In the mood for a melody

Ōtorohanga’s piano man Remko Pootjes is on a mission to save discarded pianos and spread the magic of music, writes Viv Posselt.

This piano at the back of the Ōtorohanga railway wears decorative decoupage outlining the area’s attraction. Photo: Viv Posselt

For years Remko Pooties has been saving unwanted pianos from the landfill or the firepit by turning them into community pianos or bespoke merchandising display units that are then leased by commercial clients.

Funds from those leases or sponsors go into providing piano lessons for children … hence his tagline ‘Pianos for Kids’.

“Schools today don’t teach piano in the same way they did years ago, so kids wanting to play need to have parents who can afford private lessons,” he said, “and not all kids want to limit their extra-curricular activities to sports.

“I believe piano lessons should be offered as a lifeskill, like swimming lessons, but when I approached 11 schools in the area asking them to support my concept of teaching kids to play, they all declined. It was either too expensive, the pianos were too heavy, or there weren’t enough kids interested. To me, even one student makes it worthwhile.”

Remko Pootjes with the community piano at the Ōtorohanga railway station, appropriated decorated in ‘Lest We Forget’ poppies. Photo: Viv Posselt

Last year, Pootjes set up The Remiano Charitable Trust – a nifty play on his nickname ‘Rem’ and ‘piano’ – as a registered charity to ‘transform old pianos into new opportunities’ and help fund the free lessons for kids. He finds unwanted pianos from wherever he can, brings them to his workshop in Ōtorohanga, and either restores them to full playing glory or turns them into bespoke pieces of furniture. Some go into streets as community pianos, others become eye-catching bookstands or display units in shops.

There are several ‘how to’ variables involved. People can donate directly, ‘sponsor a painted piano’ or a student’s lessons, artists might opt to paint a piano, give them a decoupage overlay or oversee a school painting project, or they can be used in interactive musical playgrounds.

Pootjes says there are hundreds of unwanted pianos in communities all over New Zealand. A quick internet search can unearth around 100 on any given day, some of them going for just a couple of dollars.

“It is amazing how many just get dumped.”

His concept of repurposing them reduces waste, prevents them clogging landfills and helps promote clean air by removing the need to burn them which, he said, is a method often used for disposal.

The trust doesn’t sell the pianos, it only leases them, he said. “People pay a monthly rental fee, but the pianos remain the property of the trust.”

One of the recycled pianos now sits in the window of Iona van der Pasch’s Moss & Co floral design shop in Ōtorohanga. Photo: Viv Posselt

Surprisingly, Pootjes doesn’t play the piano himself, but his partner does. The Dutch-born former engineer came to New Zealand in the ‘70s, working in his field as well as in sales and in investigations. He is also a well-known volunteer firefighter, based in Ōtorohanga but making himself available for callouts further afield.

The idea to repurpose unwanted pianos came during Covid when a mate asked for his help to move an old piano. The mate wanted to dump it, Pootjes wanted to salvage it … and so it started.

In just the past few weeks, Pootjes has launched a new website and is looking for a business partner who will help take his ‘Play Me Pianos’ to most New Zealand cities. He is also fast-tracking a new Piano Depot collection and workshop container concept that he wants to roll out near refuse dumps or zero waste collection points. Once it’s up and running, he will advertise those collection points locally.

Through Pootjes’ efforts, people are tickling the ivories in towns all over the region and children who may not otherwise have had the means are learning to play.

“We are putting new pianos in towns all the time, and are looking at growing the entire operation,” he said. “There is a lot of interest, so exciting times ahead.”