The Piano: Playing with purpose

As Channel 4’s music series draws crowds at train stations, Ivan Radford celebrates the power of hearing why people play.

‘It’s like an escape.’ ‘This piece gave me the feeling that I could still be a musician.’ ‘It allows me to connect with people that I would otherwise never meet.’ These are just some of the reasons people on The Piano give for why they play the piano.

Channel 4’s series, which is currently airing its fourth season on Sundays, is one of the most uplifting shows around: it entertains viewers in living rooms and on social media, but it also delights crowds of people at train stations across the UK, as it invites amateur pianists to step up to the keys in front of strangers. Looking on, Claudia Winkleman and a rotating line-up of guest mentors – including Hiromi, Jamie Cullum, Tiffany Poon and Jools Holland – offer encouragement, admiration and an invitation to take part in a concert for the season finale.

What’s the secret to the show’s joy? It’s the fact that all these players – ranging from 7 to 94 years old – have found themselves in tune with the same thing. From jazz to classical, from pop songs to improvised melodies, they have a passion for music of the 88-key variety. Their reasons for playing might vary, but – as German-Japanese classical pianist Alice Sara Ott puts it – ‘there’s intention and care in every note’.

In other words, it’s impossible to play without passion: even with a natural flare for music, you can’t accidentally play an instrument. You have to have intent – to physically press a key, to blow into a mouthpiece, let alone to invest time and commitment in practising.

In life, passion and purpose always go in harmony with each other. You might have a heart for helping people, for showing hospitality, for cooking, for being a listening ear, for encouraging others. Whatever it is, you’ll have a desire to pursue it in some way – whether that’s as a career, a hobby or in service as a volunteer.

As Christians, we know our ultimate purpose is to glorify God. ‘Whatever you do,’ says 1 Corinthians 10:31, ‘do it all for the glory of God.’ Psalm 150:6 exhorts: ‘Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.’ This is what we are created to do. Our talents and convictions are gifts from God – like everything in this world, we do not possess them for ourselves, but for us to share with others for God’s glory. When we start to realise this, and intentionally turn to God as our starting point in whatever we do, we begin to see God’s love worked out and expressed in them – our passion and purpose become the chord that accompanies and motivates our existence.

As Salvationists, we are united in a shared conviction that being disciples of Jesus involves every part of our lives: we are a holiness Movement and an evangelical Movement, the two things being inseparable. Our passion and purpose are to become more Christlike and share Jesus with others by living out our discipleship authentically, by putting our beliefs into practice. That’s why our shared intent as a territory is to love God and love others.

And here’s the thing: when we are intentional, when we have a visible purpose, other people notice. When we live with passion for God, we can draw a crowd – with or without a piano.

Reflect and respond

• Read through Psalm 150. In what parts of your life are you praising God?
• How intentional are you in your relationship with Jesus?
• What talents do you have to offer to God? What gifts can you encourage in other people around you?