ROLAND CELEBRATES GRAND OPENING OF U.S. FLAGSHIP STORE IN NEW YORK CITY WITH NIGHT OF LIVE PERFORMANCES Oct 13, 2026

Roland Corporation CEO Masahiro Minowa and Roland Americas CEO Manuele Barbini joined artists including DJ Jazzy Jeff, Mdou Moctar, Prince Paul, and more to officially open Roland Store New York City in Manhattan's Meatpacking District

For Immediate Release

NEW YORK, NY, October 13, 2026-Roland Corporation, a global leader in electronic musical instruments and music technology, celebrated the grand opening of Roland Store New York City, the company's first standalone retail location in the United States. The invitation-only opening celebration at 414 West 14th Street brought together artists, industry leaders, media, business partners, and special guests for an evening of live performances, a ceremonial ribbon-cutting, and a first look at the new destination, which brings Roland, BOSS, and Drum Workshop (DW) together under one roof.

Masahiro Minowa, CEO and Representative Director of Roland Corporation, and Manuele Barbini, CEO of Roland Americas, led the evening's welcome and ribbon cutting, officially opening the store and marking the latest milestone in Roland's The Future. Redefined. Then. Now. Next. campaign. Originally introduced during the 2016 The Future. Redefined. global launch event, the Roland Aerophone and BOSS Katana products celebrate their 10th anniversaries this year, marking a decade of innovation that has expanded creative possibilities for wind players and guitarists alike. Special anniversary editions of both instrument lines are showcased at the store, with the anniversary Katana models available for purchase exclusively at Roland's flagship stores in New York City, London, and Tokyo.

"New York has long been a place where new sounds, ideas, and creative movements take shape, and tonight we were proud to officially make it home to Roland's U.S. flagship store," said Minowa. "Roland has always been committed to pushing music forward, and celebrating this opening alongside so many talented artists is the spirit we hope this store will share with musicians and creators for years to come."

"Tonight was about the musicians and creators who make New York such an important part of the global music community," said Barbini. "Seeing artists bring the store to life on its first night shows exactly what we built this space for: a place where musicians, producers, and creators can explore the latest DW, Roland, and BOSS innovations, connect with our team, and be part of a new creative hub for the city."

Performances unfolded across the store throughout the evening, from the DJ Platform and Piano Show Loft to the Main Stage, putting Roland gear in the hands of artists spanning hip-hop, pop, jazz, electronic, and guitar music. Detroit producer and DJ Recloose opened the night, joined by Prince Paul, the pioneering hip-hop producer behind De La Soul's 3 Feet High and Rising and recipient of Roland's 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award, and Dibia$e, the Watts, Los Angeles beatmaker known for his live performances on Roland's SP-series samplers. In the Piano Show Loft, home to Roland's premium piano collection, British-born dark-pop artist and multi-instrumentalist Valencia Grace brought her theatrical sound to the evening.

"I can see the Roland NYC store being a creative hub for the producer community most definitely. It's very important having spaces like this for the community, whether it's for workshops or beat events like 404 Day. I saw a lot of joy in many people's faces there. I'm honored to be a part of it," said Dibia$e.

On the Main Stage, Matador Records artist Mdou Moctar, the Tuareg guitarist from Niger whose psych-rock is rooted in desert blues, delivered a set ahead of saxophonist Hailey Niswanger. Philadelphia keyboardist and producer Eugene "Man-Man" Roberts, John Legend's musical director, then led the Man-Man All-Star Jam, featuring Niswanger on the Roland Aerophone. Grammy Award-winning DJ and producer DJ Jazzy Jeff closed the night with a headlining set.

Guests explored the store's more than 9,000 square feet of showroom and product space, with dedicated areas spanning piano, drums, guitar, synthesizers, dance/DJ, and Roland Cloud. Highlights include Roland's only dedicated grand piano showroom; the only dedicated DW showroom in the United States; the BOSS Cavern, an immersive environment dedicated to BOSS guitar sound; and a space celebrating the TR-808 Rhythm Composer, the first in a series of rotating hands-on exhibits highlighting legacy Roland products. Visitors can also get hands-on with the latest Roland, BOSS, and DW gear, including the new FP-40 Digital Piano with Piano Sphere, Roland's first piano with built-in Wi-Fi.

"Walking into the Roland New York City store reminds me of the nostalgic feeling and excitement of being in music shops back in the day. You just want to come in and play every piece of new equipment. It's a rush for any musician or aspiring musician. This is going to be my new home for gear," said Prince Paul.

Now open to the public, Roland Store New York City offers free 30-minute workshops and one-to-one sessions with Roland product experts, complimentary 30-minute Vintage One-to-One experiences, dedicated one-to-one product appointments, and complimentary after-sales training. Roland concierges are also on hand to help first-time music makers get creating in minutes.

Visitors can also get hands-on with special editions celebrating 10 years of Roland's Aerophone digital wind instruments and BOSS's Katana amplifier series. The Aerophone Pro Gold Limited Edition pairs an Anniversary Gold finish with black trim, with only 3,000 instruments available worldwide. The made-to-order Katana anniversary collection brings a high-gloss blue flame maple finish to the Katana Artist Gen 3, Katana Artist Head Gen 3, and Katana Cabinet 212 Waza. Roland Store New York City gives musicians a rare chance to see and experience these custom Katana models before ordering, and serves as the only U.S. location where customers can purchase them.

The Roland Store New York City is open seven days a week from 11 A.M. to 7 P.M. at 414 West 14th Street, near the 14th Street and 8th Avenue subway station.

For more information about Roland Store New York City, visit https://rolandstoreus.com/.

About Roland Corporation
For more than 50 years, Roland's innovative electronic musical instruments and multimedia products have fueled inspiration in artists and creators around the world. Embraced by hobbyists and professionals alike, the company's trendsetting gear spans multiple categories, from pianos, synthesizers, guitar products, drum and percussion products, DJ controllers, audio/video solutions, gaming mixers, livestreaming products, and more. As technology evolves, Roland and its expanding family of brands, including BOSS, V-MODA, Drum Workshop (DW), PDP, Latin Percussion (LP), and Slingerland, continue to lead the way for music makers and creators, providing modern solutions and seamless creative workflows between hardware products, computers, and mobile devices. For more information, visit Roland.com or see your local Roland dealer. Follow Roland on Facebook, X (@RolandGlobal), and Instagram (@RolandGlobal).