Did you know that March 28 is known as World Piano Day? It’s a global holiday that honors one of the most popular and versatile musical instruments: the piano. Pianos come in all shapes and sizes, though a standard piano has a keyboard with 88 keys.
Acoustic pianos have an intricate network of hammers that hit strings strung to a soundboard, with dampers, bridges, and other components contained within a big, hollow cabinet. All of these elements work together to produce the distinctive piano sound. Many modern pianos are electronic, replacing soundboards with motherboards and other digital implements to replicate the beautiful sounds of a traditional piano. Interestingly, the piano is considered both a string instrument and percussion, which also explains the instrument’s outstanding ability to work in a variety of musical styles, from classical and symphony sounds to rock and jazz.
It’s no surprise that countless artists use the piano as the central sound in their music. Consider modern musicians like John Legend, Norah Jones, Billy Joel, and Elton John. Many of today’s pianists look to the past for influence and inspiration, and they often point to classical figures like German composer Ludwig van Beethoven, Polish virtuoso Frédéric Chopin, and Romantic-era pianist Clara Schumann. Others look to pop icons of more recent history, including The Beatles, Little Richard, and Leon Russell. But perhaps one of the most influential pianists of the 20th century was Duke Ellington, a jazz pioneer who lived from 1899 through 1974 and reshaped the music world with nearly 2,000 compositions.
Ellington was honored on the 2009 District of Columbia Quarter, on which he is seen proudly seated at a grand piano. The coin is a fitting tribute to a man who used the piano to help redefine music, and it’s a fantastic addition to your collection for numismatically honoring World Piano Day!