A Gigantic Free Concert for the Coronavirus in Italy

I've left the house more than once for a nice long walk without my phone.  And I've returned more than once to get it.  The days I decide that I really don't want it in my pocket with my ID (proof to show the police where I live if they find me out in the woods during lockdown), blue plastic gloves (to open closed gates) and reading glasses (for the irresistible urge to send a message from the vineyard) are the days that I'm sure there's going to be a great photo that I'll be sad to have missed if I go phoneless. 

I'm not a very good cell phone user.  I don't properly close sites, turn things off or hang up phone calls which may be embarrassing, expensive and dangerous.  But the other day I welcomed my carelessness with a smile and a couple of tears.

From out of nowhere (my pocket) on the top of Due Ciliegi (that's what I call the hill with the two cherry trees on top) I heard piano music. I recognized the tune and all of the wrong notes as mine and for some reason up on that hill all alone I was moved by the out-of-tune recording of a piece I still haven't learned.  In these days of the Coronavirus, it doesn't take much to move me. I laughed when I found comfort in my own bad music and thought I might just find the courage to send someone the recording and tell the funny story.

That was two days ago.  There was no need to find the courage to share the recording and tell the story.  Instead I had to find the courage to perform in un gigantesco concerto gratuito (gigantic free concert) with only six hours to prepare. Here's the message I received this morning, the fourth day of the lockdown in Italy.

Sent by some colleagues from the Milan Conservatory.
Whoever knows how to play must play.
Attention!!
Remember this date:  Friday the 13th (scared smiley face) at exactly 6pm all of the inhabitants of Italy will take their instruments and play at their windows....for a few minutes our country will become a giant free concert.
Spread this message as much as possible to all of the Italians you know to make ourselves heard.

Hours later I got the message again with this addition:

If you don't have an instrument, sing. If you can't sing, clap your hands or make music with two lids.  

So, at exactly 6pm, the piece that had only been played for the due ciliegi two days earlier was performed live in un gigantesco concerto gratuito.  And it was far more moving than the first time.

          
P.S.  The pianist in this video is my 12-year-old neighbor.  The music is coming from her house where her mom is taking the video. Fortunately, my piece was drowned out by the doll playing the drums.