To spot the landmark, look ahead to where a bronze figure sits comfortably at a piano bench beside the sidewalk, his hands resting lightly on the keys, and a welcoming space open beside him.
You are now standing in front of the Oscar Peterson statue, a tribute to one of Canada’s most celebrated jazz pianists. Notice how Oscar sits patiently at the piano, a small smile stretching across his face as if he’s just finished a show and is waiting for you to join him. The statue is life-size, making it feel as though he’s truly there, inviting you to sit down next to him, ready to share a story, a song, or just a quiet moment.
The statue is the work of Canadian sculptor Ruth Abernethy, crafted entirely out of bronze, giving it a timeless, solid presence. And if you look carefully at the piano, you’ll see something unusual: it has 97 keys instead of the usual 88. This is no mistake. It’s modeled after one of Oscar’s favorite Austrian pianos and stands as a playful symbol of his endless creativity, always pushing musical boundaries and reimagining what could be done with the instrument. Oscar wasn’t just a master of the piano-he wanted to reinvent it.
When the statue was unveiled here, at the busy corner of Elgin and Albert, it was a moment of national pride. Queen Elizabeth II, herself, did the honors in June of 2010. The air was alive with excitement; the Montreal Jubilation Choir sang Peterson’s “Hymn to Freedom,” and Oscar’s family stood nearby, tears in their eyes, describing it as if Oscar himself had stepped back onto the street.
But life is never without its complications. In 2014, the statue was marked with golden tears, a moment of unexpected emotion and perhaps even protest. Instead of this being a story of only grandeur and respect, it became one about memory and the public’s relationship with art. In 2015, music returned to the sidewalk here as people gathered to celebrate what would have been Oscar’s 90th birthday. So, as you stand here, take a moment not only to look but to listen-perhaps you can almost hear a faint hint of jazz swirling through the city air, the legacy of Oscar Peterson still echoing in Ottawa.
