In 1996, Richard Guthman (IE ‘56) created a piano competition to honor his partner Margaret for her musical talent. The competition has evolved since then, cementing Tech as a prominent innovator in music technology.
Inside the Ferst Center for the Arts on March 8, ten finalists presented state-of-the-art instruments for the annual Guthman Musical Competition, hoping to redefine the musical landscape. The competition, open to anyone in the world, draws in musical innovators to share their magnum opus in musical technology and compete for over $10,000 in prizes. Nicknamed the X-Prize, it is the premier music instrument competition in the world.
Finalists from seven countries were selected before being invited to Tech for their final performance to an expert panel of judges including King Britt, Paul McCabe and Laetitia Sonami. Each finalist had to invent an original musical device, drawing inspiration from previous instruments and new technologies to reimagine the future of music-making.
Jocelyn Cavanaugh, the Technical Director of the School of Music, along with Kelsey Brunson and Jeff Albert, organized and facilitated the events.
The Technique sat down with Jeff Albert, the Interim Chair of the School of Music, which hosts the competition. Albert grew up in a house full of instruments, as his grandfather was a musician, guiding him toward a life in music. Albert shared his thoughts about the competition.
“They’ve found ways to take ideas of creativity and personal expression and overlap them with the science, technology and engineering,” Albert said.
He emphasized the competition’s ethos, which inspired him to join the School of Music, already seeing the competition’s impact in his second year at the Institute.
Invention takes raw and out-of-the-box experimentation — creating what hasn’t been seen before. One of the challenges when organizing this event is determining what even counts as an instrument.
“Every year we have that argument,” said Albert. “There’s not rules … we leave it open on purpose.”
Selected by Tech faculty and local Atlanta musicians, the application isn’t meant to restrict innovation but to nourish and grow ideas.
With more innovations and passionate competitors, this year’s field was positioned to push the boundaries of sound technology. Before the final showcase, the judges held an open panel in the Ferst Center lobby to discuss nuanced perspectives in the music space.
Sonami envisioned using embedded systems with brain mapping to create new music. Britt discussed reviving older devices like mixers and how other widely accessible technology can be used to innovate while leveraging a “tether to the past.” The discussion touched on the delicate line between original and creative and Britt noted that people can create new work out of existing materials, saying, “if it makes you feel good, it doesn’t matter if it’s a loop.”
Experimentation with music often has no bounds. The panel addressed the ethical usage of AI to respect consent as the boundary blurs between creative and copyright. Models create within trained parameters, but Albert believed the true value is when humans go outside those lines, as he remains skeptical of the ability of AI to be creative.
The night opened with a dedication to Margaret Guthman, the inspiration for this competition, who passed away in May 2024. After the dedication, Andrew Reid opened with his 3 Axis MIDI guitar that featured an embedded trackpad, enhancing the control. Next, Emily Koh’s ModuMIDI boasted an eerily genius sound to her modular, polychromatic MIDI keyboard, inspired by a need for more accessible tools to make microtonal music. Jacob Barton’s Udderbot took the spotlight with his fun and affordable homemade flute adaptation. In a collaboration with KOMA Elektronik Passepart Dueo’s Chromaplane captivated the audience as the two used their hands to guide the air in front of them to emit celestial vibrations. The device employs electromagnetic pickup coils and a flat surface to turn thin air into a haunting masterpiece.
Other standouts included Tehas Rode’s, MT ‘19, Petika and Nicolas Bras’s Hacked Double trumpet, each enhancing traditional instruments. Albert performed with the Sophtar, designed by Federico Visi & Sukandar Kamid Kartadinata, incorporating an embedded computer and machine learning to radiate complex sounds. Palle Dahlstedt’s Living Strings was accompanied by Kebbi Williams on the saxophone and flute — their sounds battling in chilling chaos. Drawing on the Mesozoic Era, Courtney Brown and Cezary Gajewski’s Dinosaur Choir vocalized dinosaur sounds through a printed dinosaur skull model. The immersive experience was unexpectedly brilliant as it revived the dinosaurs and transported the audience back in time.
Closing out the performances, the Mulatar, engineered by Lockruf Music, provided a grand finale as the combination of slide guitar, harp and percussion paired with a mobile and adaptive design silenced the crowd. Reducing the barrier between mind and music with a Whiplash-esque ending, the duo’s design is versatile and rhythmic, making learning how to use the instrument an exciting challenge.
By nature, the competition is difficult to judge due to the undefined landscape of new instruments. The judges considered creativity, functionality, intrigue — first place to the Chromaplane, second to the Mulatar, and third to Dinosaur Choir. The Judges’ Commendation was awarded to ModuMIDI and Udderbot. The 3 Axis MIDI guitar received the Judge’s Special Award. Additionally, the Mulatar was crowned with the coveted People’s Choice award. Micah Lim, first-year MT & BS, attended for his second year and was impressed by the creations, remarking on the event’s ability to surprise and inspire.
More than just vying for prize money, competitors are engineering music from their fingertips — making self-expression accessible and imaginable. On campus, students often seek creative outlets, with music being a prominent form of self-expression. The Guthman Competition embraces and uplifts this idea by providing a stage for musicians to create instruments of expression.
Identity remains a core value of music as the barrier between originality and creativity comes into question. But one fact remains clear — music transcends time — providing the perfect opportunity for anyone with inspiration to leave a lasting mark. Applications for next year’s competition will open in late August.