California Baptist University Sings Yamaha's Praises
BUENA PARK, Calif. Priding itself on offering outstanding academic programs delivered by a faculty of committed Christian scholars, California Baptist University (CBU) seeks to help students "open up possibilities for learning, leading, serving and succeeding as never imagined." In keeping with this mission, CBU embarked on an ambitious plan to transform and expand its music program to include state-of-the-art facilities and the finest equipment. As its official piano provider, CBU selected Yamaha.
Three years ago, the Riverside, California-based school turned to Gary Bonner Ed.D, who currently serves as Professor of Music and Dean of the School of Music. He was tasked with rebuilding the University's music program from the ground up. With a distinguished new leader at the helm, and plans underway for the construction of a new high-tech music facility, one missing component remained: which piano manufacturer would meet the superior standards and the rigorous performance, practice and instructional demands of the new facility? Dissatisfied with the quality of the school's existing musical instruments, Dr. Bonner purchased two new Yamaha GC1 grand pianos "to get things started."
"I get to travel and do choir workshops around the country," explains Bonner, who has trained over 700 conductors in his intensive week-long seminars, and touched thousands in his weekend choir workshops offered throughout North America. "Over the years, I have decided that Yamaha is the piano for me."
These two initial purchases ultimately expanded into the acquisition of a 1 million dollar fleet of Yamaha pianos and keyboard instruments, including two CFIII's, nine C7's, two C6's and 15 C1's, as well as a "beautiful" piano lab consisting of one CVP-208 Clavinova and 16 CLP-150's.
These instruments found a permanent home in August of 2005, with the completion of the impressive new 32,000 sq. ft. JoAnn Hawkins Music Building, which features two recording studios, a high-speed fiber-optic network, an eight-station computer lab equipped with Clavinovas, 25 practice rooms, 16 faculty offices, and a piano classroom with projectors. The new facility ably supports the school's flourishing bachelor's and master's degree programs in music, along with a student base that has grown from 29 music majors to 111 music majors this semester.
"As a conductor, I appreciate the bass register of the Yamaha and the definition of the sound," Bonner notes, citing that students and faculty alike appreciate playing the new instruments.
Dr. Ronald L. Ellis, president of California Baptist University, noted the selection of instruments for the JoAnn Hawkins Music Building at California Baptist University was "a very important consideration" as CBU sought to ensure the best quality and value in every aspect of its music program. "We want all of our students and faculty members to have the benefit of world-class facilities and equipment, and we feel that the Yamaha instruments in the Shelby and Ferne Collinsworth School of Music at CBU help to achieve that goal," Ellis explained.
CBU has also enjoyed a relationship with Yamaha in recent years via the "Piano Sale and Replacement Program," which is sponsored by Yamaha Corporation of America and Piano Music Center, Yamaha's Riverside, California retailer. This nationwide program provides new pianos each year for use by the University music students and faculty, replacing the previous year's models through an annual public sale.
"It's been terrific addressing the needs of California Baptist University," according to Piano Music Center Owner Tony Siciliano, who helped outfit the schools. "We've worked with them on the Yamaha college program, and it's a wonderful way to build relationships with the local educational institutions and communities."
For more information on Yamaha pianos, write Yamaha Corporation of America, Piano Division, P.O. Box 6600, Buena Park, CA 90622; telephone (714) 522-9011; email infostation@yamaha.com.
About Yamaha
Yamaha Corporation of America manufactures a complete line of musical instruments, professional audio products and customer-driven support products, targeted to both the amateur and professional markets.
 The 32,000 sq. ft. JoAnn Hawkins Music Building features two recording studios, a high-speed fiber-optic network, an eight-station computer lab equipped with Clavinovas, 25 practice rooms, 16 faculty offices and a piano classroom with projectors. |
"I get to travel and do choir workshops around the country," explains Bonner, who has trained over 700 conductors in his intensive week-long seminars, and touched thousands in his weekend choir workshops offered throughout North America. "Over the years, I have decided that Yamaha is the piano for me."
 From left to right: Tony Sicilano of Piano Music Center, Dr. Gary Bonner, and Bernie McCaffery of Yamaha's Piano Division. |
These instruments found a permanent home in August of 2005, with the completion of the impressive new 32,000 sq. ft. JoAnn Hawkins Music Building, which features two recording studios, a high-speed fiber-optic network, an eight-station computer lab equipped with Clavinovas, 25 practice rooms, 16 faculty offices, and a piano classroom with projectors. The new facility ably supports the school's flourishing bachelor's and master's degree programs in music, along with a student base that has grown from 29 music majors to 111 music majors this semester.
"As a conductor, I appreciate the bass register of the Yamaha and the definition of the sound," Bonner notes, citing that students and faculty alike appreciate playing the new instruments.
Dr. Ronald L. Ellis, president of California Baptist University, noted the selection of instruments for the JoAnn Hawkins Music Building at California Baptist University was "a very important consideration" as CBU sought to ensure the best quality and value in every aspect of its music program. "We want all of our students and faculty members to have the benefit of world-class facilities and equipment, and we feel that the Yamaha instruments in the Shelby and Ferne Collinsworth School of Music at CBU help to achieve that goal," Ellis explained.
CBU has also enjoyed a relationship with Yamaha in recent years via the "Piano Sale and Replacement Program," which is sponsored by Yamaha Corporation of America and Piano Music Center, Yamaha's Riverside, California retailer. This nationwide program provides new pianos each year for use by the University music students and faculty, replacing the previous year's models through an annual public sale.
"It's been terrific addressing the needs of California Baptist University," according to Piano Music Center Owner Tony Siciliano, who helped outfit the schools. "We've worked with them on the Yamaha college program, and it's a wonderful way to build relationships with the local educational institutions and communities."
For more information on Yamaha pianos, write Yamaha Corporation of America, Piano Division, P.O. Box 6600, Buena Park, CA 90622; telephone (714) 522-9011; email infostation@yamaha.com.
About Yamaha
Yamaha Corporation of America manufactures a complete line of musical instruments, professional audio products and customer-driven support products, targeted to both the amateur and professional markets.
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