RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:
And in Columbia, Mo., an old and worn piano has been fixed up just enough to make it through one last summer. This piano sits outside different restaurants throughout the summer, waiting for anyone to play it. Let's go there for our summer series, The World's a Stage.
LIONELLE MILLER: My name is Lionelle Miller. I am self-taught on the piano, and I've been playing the piano for about 20, 25 years. Someone came and said there was - they had a street piano sitting out. I just fell in love with it. I think it's, like, the most awesome thing in the world.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
MILLER: You get to meet other really talented musicians and other people who are just starting.
HEATH: My name's Heath. I like playing piano. I play it in my house sometimes.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: Ah, very good.
MAKALI HAWKINS: My name is Makali Hawkins. I live in Columbia. I'm a student at Hickman high school. I'm going to be a senior this year. The environment around the piano is just kind of, like, very homey. Like, it's inviting to anybody who wants to come up to it and play it.
(Singing) I came in like a wrecking ball. I never hit so hard in love. All I wanted was to break your walls. All you ever did was...
I think that's one of the really cool things about Columbia as a whole, is that we're all very diverse, but we can all come together in certain times. And one of the pianos is just one of those places that everybody can come to the table.
MILLER: There are so many lives and experiences in the piano, and I could tell I'm adding experiences to the piano, too.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
MONTAGNE: That piece was reported by Rebecca Smith of member station KBIA. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.