June 25, 2002

The International Piano-e-Competition just completed, and winners have been selected, with MIDI files of their performances available for download. See also this NYTimes article. The competition was judged both on-site and remotely via the Internet using streaming MIDI technology and video conferencing software. Pieces were performed on a 9-foot Yamaha concert grand and recorded to MIDI form with a Yamaha Disklavier Pro system, transmitted, then played on a Disklavier Pro for a judge in a remote location. You may have seen the Disklavier in action at any Yamaha piano dealer, an acoustic player piano with a disk drive and MIDI ports. Take these beautiful performances and run them through your chinsey PC sound card! They sound pretty good through my digital piano, mistakes and all.