Our Story
We met in June 2013 in the midst of the Gezi Park Protests. I had been living in Istanbul for two years, and Davide blew into the city with a piano on wheels 16 days after the protests began.
I heard Davide’s music before I knew his name. I was sitting outside a restaurant in Cihangir. Cihangir is the hipster neighborhood in Istanbul. Think Williamsburg, New York City or Friedrichshein, Berlin. Basically, think of any city and then think of the neighborhood where all the hipsters hang out.
Classical music flowed down Sirasiveler Street from Taksim Square. A day earlier the entire neighborhood had been filled with tear gas, rubber bullets and water cannons. I walked up to the square, and saw Davide playing piano. I was stunned. Hundreds of people were sitting on the ground surrounding him. Everyone’s riot gear (police and protestors) was lying beside them.
I can only describe what happened that night as mystical. It was as if Davide was orchestrating the sunrise and making it cast its transcendent rays on the crowd.
I was determined to interview him, and stayed awake until almost 11am (because the crazy guy played over 12 hours!) to ask him for a few minutes of his time. We agreed to meet that Friday.
Friday came, and I went to the hotel where he was staying to conduct the interview. Our energy met head on. Davide had become a symbol of hope for the protestors, and I dug that.
I interviewed him the night Gezi Park was taken back over by police. Despite the police barricades Davide was determined to play. Long story short; Davide played half a song before he was tear-gassed and his piano was taken by police. He was left without his car, piano or any cash.
I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart for helping those in need, so I offered him a place to crash while we attempted to sort things out.
Davide spent the next few days with me while we tried to get his piano back. Those three days were a whirlwind. Want to become good friends with someone? Try helping him out in a country where he doesn’t speak the language and has had all his belongs taken away. Despite the bizarre circumstances, we managed to become great friends.
Davide is extraordinarily excited by life, and it is contagious. He built his piano himself, and started playing it all around the world. He has played in over 70 cities including Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan; Kunduz, Afghanistan; Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegoivna; Pristina, Kosovo; and Paris, France.
It didn’t take long for us to decide that we should go on tour together. We talked about where to go. His message was clear, “Peace”. After many late night conversations, the “Stop Killing Tour” was born. I packed up my things and joined him on the road; writing, taking photos and promoting the tour. We toured across Europe, and begin the tour across the USA this November. Davide will be playing across all continental states, and will be doing performances for some amazing organizations that are working towards creating a more peaceful tomorrow.
And so is the story of how Davide and I ended up in a G60 driving around the world. We are no doubt an odd pair, just an Italian/German pianist and an American doing the best we can to help contribute to a better, more peaceful tomorrow.
You can stay up-to-date about where we are and our upcoming stops by following our blog.
Please feel free to let us know if you want us to play in your city or know of a place that could use some music to brighten the mood.
Davide plays on the street in Philadelphia