UCLA's Hill Resounds with Music
The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) has embarked on an exciting initiative called the Piano Project, aimed at fostering connections among students and building a vibrant, musical community.
Led by Jeremy Barrett, the project has placed four pianos outside popular campus locations such as Covel, Bruin Plate dining hall, Luskin Conference Center, and Bruin Walk. The outdoor pianos serve as a space for students to congregate, break down barriers, and build friendships through shared musical experiences.
One such student, Alethea Sung-Miller, discovered the piano weeks after hearing someone else play. For her, the piano provides a respite from her chronic migraines and serves as a "home away from home." As an electrical engineering major at UCLA, Alethea has even managed to secure piano lessons from UCLA faculty and an internship with a composer from the show "How I Met Your Mother."
The Piano Project is supported by various campus partners, including the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music, which donated pianos for the project. The initiative also received funding from the UCLA Semel Healthy Campus Initiative Center and additional support from Chancellor Gene Block and UCLA Housing.
Impromptu performances and social interactions have been non-stop since the installation of the outdoor pianos, according to Peter Angelis, the assistant vice chancellor of UCLA Housing and Hospitality. He expressed surprise that students living on the Hill had gone without instruments, highlighting the project's success in filling a gap in the campus community.
Barrett's heart is "100 percent music," as he has been playing piano since he was 6 years old. His goal for the Piano Project is to help students connect through music, mirroring the mission of UCLA's broader music education framework, which is well-funded through scholarships and philanthropic backing.
Alethea, with her diverse interests in electrical engineering, novel writing, hardware hackathons, film scoring, coding theory, ballet, and nanorobotics, is a testament to the project's ability to attract students from various backgrounds and foster a sense of community. Her passion for the piano is evident as she plays her own classically inspired compositions on an outdoor piano near her UCLA dorm.
The fourth piano arrived with fanfare in January, further enhancing the musical landscape of UCLA's campus. With four outdoor pianos now available to anyone on campus, the Piano Project continues to provide a unique opportunity for students to connect, learn, and create music together.
Engaging with a variety of interests, Alethea Sung-Miller finds solace and community beyond her academic pursuits in electrical engineering. Her melodious creations on the outdoor pianos, representing the home-and-garden of music, also serve as a bridge to her passions in entertainment, particularly film scoring and novel writing. Under the umbrella of UCLA's comprehensive music education framework, the Piano Project rhythmically intertwines lifestyle and music, promoting a harmonious, home-and-garden atmosphere for entertainment and connection among students.
