Roland Pianos Donated to CMSD After '101 Pianists' Concert at Tri-C
‘Keys of Inspiration’ program provides 50 pianos valued at $55,000 to district
The Lang Lang International Music Foundation will donate the 50 Roland pianos used for the "101 Pianists" concert at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) to the Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD) as part of the Keys of Inspiration to support music education within the community.
The concert on May 3 featured international piano legend Lang Lang, playing alongside 100 students between the ages of 6 and 18 from the region. The performance took place at Tri-C's Metropolitan Campus Auditorium and concluded with Lang Lang announcing the partnership between the Lang Lang Foundation and CMSD.
The Roland pianos played during that performance are valued at $55,000. Roland and the foundation have worked together since 2011, supporting Keys of Inspiration programs both within the U.S. and internationally, providing hundreds of pianos to further music education over that time.
CMSD is the first district in Ohio to receive Keys of Inspiration.
"Our District's music programs are going to be transformed by this incredible gift from the Lang Lang International Music Foundation," said Jeffery Allen, director of arts education at CMSD. "Through this donation, we'll be able to enhance our music programs and ensure scholars have the best resources to explore and grow their musical talents. The CMSD community is thankful for this partnership, which promises to inspire countless young musicians to reach new levels of musical excellence."
"We are thrilled to bring our flagship programs to Cleveland in a true celebration of music and music education," said Ariela Rossberg, director of education for the Lang Lang Foundation. "101 Pianists is such an exciting community focused event, and we know that the children involved, whether in the audience or on stage, will be inspired and energized by the concert. Through our new partnership with Cleveland Metropolitan School District, we’re able to continue offering Cleveland’s students the joy of music with our Keys of Inspiration program. Today’s Roland pianos will be donated to three local elementary schools, implementing our groundbreaking music education initiative in CMSD. We’re excited to continue working with the district to make a difference in their community."
Through its ongoing work with the Lang Lang Foundation, Roland remains committed to ensuring students around the world can experience the joy of learning and playing the piano on high-quality instruments featuring state-of-the-art technology.
Lang Lang has performed "101 Pianists" in 16 cities worldwide, with Roland providing these 50 pianos for students to play alongside him in concert.
Cleveland is only the sixth city in the U.S. to host "101 Pianists," following Philadelphia, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., and Long Island. Northeast Ohio students performed on 50 of Roland’s acclaimed FP-30X Digital Pianos. These pianos deliver a best-in-class performance ideal for home pianists, modern families, educators, and anyone looking for a premium piano experience in a compact instrument.
"101 Pianists" was the fourth and final performance in the 2023-2024 season of Tri-C’s Classical Piano Series, which introduces emerging and established pianists from around the world to the Greater Cleveland community.
"The sounds from 100 piano students playing with Lang Lang were beautiful to hear, and it’s also heartwarming to know thousands more local students will play these pianos as they grow their love of music," said Emanuela Friscioni, the director of the Tri-C Creative Arts Academy. "This is an exceptional way to support young piano students and celebrate music."
May 06, 2024
MEDIA CONTACT: Anthony Moujaes, 216-987-3068 or anthony.moujaes@tri-c.edu