The world's longest piano is coming to Hamilton.
The 5.7m long Alexander grand piano will be making its first appearance in Hamilton this month as part of a North Island visit and the public will have the opportunity to 'have a go' in a series of lunchtime and weekend performances.
The piano's creator, Adrian Mann, began the project in a South Canterbury barn when he was just 15. Using borrowed tools and reclaimed materials, he completed it over four years and now regularly hosts talks and concerts in the barn on the outskirts of Timaru.
This is the first time the piano has been out of the South Island and Mr Mann, 25, says he is looking forward to sharing it with a wider audience.
The logistics of moving the 1.4 tonne piano is daunting but Mr Mann says the Timaru branch of Mainfreight have worked hard to get a smooth operation. It will be in Auckland for a month and while it's so close, it's a great opportunity to bring it to Hamilton as well, he said.