Three years ago, Kelvin Smith decided to do something quite unusual — play a piano in the most spectacular outdoor settings he could think of.
Key points:
- Kelvin Smith started playing the piano at 10, was put off by exams and theory but had his passion reigned by the film The Piano
- When he bought a piano, he was told to play it only in picturesque places
- His performances are not announced ahead of time but are being documented by videographers
Mr Smith describes himself as a pianist who just does things differently.
With his passion for nature, the 41-year-old thought Tasmania was the perfect venue for his quirky quest.
Originally from Gippsland in Victoria, Mr Smith was one of 11 children and the rule in their house growing up was they had to start playing the piano at the age of 10 but could quit at any time.
He took it up and loved it for a couple of years before exams and theory put him off for a considerable length of time.
Five years ago, Mr Smith watched the iconic film The Piano, which reignited his passion for music.
"I think I nearly killed the piano in frustration but managed to play something that kind of resembled that piece," he remarked candidly.
Mr Smith said he simply wanted to play to make people smile.
The problem he now faced was a lack of a transportable instrument to take on the road to his often remote performance spots.
After searching for something suitable for several weeks, Mr Smith finally found a promising $200 advertisement on Gumtree just before last Christmas.
After talking to owner Sue in the Hobart suburb of Lauderdale and telling her of his curious ambition, she decided to give it to him free of charge — on the condition it was played in beautiful places.
It was the perfect match and he readily accepted, but never got to meet Sue in person because the piano was at a friend's house and Sue was away when he picked it up.
Mr Smith said he would love to know more about the Strauss piano, built in Dresden and thought to be pre-WWII, so he can update Sue about their new-found dynamic adventures together and learn more about its history.
The father of three, who is remarkably a builder's labourer, jeweller, youth mentor and a part-time preacher studying a Doctorate in Unifying Community, was quite nervous about his debut performance near where he lived at Kingston, south of Hobart.
The positive response from that first audience buoyed his confidence and he soon realised it was the start of something special.
Mount Wellington a dream place to perform
In order for his performances to be appreciated more widely, he got in touch with videographers Mark Thomson and Jeremy Button, who started filming him and uploading their work to his Facebook page, A Piano Of Tasmania.
The pop-up locations have varied from the deck of a sailing ketch on the Huon River to a popular cafe in North Hobart to the balcony of the historic Hadley's Hotel in Hobart's CBD.
Mr Smith's favourite performance so far has been at Conningham Beach, south of Hobart, where the waves were almost touching his feet as he played to two surprised kayakers.
The response has been phenomenally positive, with thousands of views and encouraging comments posted online.
Despite the project starting before the spread of coronavirus, it has caught the imagination of the general public in these difficult times.
At a recent performance at Rose Bay on a chilly May morning overlooking the Derwent River, local resident Vicky Lutterell was effusive about the spirit Mr Smith's piano project inspires.
Mary Voss, another local, was equally full of praise, listening to Smith play in his now trademark formal attire.
"It's lovely, it's very uplifting," she said.
With more than 20 performances under his belt, Mr Smith said he is keen to keep going and, like the artist Banksy, prefers to keep the mystery of his next location a secret until the day it happens — partly so he doesn't draw too big a crowd and breach social distancing rules.
The piano mysteriously appears and then disappears, and each time Mr Thomson brings his camera gear along.
"I just turn up and it's there and I don't ask any questions," he laughs.
The punishment the Strauss endures being moving around so often has meant it regularly goes out of tune and requires frequent visits from a good tuner to keep it ready for its next outing.
And where would Mr Smith's ultimate performance be? Hobart's majestic backdrop, kunanyi/Mount Wellington.
"It's been a dream to get a piano up there to play amongst the clouds," he said.
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMicGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmFiYy5uZXQuYXUvbmV3cy8yMDIwLTA1LTI0L2ZpbG0tdGhlLXBpYW5vLWluc3BpcmVzLXRhc21hbmlhbi10by1wbGF5LW11c2ljLWJlYXV0aWZ1bC1wbGFjZXMvMTIyNzczNzbSASdodHRwczovL2FtcC5hYmMubmV0LmF1L2FydGljbGUvMTIyNzczNzY?oc=5
2020-05-24 01:49:50Z
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