CB West to Showcase New High-Tech Keyboard at Saturday Concert

By Christine Hall:

Central Bucks High School West, the first high school in the world to own the Seaboard GRAND, will unveil the revolutionary new keyboard in concert this Saturday, Jan. 17.

The concert will be held in CB West’s auditorium at 7:30 p.m.

An innovation in both technology and music, the Seaboard strives to be what no other instrument is: perceptive to the player. ROLI Founder and Seaboard inventor Roland Lamb wanted it to be “a new way of playing that would connect musical fluidity with every moment of physical contact…a single continuous surface, such that every note would become interconnected and fully alive.”

By securing support from ROLI and its local community in playing and promoting the instrument, CB West is paving new roads in educational technology and musical innovation.

CB West’s Director of Bands Neil Delson has worked with ROLI over the past year to coordinate the purchase plan and delivery of West’s Seaboard, which will be one of only 88 Seaboard GRAND Limited First Edition instruments built by the London-based company.

“My goal for my students is to always continue to expose them to a wide range of musical practices and genres,” says Delson. “The Seaboard has afforded them the opportunity to experiment with new technology that no other school in the world currently has access to; this level of cultural innovation personifies the town of Doylestown and its commitment to arts education.”

The Seaboard’s arrival at CB West was due to a creative partnership with OOKA restaurants and the Doylestown school community.

Early last spring, OOKA created a CB West sushi roll and agreed to donate proceeds toward the Seaboard. CB West students, staff, and parents launched a vigorous fundraising campaign including a kickoff dinner, social media promos, and sushi sales during West’s jazz festival. OOKA’s rolls were a huge success, swiftly landing over $9,000 and helping West reach its goal in less than two months.

“We are proud to be part of such the Doylestown community which has been so supportive of arts education,” said Ken Johnston, regional manager of OOKA Restaurants. “This has been an exciting project and we are thrilled to have played a part.”

During the concert, CB West student musicians and alumni will be joined by guest keyboardist Cory Henry of jazz/R&B group Snarky Puppy.

Two pieces to be performed are commissioned from CB West graduates Andrew Carson and Matthew Samson. General Admission, student/senior, and VIP tickets will be available.

Tickets are available through the link: www.cbwseaboard.brownpapertickets.com. The cost is $12 for general admission and $10 for students/seniors. VIP tickets that include preferred seating, signed merchandise and a special reception prior to the concert are available for $45.

More information about ROLI: www.roli.com