CDM professors are helping to coordinate and produce a documentary about the 147 Pianos event that will be held Oct. 19.
The 147 Pianos is a live performance of 147 pianos playing simultaneously. The flyer reads, “You don’t have to be a pro, you just have to want to play,” welcoming anyone who wants to join. To accommodate this, the music composition will be divided into three levels: beginner, intermediate and advanced. The only requirement is attending a three-hours rehearsal the day before the event.
The event will be held at Lucas Piano Services on 1500 S. Western Ave.
The 147 Pianos documentary is a collaborative effort between DePaul College of Computing and Digital Media faculty members and students.
The film, headed by CDM staff, will be produced by Dana Hodgdon, with cinematography by Pete Biagi, sound design by Robert Steel, and directed by Dolores Wilber.
The documentary will include a live performance as well as an interview with Ed Lisauskas, a full-time restorer of vintage pianos who has been in this business for more than 50 years, and with his co-worker Sylvester Czajkowski. The documentary is sponsored by DePaul University’s Bluelight grant along with the support of DePaul Dean David Miller and Associate Professor Matt Irvine, who also acts as the director of the School of Cinema and Interactive Media in the College of Computing and Digital Media.
DePaul graduate and undergraduate students taking the Bluelight class at the College of Computing and Digital Media are joining the event. DePaul Bluelight projects have done documentaries in the past but this is their first time covering a live event. “DePaul students are benefitting from taking the Bluelight Class in the School of Cinema and Interactive Media and participating in the planning and execution of a live performance and documentary film,” Professor Wilber said.
147 Pianos will be the 18th annual celebration of Chicago’s vibrant art community presented by the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events.
DePaul students can attend this event either as piano players or if they are enrolled in the College of Digital Media as participants in the making of the film.
“This film is honoring pianos and the people who help make them [students] playable,” Wilber said.
For now, there are approximately 200 people signed up to participate in the event, but they are still looking for more piano players. Professor Wilber encourages all students to sign up, come, and play.
“It will be a fabulous time,” Wilber said.