FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Pianos, digital pianos, violins, violas and cellos offered to the Durham community at significant discounts, with proceeds supporting music education at Duke.
DURHAM, N.C. — September 21, 2026 — The Rockley Family Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that supports music education, will hold the Duke University Musical Instrument Sale Thursday, October 22 through Saturday, October 24, 2026, at Penn Pavilion, 107 Union Drive, on the Duke University campus. The sale is held in conjunction with Duke’s Department of Music: instruments provided to the department or otherwise made available through the program are sold to the community at a significant discount from manufacturer’s retail pricing, providing valuable resources for Duke’s music students.
A large selection of grand pianos, baby grands, digital player grands, vertical (upright) pianos, digital pianos, violins, violas and cellos will be available, ranging from starter to professional-level instruments by makers including Steinway & Sons, Yamaha, Seiler, Knabe, Roland and Italia Fine Violins. Most instruments are less than one year old, include a 5- to 10-year service contract, and are tuned and ready to play. Delivery and special no-interest financing are available on site.
“Every instrument that finds a home in Durham helps keep quality pianos and strings in front of Duke’s music students,” said Tobin Rockley, Director/President of the Rockley Family Foundation. “Families get a first-class instrument at a price they would not find in a showroom, and the program that supplies the department continues for another year.”
Private appointments are available Thursday, Friday and Saturday morning, October 22–24, and give buyers priority selection and price reductions before public shopping begins. Appointments can be scheduled at rockleyfamilyfoundation.org/duke or by calling or texting 919-646-8485; virtual appointments via Zoom are available on request. The sale opens to the public, no appointment needed, on Saturday, October 24 from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Parking is available in the Bryan Center Parking Garage.
In most cases, a substantial portion of a purchase may be considered a charitable contribution to the Rockley Family Foundation and may be tax deductible; buyers should consult their own tax adviser regarding the deductibility of any contribution.
Event details
- What: Duke University Musical Instrument Sale
- When: Private appointments Thursday, October 22 – Saturday, October 24, 2026; open to the public Saturday, October 24, 2:00–5:00 p.m.
- Where: Penn Pavilion, 107 Union Drive, Durham, NC 27708
- Appointments & information: https://www.rockleyfamilyfoundation.org/duke or 919-646-8485
- Media kit (photos, video, logos): https://media.rockleyfamilyfoundation.org/duke
About the Rockley Family Foundation
The Rockley Family Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides the donated use of musical instruments, the outright donation of musical instruments and educational materials, and monetary resources that fund outreach support and scholarships. Since 2009, more than $30 million in donations have been made through the foundation to deserving nonprofit and educational organizations. Each year the foundation conducts dozens of fundraising events in partnership with musical nonprofit and educational organizations, selling gently used musical instruments to local communities; each event is mutually beneficial to the hosting organization and ultimately supports music education programs across the country. Learn more at https://www.rockleyfamilyfoundation.org.
Media contact Joey Bouza, Marketing — Rockley Family Foundation [email protected] · (303) 210-1571
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