All-weather piano honoring musician David Sancious, mother unveiled in Belmar’s Pyanoe Plaza

A good crowd turned out Tuesday for the debut of the cadenza piano, worth nearly $50,000.

Jim Murdoch

Nov 27, 2024, 3:41 AM

Updated 15 days ago

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Belmar welcomed a rare all-weather outdoor electric piano as a new centerpiece at Pyanoe Plaza on Tuesday.
A good crowd turned out for the debut of the cadenza piano, worth nearly $50,000. It was made possible by fundraising efforts by the Belmar Arts Center. The piano will honor early E Street Band member David Sancious and his late mom Stelma. Bruce Springsteen and the band used to rehearse during their formative years at Stelma’s garage on 15th Avenue and E Street in town.
“Today we don’t have weatherproofing for us but our piano is weatherproof,” said Belmar Councilwoman Maria Rondinaro, referring to Tuesday’s rain. “It’s a cadenza piano that there’s only one other in the United States that’s in Boston.”
“It’s also a beautiful thing to have a monument that actually is a musical instrument where people can come into town and play something that is an actual monument,” said Belmar’s Pat Roddy, of the Pat Roddy Band.
Keyboard player John Sciarappa tickled the ivories and joined Roddy and other musicians to play in front of a crowd of around 50 people assembled to welcome the new piano.
A formal dedication ceremony honoring the cadenza piano, David Sancious, and his late mother is scheduled to be held on May 3, 2025.