At NLS, we have an unoccupied cubicle with an electric piano and a small couch in the corridor leading to the music section. Shortly after the completion of the building renovations early this year, a sign saying “Piano Lounge” appeared on the outside wall of this cubicle. Now and then, people would stop in to sneak a few notes: we would hear some random notes played quickly accompanied by a subdued chuckle and quick getaway steps. At other times, we would hear a portion of a jazz piece, usually followed by someone exclaiming from a nearby cubicle, “Wow, who was that?” It seemed increasingly evident that an open electric keyboard in an empty cubicle was calling out to passersby with a strong and irresistible pull like the Sirens from The Odyssey. Hearing even a few live musical notes in the unlikely setting of an office brought excitement and pleasure to many.
Juliette Appold, the Head of the Music Section, whose office happens to be next to the piano lounge, suggested that it might be nice to have occasional lunch time music in the piano lounge. After checking with her supervisors, she surveyed NLS staff and was pleasantly surprised to learn that many people were interested in playing as well as listening to live music being performed.
In March, the Music Section premiered our first Lunch Music with a pianist from the Quality Assurance (QA) Section playing light classical music. Since then, we’ve had trombone music, Bob Dylan songs, bossa nova and tunes from The Sound of Music, which quickly turned into a singalong. The Bards of Taylor Street (composed of staff from Engineering and QA who are Music Section patrons) sang about Taylor Street (where NLS is located) Blues and the NLS Budget Analyst presented his original compositions while expertly accompanying himself on the acoustic guitar.
We have enthusiastic music lovers who grab a chair and wait for the music to start, some who stop for a few minutes on the way to lunch, and some who prefer to stay in their cubicles and listen. Regardless, this is a great opportunity for people to connect with each other: through conversations about the music being performed, standing side by side and nodding their heads to the beat, or laughing together at the humorous lyrics, all enjoying the communal experience.
The Lunch Music program takes place on some Wednesdays, also known as hump day, when it’s said that people’s energy levels start dropping. The program is typically only about 20 minutes long but it’s time filled with camaraderie, fun, appreciation, and even beauty. What a wonderful way to get over the hump and inject some energy into the office mid-week. Try this at your office: satisfaction guaranteed.