Twelve Pianos

Half Moon Bay, California. Mauro ffortissimo, an artist and musician, drags an old grand piano onto the bluffs near his home by the sea. He plays it every evening at sunset for the migrating whales passing just offshore. The internet catches on, the news cameras arrive, crowds swell to hundreds of people. And the city orders it to stop. Mauro responds with an installation of twelve pianos at select locations along the San Mateo coast. In the misty early morning hours, pianos are hauled up mountains, onto beaches, and into cypress groves. For twelve days, world-class musicians, enthusiasts, and novices come to play in the exquisite natural surroundings. And again, he is ordered to stop the music. With no choice but to bring the pianos to the streets of San Francisco, twelve grand pianos on wheeled platforms roll through the worst parts of town, where the homeless and neglected enjoy an unexpected treat of music. The pianos are stored in a crumbling, condemned building, which soon hosts underground concerts by the city’s finest musicians. San Francisco’s rebellious artist’s soul stirs once again. But why must art have to work so hard to find a place in our world? Twelve Pianos showcases everyday superstars who walk among us, with a deep passion for the arts that will not fit neatly into a box. Filmmaker Dean Mermell and a small, dedicated crew capture the incredible sights and sounds of this unusual passion project. These pianos want to save the world.