New Year

On a brisk morning in early February, Felipe (a Brown alum, '19) and Andrea (a current grad student, '27), checked in on the piano to see how it has been surviving over the winter. Equipped with warm gloves, coats, and hats against the chilly air, the two explored the piano inside and out, from the keys and pedals to the strings and peeling case.

Felipe has been playing piano since childhood, and was excited to see how the instrument's action had changed after nearly a year of being outdoors. Andrea remarked that the piano's arched lid reminded him of a nativity scene, and could provide a small shelter for figurines. Both took a moment to sit back and reflect on how they now saw and listened to the space differently. What would otherwise have been an unremarkable spot behind the Orwig music building was now a space to notice: a space to listen to, contemplate, and appreciate.

Gesturing back to the piano, Felipe muses aloud: "It makes you think... is this still an instrument?" He reaches inside and strums a few strings. "I would say it is," he concludes. "You can still make sound on it, and some pretty cool sounds."

Days in place: 352

Weather: crisp and sunny, 33°F