PIANO CITY® is a three-day piano festival that offers many opportunities to experience piano virtuosity in new and unexpected ways. For one inspiring and energizing weekend, we want to transform multiple cities in Silicon Valley into a cultural destination - alive with music in homes, campuses, offices, parks, hospitals and any other places you can imagine.
The unique PIANO CITY® platform and the community approach of the festival will create a special bond among friends, neighbors, and even perfect strangers ... all while enjoying classical and contemporary piano music.Spreading joy one note at a time
PIANO CITY® is the brainchild of Berlin-based pianist Andreas Kern. Born in Johannesburg, South Africa and studied piano in Cologne and Berlin with Günter Ludwig and Pascal Devoyon, Andreas’ activities as a concert pianist have taken him throughout Europe, North America, Hong Kong, China, Japan, India and South Africa as a soloist and chamber music partner.
In addition to various master classes, jury memberships and teaching activities at home and abroad, Andreas Kern was already intensively involved with the idea of presenting classical music to a new, younger audience in a contemporary way during his studies. He developed new concert formats through which he successfully presented classical music at new venues, thus opening up new listening worlds for his audiences.
Andreas tours regularly with his Piano Battle “opponent” Paul Cibis, wowing audiences around the world: sold-out halls in Europe, the USA and Asia - there, among others, at the Shanghai Oriental Arts Center, Seoul Arts Center, National Taipei Concert Hall or at an open air with over 6,000 fans in Taiwan.
His Berlin festival contribution was PIANO CITY® in 2010, where the city was immersed in music over a weekend of 100 piano concerts. Since 2012 Piano City continues annually in Lecce, Milan, Naples, Novi Sad and many other cities with up to 400 concerts and is growing in popularity.
Berlin, Milan, Naples, Novi Sad, Lecce, Palermo, Madrid, Pordenone, Madrid, Pesaro, Napoli… hundreds of pianists and thousands of audience have experienced the magic of music in the most unique settings. Silicon Valley should be the next big stage for local aspiring musicians to showcase their love for piano music.