Imagine walking along Mount Maunganui beach at sunrise and hearing the delicate notes of a white baby grand piano floating across the sand. This month, audiences at the Tauranga Arts Festival will get that chance when pianist Joseph Dobson brings his Undergrand piano project to town — a roaming, open-air performance series that brings live music into nature.
From October 25 to 27, Dobson will wheel out his 300kg white baby grand piano to various outdoor spots across Tauranga, including the Tauranga waterfront, Kulim Park, and Mount Maunganui Main Beach. A line-up of guest pianists — from emerging students to seasoned professionals — will join him to play everything from classical to jazz to improvised soundscapes.
“Mostly with this piano I try and do outdoor stuff — that’s my niche,” Dobson said.
“It’s the thing that people stumble upon in public spaces, and if you do it in the right way, it really stops them in their tracks. It changes them, snaps them out of their day-to-day rhythm. It’s one of the most magical things I’ve seen.”
Dobson’s project began with a vision: a white baby grand set in the middle of the forest. After selling his handmade chocolate business, La Petite Chocolat, in Hawke’s Bay, he decided to bring that image to life.
Transforming the dream into reality wasn’t cheap. Dobson spent around $80,000 setting up the travelling piano rig.
The white baby grand piano will be outdoors during the Tauranga Arts Festival. Photo / Supplied
His custom-built van houses a solar-powered system with a heat pump, inverter and batteries to keep the piano safe and cool while on the road.
“I pretty much forced a genius engineer friend of mine to make it for me. It means I can park up anywhere in summer, leave the aircon going and not cook the piano.”
The setup also includes hydraulics, a winch, and turf tyres, allowing the 300kg instrument to be moved and set up quickly and easily by Dobson alone.
Over the past four years, Undergrand has toured roughly 70 locations across the North Island — from beaches to forests to festivals. Each performance invites the public to pause, listen, and connect with their surroundings.
“A number of times it’s been heart-stoppingly beautiful in that moment and space,” Dobson said. “Especially when it’s someone performing in a way that connects music and nature — not just a complicated technical performance.”
Joe Dobson will be playing a white baby grand piano at the Tauranga Arts Festival. Photo / Supplied.
Rain or strong sun can postpone or cancel a show, as the piano’s open lid can’t be exposed to the elements. Dobson often uses a large umbrella for shade and a “low-key” PA system to run with it.
He also welcomes others to sit down and play.
“Inevitably, after each performance, there’s someone who wants to have a go — and that’s always welcome. Everyone’s got a story about their piano that was in the family or memories they want to share. It’s lovely.”
Festivalgoers can catch Undergrand at the following times and locations, with either Dobson or local pianists booked in to play:
Saturday, October 25, 10–11am, Tidal Steps, Tauranga Waterfront
Saturday, October 25, 6–7.30pm, Festival Garden, Tauranga Waterfront
Sunday, October 26, 9–10.30am, Kulim Park, Ōtūmoetai
Sunday, October 26, 4-5pm, Festival Garden, Tauranga Waterfront
Monday, October 27, 6.30–8am, Main Beach, Mount Maunganui
Monday, October 27, 12–3pm, Te Papa o Ngā Manu Porotakataka, Maunganui Rd
Times and locations are also listed on www.taurangafestival.co.nz
Dobson plans to perform at dawn for at least one of the sessions himself.
“I’m looking forward to it. It’s my part in creating the aesthetic of a life I want to live — and the kind of thing I’d love to stumble across myself.”