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Grammy-winning pianist Peter Martin will host and headline the 10th anniversary celebration of the founding of Pianos for People at the organization’s annual concert performance, “An Evening of 100 Fingers,” at 7 p.m. on Sun., Oct. 23, in the Concert Hall at The Sheldon. Martin will be joined by a number of the nonprofit’s students, alumni, and special guests including Chase Garrett, Adaron “Pops” Jackson, Royce Martin, Walter Parks and Brian Woods.
Proceeds will help the organization provide lessons, camps and community events – all for free – to students at its two locations on Cherokee Street in South St. Louis and at the First Baptist Church in Ferguson.
Tickets to the concert are available through MetroTix. Patrons will also have the opportunity to purchase a ticket to a pre-show dinner reception, which will be held at 5 p.m. in The Sheldon Ballroom, prior to the performance. For more information, please visit www.pianosforpeople.org or call 314-285-5852 (for VIP Dinner/Concert tickets) and 314-534-1111 or (800) 293-5949 (for Concert-Only tickets). Online concert tickets may also be purchased at https://www.thesheldon.org/events/evening-of-100-fingers/.
“This is an incredible occasion for our organization, and the milestones we have achieved are the result of the combined efforts of many individuals, from our founders Tom and Jeanne Townsend, to our incredibly loyal and talented music staff and, mostly, to our students with whom we have celebrated each and every day,” said Matt Brinkmann, executive director of Pianos for People. “We have been incredibly blessed this past decade to watch, firsthand, how transformative the power of music truly is. We have seen that a piano is more than just a piano. It can be an agent of change and inspiration for people, and we see this again and again in our work with students of all ages.”
The nonprofit, founded by the Townsends in 2012, following the loss of their oldest child, Alex, in a car accident, has served more than 10,000 individuals from ages four to 74 since its inception with free music lessons, special events, enrichment activities and summer camp programs. The popular events include Super Theory Saturdays, Piano Slams and recitals.
In 2021, Pianos for People celebrated the distribution of its 300th piano. Refurbished pianos are donated to soldiers with PTSD, isolated seniors, adults with anxiety and students in need who want to play. The organization’s successful summer camp for students attracts more than 150 youth during those critical out-of-school hours, allows students the opportunity to create and produce their own music and broaden their skill level and comprehension of music theory. The Music Resource Library at the Pianos for People’s Cherokee site, provides a vast selection of donated music that students browse through, borrow and even keep.
Ninety-two percent of the students come from households with income of less than $35,000. Prior to Pianos for People, Tom Townsend, co-founder of Rodgers Townsend/DDB, a prominent St. Louis ad agency, created award-winning advertising for Fortune 500 companies and was awarded the Spirit of St. Louis Award for donating well over a million dollars’ worth of pro bono hours to St. Louis organizations. He retired from that position in 2014 to focus his efforts on Pianos for People. The creative icon passed away in 2019, following a brief battle with cancer.
“Tom would be so thrilled at the progress Pianos for People has made during the three years since his untimely death. In spite of the jarring impact of his passing, and the obstacles presented by the pandemic, we have not only survived, but have continued to thrive under the capable leadership of Matt Brinkmann and our talented board,” said Jeanne Townsend, founder and vice president of the organization. “When Tom conceived of the idea for Pianos for People over a decade ago, he couldn’t have imagined in his wildest dreams that by our tenth anniversary, we would have served so many hundreds students and given away over 300 quality pianos. PFP is a beautiful legacy to both Tom and to our son, Alex, who inspired its creation ten years ago.”
Pianos for People provides free access to the transformative power of music to those who need it most – children and families with limited resources and the organizations that serve them through inspiration, education, community and enrichment. Royce Martin and Nicholas Murphy, two former students who discovered the key to an empowered life through the organization, are currently studying at Berklee College of Music in Boston and Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, respectively. The organization has been featured nationally on “The NBC Nightly News,” “ABC World News Tonight” and recognized as the 2017 Arts Innovator of the Year Award winner by the Arts & Education Council. For more information, visit www.pianosforpeople.org.
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