At the heart of this story, in many respects, is Nils Frahm. It was this remarkable German musician, known for blending rock, ambient and electronic music, who in 2015 chose to honour what he regards as the most extraordinary of instruments: the piano. His initiative quickly attracted advocates and supporters across multiple countries and has continued to grow with every passing year, drawing in cultural institutions, event organisers, musicians and a broad audience of devoted fans of the instrument. The core idea is to engage both amateurs and professional performers in celebrating and sustaining the centuries-old piano tradition. As for the date of the festivities, it is simple enough: a standard piano has 88 keys, so the celebration falls on the 88th day of the year. Thus, this year, we gather around the black and white keys on 29 March.

The organisers promise that, on this day, Poznań will be steeped in piano sounds, from breakfast to the sound of the instrument, through day-long performances in the Atrium of the Old Brewery, to the town hall bugle call at noon. The programme also features children's workshops, lectures at the Adam Mickiewicz University's Faculty of Acoustics, concerts at Radio Poznań, a live session on the rooftop of the Dom Książki building, fashion shows, film screenings, performances at the Dragon, SARP and Muzyka na nowo clubs, a prestigious finale in Słodownia +3 at the Old Brewery, and a night of experimental fusion blending a DJ set with piano at the Schron club. One particularly noteworthy event will be a panel debate moderated by Jakub Dera, featuring Chopin Competition winners.

A wide array of artists have been invited to participate in the project. Guests include Yana Couto, the Jacek Szwaj & Marek Konarski duo presenting Chopin Reinterpretations, a new collaborative project with Szymon Siwierski & Swiernalis & Kova, Michał Kmieciak performing with his trio, and Miłosz Bazarnik in a solo recital. Admission is free to most events, except the final concert.

Tomasz Janas

translation: Krzysztof Kotkowski

Piano Day Poznań, 29.03.
For more: pianoday.pl

© Wydawnictwo Miejskie Posnania 2026