05/09/2025
❗❗Last night, 4 September 2025, the upright piano installed at the Sound Shell in Brunswick Heads was set alight and completely destroyed.❗❗
This piano was not just an instrument, it was a gift. A symbol of connection and community, donated by the ABC Classic series The Piano in collaboration with Dr Yantra de Vilder Pianos for the People initiative. I had the privilege of performing at that very Sound Shell, alongside Yantra and the Ephemera Choir, to celebrate the arrival of that piano. Over 500 people gathered that day, drawn together by music, beauty, and a shared sense of purpose.
Today, that space stands scorched and silent.
This heartbreaking act speaks to a quiet epidemic... a growing inability among some to recognise or value the greater good that a gift such as this can bring to the park space. It reflects the deep pain and disconnection that leads individuals to destroy what is pure, healing, and freely given.
My thoughts are with the people of Brunswick Heads, with Yantra who put so much care into selecting recipients, and with the ABC team who have worked tirelessly to place pianos in public spaces where music and joy are needed most. My thoughts are also with the Brunswick Hotel, which was also targeted and vandalised.
🎹 This moment must become a catalyst. A call to action. 🎹
I urge local government leaders to stand beside the change-makers, the artists, the healers and community builders who are already doing the work. Let us protect our public art and amenities. Let us invest in mental health services, safe spaces, and community hubs. Let us ensure that Brunswick Heads, and communities like it, are empowered not only to recover but to rise stronger, more connected, and more supported than ever before.
To those who grieve this loss, know this:
You cannot burn the music out of us.
The people of Brunswick will rebuild, and love will return, with song.
Regards,
Axel Sigur Starviking
Principal Vocalist
Ephemera Choir
Photo: Yantra De Vilder playing the upright at the Brunswick Heads Sound Shell July 6th 2025. Photo by Axel Sigur Starviking.
