Homeless Man Sits Down At Broken Piano On Sidewalk— Bystanders Had To Stop To Listen

Jul 20, 2021 by apost team

Music is something that connects the world; no matter who you are or where you are from, there will be very little doubt that you enjoy listening to music. While popular music recorded in studios are certainly what keeps the music industry going, impromptu performances on the street provide a novel and more enjoyable experience sometimes. This is especially true when someone plays an instrument with incredible mastery and can bring together a large crowd. 

In 2017, a homeless man sat down at a derelict piano in the city of Kiev to play a lovely, lilting piece of music for the passersby who stopped to enjoy it. It's obvious that he had little in the way of material goods but is rich in artistry. The video over 11 million views since it was first uploaded in April 2017, and for good reason! 

The piece that he played began with a ringing series of chords; a call to attention that something remarkable was about to happen. The first playing of the theme of the piece was simple and a bit sad, as it's in a minor key.

If you look around the scene, you notice other themes and other variations. The leaves on the tree behind the piano are small and new. His audience is dressed for cool weather. They wear jackets, hats, jeans and heavy shoes. Many of the people in the audience are children. The music, which is played without any sheet music in front of the pianist, is repeated many times. Each variation was ear-catchingly different.

The piano, though not terribly out of tune, had obviously seen better days. The wooden frame looked as though it had splintered along the side and the strings and hammers were uncovered. Without a lot of care, the piano would not survive the elements. Even with the splintering and damage that the piano sustained, it was able to create sounds that can appeal to almost anyone. The music, played in Kiev, is already universally loved based on the comments left below the Youtube video. 

While at the beginning people did not know what the name of this man was, a comment written by user Memphis Raines cleared in the comments section: the man's name is Kirilo Kostyukovsky. The comment also reported that the song he is playing in the video is called "Teen Power."  The condition of his hair and clothing leaves little doubt that life has not been easy for Kostyukovsky, but that has not stepped the incredibly talented man from making heavenly music. At Kostyukovsky's feet is a white plastic shopping bag full of items, which may speak about his homeless condition. 

The street on which he played has a very ordinary appearance. It may be a market space as there appear to be small kiosks or tent shops in the background and chairs can be seen in the distance, the type of walkers in an outdoor mall might use to rest and study their purchases. As seen in the video, for one beautiful moment, the world seemed to come together to listen to the beautiful compositions coming from the piano and the mastery Kostyukovsky was able to provide. 

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What did you think of this beautiful video and the music that Kirilo Kostyukovsky played? Do you have any stories of incredible street performances? Tell us about them, and be sure to pass this onto your friends to make their day better.