Day 300

In late February, only 11 days after installation, Xavier Dargan made his first visit to the piano, where he celebrated one of the few snowy days on campus. Today, 299 days later (or the 300th day outside), the piano has significantly changed; Xavier admired the warped lid and the sunken pedals, and noted how these reflected the changing seasons and the piano's gradual decay.

At the keyboard, Xavier gave a very thorough analysis of the condition of the keys, playing them one by one and examining their response. "Very quiet," he commented about one key, as he progressed up the scale. "The one D that survives!" he exclaimed. "That's an interesting one," he said of a high F, "that has a lot of resistance. It's bouncy, actually, very fun to press."

He identified two keys that had come loose; he lifted one out and we were able to see where it was seated on a short metal post and felt pad. Some keys popped back up on the their own, some remained stuck in place, and others required a little assistance. "That's my favorite thing about this piano, being able to lift [the key] up when it gets stuck. It's a fun technique."

Days in place: 300

Weather: chilly, light breeze, 39°F