piano is based on a traditional quilt pattern known as Lafayette Orange, made modern with eye-catching colors and whimsical doodles,” said Mangalapalli. “It represents the blend of tradition and freshness that characterizes Alpharetta and complements the architecture of the Alpharetta Arts Center. The concept of the quilt is very meaningful to me; a quilt is a humble, practical work of art created out of love (often by an anonymous woman maker), and I cannot think of a better translation of this intention than “quilting” a playable piano in my beloved community.”

The baby grand was donated by the family of another Alpharetta resident, Ms. Jean Williams, who lived one mile from the Alpharetta Arts Center. She took piano lessons from a young age and started singing in the church choir. She sang and played piano at the Alpharetta Presbyterian Church for church services and weddings for years. Ms. Jean loved her piano and played it everyday.

You can find other pianos installed by Play Me Again Pianos in Cogburn Road Park, Rock Mill Park, Wills Park Equestrian Center, and Webb Bridge, as well as at the Woodruff Arts Center, the Chastain Arts Center, Ponce City Market and Atlantic Station in Atlanta, and also in Chamblee, East Cobb, Roswell and the Serenbe Art Farm Community.

With the increasing rarity of home pianos, public access to them uplifts the entire community, but donations to charities for non-essential services have been crushingly low since the pandemic. Contributions right now can make the difference between a charity surviving or closing its doors. If you love the thought of having pianos available to the public in your city, please donate today, while it’s on your mind. It’s never been needed more. For information about volunteer opportunities, the impact of Play Me Again Pianos, and a link to donate, visit www.PlayMeAgainPianos.org.