BOSTON, MA — September 9, 2026 — The Boston Public Library (BPL) announced today that it will become the first public library system in the United States to participate in the Lang Lang International Music Foundation's (LLIMF) "Keys of Inspiration" (KOI) program, a music education initiative founded by internationally renowned pianist Lang Lang. Through a donation from the Foundation, BPL will install piano learning stations at four library locations, expanding access to music education for patrons across the city.
KOI partners with school districts to bring full-time piano programming into the mandatory curriculum of selected Title I elementary schools across the United States, and similarly underfunded primary schools in Europe and China, weaving smart, keyboard-centric piano instruction into daily learning. The program currently operates 107 full-time piano programs across 16 school districts in the U.S. and Europe and is now expanding into community centers and public library systems, beginning with Boston and London.
Boston holds special significance for the program: KOI's founding school, launched in 2013, was the Orchard Gardens School, alongside the Boston Arts Academy, both in the Boston Public Schools system. BPL will install six pianos across four locations — two each at the Grove Hall and Hyde Park branches, and one each at the Lower Mills Branch and the Teen Central space at the Central Library in Copley Square — deepening a partnership between BPL and KOI's Boston Public Schools programs that began more than a decade ago.
"The Boston Public Library has always been about far more than books — we're a place where people come to learn a new skill, explore a new interest, or simply have an experience they couldn't access anywhere else," said David Leonard, President of the Boston Public Library. "Partnering with the Lang Lang Foundation to bring piano learning into our branches is a perfect example of that mission in action, and we're excited to see what our patrons discover."
The Foundation's donation to BPL includes electric upright pianos, benches, Android tablets, and headphones. The tablets connect to TheONE Smart Piano Learning app, paired with TheONE's TOP1X upright, weighted-key electric piano, allowing patrons to begin learning piano on their own, from basic technique through chords and songs.
Patrons will be able to play the pianos and use the tablets on-site. The stations are designed primarily for children and teens. Beyond individual skill-building, the program is designed to strengthen the broader community around each school and library: fostering a culture of music appreciation, creating performance opportunities for students, and engaging parents, families, and neighborhood stakeholders alike.
"After over a decade of partnership with Boston Public Schools, the LLIMF is very proud to announce a new era in our Keys of Inspiration programming; we are launching multiple smart piano learning stations in branches of the Boston Public Library, accessible to patrons of the BPL who wish to experience the joy of learning to play the piano,” said Leszek Barwinski-Brown, CEO of Lang Lang International Music Foundation. “Patrons will be able to learn entirely on their own, by using the smart piano technology of TheONE Music Group, seamlessly blending traditional music education with 21st-century technology. Together with the Boston Public Schools and Libraries, we are ensuring that the power of music continues to shape and uplift lives for many generations of Bostonians to come, and we are very excited that Boston, the birthplace of public music education, will serve as a "first of its kind" model for other public library systems as we expand this programming across the country."
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ABOUT THE BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY
Established in 1848, the Boston Public Library is a pioneer of public library service in America. It was the first large, free municipal library in the United States; the first public library to lend books; the first to have a branch library; and the first to have a children's room.
The Boston Public Library of today is a robust system that includes the Central Library in Copley Square, 25 neighborhood branches, the Norman B. Leventhal Map and Education Center, the Kirstein Business Library and Innovation Center, and an archival center, offering public access to world-class special collections of rare books, manuscripts, photographs, and prints, along with rich digital content and online services.
The Boston Public Library serves nearly 4 million visitors per year and millions more online. All of its programs and exhibitions are free to all and open to the public. The Boston Public Library is a department of the City of Boston, under the leadership of Mayor Michelle Wu. To learn more, visit bpl.org.
ABOUT THE LANG LANG INTERNATIONAL MUSIC FOUNDATION
The Lang Lang International Music Foundation is dedicated to inspiring and cultivating the next generation of music lovers and performers. The LLIMF strongly believes that music has the power to touch souls, ignite creativity, and enrich lives. Music can transcend borders and foster cultural exchange. Through our various programs, educational initiatives, and events, we aim to provide young people with the resources, mentorship, and opportunities they need to thrive.
Learn more at: https://langlangfoundation.org