Syracuse Airport Still Looking For Volunteers to Play Piano

The Syracuse-Hancock International Airport is in search of Central New York musicians to entertain travelers in its grand hall.

The airport first started asking for piano and organ-playing volunteers in November, after the Piano & Organ Center in North Syracuse donated an instrument for the space. Since then, a number of local musicians, including award-winning musician, Robbie Deforge, have sat down at the keys to perform for passersby.

Deforge is originally from Cato, New York, but has spent the past five years in the service with the United States Marine Corps at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. He taught himself piano two years ago, but credits Bob Carbone at the Piano & Organ Center with "changing his life" when he first introduced him to the organ.

Deforge performed in the grand hall on January 3, and Syracuse airport shared a photo from his appearance, writing that, in Deforge's words, "amidst the hustle and bustle of the airport, 'the whole word just kind of [stopped]'" when he played the airport's Yamaha grand piano.

Syracuse-Hancock is still searching for volunteers to play the piano and have their worlds stopped in the new year. Musicians interested in entertaining visitors traveling through the SYR grand hall should contact Bob Carbone at 315-436-7505 for more information and to sign up.