Promotion: musical instrument manufacturer Roland and renowned Japanese furniture company Karimoku have unveiled two pianos designed to blend analogue and digital technology with traditional and cutting-edge craftsmanship.
The two pianos are the latest in Roland's Kiyola series, which focuses on artisanal digital pianos made in Japan.
The KF-20 piano comes in various hues, including Celadon Green, top, and Pure Oak, above
For the KF-20 and KF-25, Roland drew on the woodworking knowledge of Karimoku, which has been working with Japanese wood since 1940, and crafted the pianos' solid-wood cabinets.
"Built with local techniques refined over a thousand years, every Kyiola is a one-of-a-kind instrument with unique grain patterns and natural ageing," Roland explained.
"Kiyola blends analogue and digital, tradition and cutting-edge, and exemplifies wa – 和 – the Japanese concept of harmony."
The pianos were designed to have a gentle, elegant feel
The two pianos, which were created to complement any interior, differ in their design.
The KF-20 is based on the design of Roland's original award-winning KF-10 piano and features soft curves to create a gentle, elegant feel.
It comes in a new Celadon Green option, as well as the more classic Sheer White, Pure Oak and Walnut finishes.
In the US, the pianos will be sold exclusively in the MoMA store.
"Our longstanding partnership with Roland continues to evolve, and we're proud to offer these new Kiyola models at MoMA Design Store, including the exclusive Celadon Green," said director of merchandising at MoMA, Emmanuel Plat.
"They embody the intersection of good design and cutting-edge technology that MoMA Design Store continues to pioneer."
The KF-25 has a more angled design and references Japandi
The KF-25 design, meanwhile, was envisioned as "the best of two diverse cultures," blending wabi-sabi, the Japanese concept of accepting imperfection, with the functional yet stylish design of Scandinavian furniture to create a Japandi-style piano.
It has sharper lines and a more angular design, and comes in a deep-toned Smoked Oak finish that was chosen to enhance the natural grain of the wood used by Karimoku for the piano cabinet.
With Roland's Piano Reality Modelling technology and PHA-50 key action, Kiyola intends to provide an "immersive sonic experience and authentic playing feel"
The KF-20 and KF-25 pianos have PHA-50 keyboards and come with a piano bench and a three-pedal unit with sustain, soft and sostenuto pedals, as well as support for advanced half-pedalling techniques.
According to the brand, the two new piano models create warm, "uniquely voiced" tones that reflect their distinctive designs.
The two Kiyola pianos were designed to add warmth, style and sophistication to any space
The design of the pianos was intended to combine the knowledge of Roland and Karimoku to create unique pieces.
"From the beginning, the goal was to think about the piano as an architectural object," said Roland's Kiyola project leader, Kazuhiro Kubo.
The instrument comes in a new Celadon Green option
"Roland contributes deep expertise in sound and digital engineering, while Karimoku brings a furniture maker's understanding of wood, proportion, and how objects inhabit a room," Kubo continued.
"The result is a piano designed to integrate elegantly into residential spaces and to age with its surroundings over time."
To learn more about the pianos, visit Roland's website.
The photography is courtesy of Roland.
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