‘Pianos For Peace’ Festival Decorates Atlanta With 88 Colorful Pianos

August 30th, 2019

For two weeks starting on Sept. 1, the “Pianos for Peace” festival will place 88 colorful, hand-painted pianos throughout the metro-Atlanta area.

Courtesy of Pianos for Peace

Music can be used in many ways. Creating unity is one of the ways “Pianos for Peace” utilizes music.

For two weeks starting on Sept. 1, the “Pianos for Peace” festival will place 88 colorful, hand-painted pianos throughout the metro-Atlanta area. The public is invited to play or simply admire them before they are donated to local schools, healthcare facilities, and community centers. The locations can be found on their website.

Lois Reitzes spoke with the founder of Pianos For Peace, Syrian-American composer and pianist Malek Jandali. He was joined by Vincenzo Piscopo, the founder of a partner organization, “Wheels of Happiness.”

After Jandali performed at the first “Wheels of Happiness” gala, the two organization founders decided to collaborate for future events.

Left to right: Lois Retizes, Malek Jandali, and Vincenzo Piscopo. “Pianos for Peace” and “Wheels of Happiness” have partnered together to create this festival. (Summer Evans/WABE)

“Our two organizations have something in common and that is peace. We endorse ‘Pianos for Peace’s’ mission because we believe our organization aims to do the same. But to be able to provide peace, we have to start giving people the opportunity to live life with dignity,” said Piscopo.

Their 4th annual gala will be held on Sept. 21 at the Atlanta Marriot Perimeter Center. There will also be a special performance by blind pianist and tenor Carlos Alberto Ibay. The proceeds from the gala will go towards supporting those with spinal cord injuries and people with motor disabilities in disadvantaged communities around the world.