Rhyan and Zeyn Schweyk, The Piano Boys, have been playing piano since the age of 5, and five years ago when they were 9 and 10 years old, they were walking down State Street in Santa Barbara when they saw a piano sitting out on the sidewalk.

“Should we play it?” they asked each other, and quickly sat down and began a song. A crowd gathered, around what was one of the Pianos on State instruments. That was the first public performance of the Piano Boys, who have now played venues all over town.

Recently, Community Arts Workshop (CAW) invited Rhyan and Zeyn to sit down and record a concert at the CAW with City TV filming.

Their show goes online at 5 p.m. Sunday Nov. 22, here. The performance will also air on City TV Channel 18 on Cox Cable, 8 p.m. Saturday Nov. 21; 5 p.m. Nov. 22; 7 p.m. Nov. 23; and 9 p.m. Nov. 26.

Pianist Ed Baum, who has played professionally in Santa Barbara for 35-plus years, for the past five autumns has performed virtual concerts on the “lovely, whimsical, feral” Pianos on State, and posted them to YouTube, where they have racked up many thousands of views.

Last week CAW recorded Baum playing on a Pianos on State piano, same as always, but not out on the street. His performance includes “On the Street Where You Live,” “Alone Again,” and “Time Stood Still.”

Viewers can also check out Baum’s interpretation of Queen’s “Killer Queen” for a special choral appearance from CAW’s neighborhood crows at the end.

Pianos on State 2020 Online Concert Series venues and dates:

Santa Barbara Bowl: Performance with symphonic conductor Emmanuel Fratianni outdoors in the Jerry Garcia Glen, Available now here.

Lobero Theatre: Performances featuring Zach Gilland Opera Santa Barbara. Available now here.

Community Arts Workshop: YouTube Premier featuring the Piano Boys, opens 5 p.m. Nov. 22.

Marjorie Luke Theatre: Performance online 9 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 25, with artists Brian Mann, Gil Rosas, Michael Mortilla, Sio Tepper, Mendeleyev and Jay Real.

Center Stage Theatre: Performance up on Center Stage website 7 p.m. Nov. 21.

Pianos on State is a collaborative experience between local organizations:

Santa Barbara Arts Collaborative, Lead Organizer
Santa Barbara Bowl
Santa Barbara County Office of Arts and Culture
Santa Barbara Education Foundation
Downtown Santa Barbara
City of Santa Barbara

To donate to support Pianos on State, you may do so here.