The Smart Outdoor Piano – a Journey From the Concert Hall to the Streets of the World

In Jerusalem’s Safra Square you can see an extraordinary spectacle every day. At the center of the square there is an outdoor piano that is used by musicians, amateurs and professionals alike, at all hours of the day – people who play for their own pleasure and fill the public space with music. Passersby are not indifferent to the sights and sounds. They stop, listen to the music playing, sometimes join in singing, and get the chance to meet people they probably would never have connected with.

“The truth is that I don't play at all," says Dr. Dan Kaufmann, the person who invented and produced the outdoor piano project. "I am an academic researcher and lecturer by profession, and I was introduced to the world of outdoor pianos after dealing with issues of urban development. I was extremely curious about public spaces –and especially about the fact that public spaces hardly ever create opportunities for social interactions."

After coming to the conclusion that music can make the public space a more social, joyous and connecting place – Kaufmann had to choose the right musical instrument. "I didn't immediately settle on the piano," he reveals. "I tried to think of wind instruments, drums, harp or guitar – but the drums make too much noise, not enough people know how to play the harp, and you can bring a guitar from home. That's how I ended up with the piano."

Completely weather-resistant

In order to bring together music and a social encounter to the public space, Kaufmann founded the Cadenza company. Since its establishment, the company has been engaged in developing unique and weatherproof outdoor pianos. Cadenza pianos are suitable for outdoor use anywhere around the world. "A grand piano placed in the public space enjoys all the splendor and grandeur of the large concert halls. It’s a large and impressive element that no one expects to find on the street," explains Kaufmann. "After I had the initial idea of installing a piano outdoors, a large number of technological challenges arose. After all, a piano is made of wood and contains hundreds of delicate moving parts. Placing a piano outdoors, exposed to harsh and variable weather conditions and being intensively used by passersby, seemed to be an almost impossible task."

Kaufmann's journey to developing the outdoor piano was long and complicated. A number of investors who were enthusiastic about the idea joined his vision. The project even won a grant from the Innovation Authority, which supported the project and helped it get off the ground. "Today we can say with satisfaction that we are the pioneering and leading company in the field, operating in the global arena and producing durable and smart outdoor pianos that can be situated outside anywhere around the world and our pianos can operate for years," says Kaufmann, noting that the piano developed by the Cadenza company incorporates complex technological systems.

He explains that the pianos are equipped with a smart operating and control system, which enables remote control, setting operating hours and volume levels, as well as tracking technical data and documenting the extent of its use. In addition, the piano's systems are all based on solar energy using a solar panel that was designed especially for the piano and is embedded in its concrete shell.

"One of the most exciting moments of my life was when I went around with the people responsible for developing downtown Jerusalem to find a suitable location for the first piano we produced. Knowing that an idea that until recently just a conceptual one was actually going to be realized in one of the most complex and diverse cities in the world was literally a dream come true for me," says Kaufmann, noting that the first outdoor piano has been placed in Jerusalem since 2017 – since then the company has installed more than a hundred pianos around the world.

Ido Levitt, director of innovation at Eden – the Jerusalem Economic Development Company, adds that "In fact, the piano turns the public space into a stage, and the pedestrians into an audience. It allows passersby to connect to an unexpected – and emotional – experience of listening and playing music. The outdoor pianos change the urban space and introduce a new dimension of connection, community and culture to it."

"A smart outdoor piano with technological advantages"

Cadenza notes that the pianos developed by the company benefit from advanced technological capabilities. "We view our product as a smart outdoor piano. On the one hand, we bring an instrument to the street that looks exactly like the classical piano, and on the other hand, we incorporate sophisticated analytic and control systems in the piano that allow us to adapt it to the different environments and challenges of urban life in the 21st century,” says Kaufmann. "The ability to control the piano's operating hours and the volume levels also allows it to comply with noise control regulations and not be a nuisance. We have developed a cloud-based smart management system that is connected with every piano in the world for remote updates, upgrades and monitoring. Each customer has access to their pianos and through an app they are able to monitor and manage their operating hours and receive data and reports."

Cadenza's pianos are already installed in Israel, the United States, Poland, Luxembourg and Azerbaijan, and Kaufmann reveals that "later this year we will also launch in the Spanish market." In addition, Cadenza partnered with the 1000Pianos Organization located in Barcelona. The founder of 1000Pianos, Shlomi Grandes, says: "We are excited to collaborate with Cadenza and bring Cadenza pianos to major European cities. We are delighted each time to see the public’s enthusiasm when they unexpectedly encounter these pianos around their city out in the public open spaces."

At Cadenza, they are proud to see the ability of outdoor pianos to create diverse social interactions and to improve the public space. "One of the most prominent trends in the field of urban planning is to create a community. City planners are challenged by the understanding of how public spaces can help alleviate loneliness, bring together different people and build communities. Our pianos serve exactly these purposes," says Kaufmann in conclusion. "The piano is part of a global trend in the field of urban planning called "Placemaking", which sees the development of public space as an essential component of the city's economic development and social and community resilience. When I see the human mosaic that comes to play and sing together around the piano we created, I am filled with satisfaction and know that we have brought something special to the world."

Outdoor Piano
Phone: 052-6252227
To go to the website >>

In cooperation with Cadenza