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2014 Finals: Margaret Guthman Musical Instrument Competition at the Klaus

This was my third Guthman. I plan to attend them all. On Friday the 8 finalists demonstrated their instruments.

" Twenty-two inventors, composers and designers representing 14 nations were selected to present their new instruments at this year’s competition. They were selected from a pool of over 80 applicants from 20 countries..."

IMG_0984 2014-02-21 2014 Margaret Guthman Musical Instrument Competition at Georgia Tech
Margaret Guthman awarded the 2014 first prize and $5,000 to the Adjustable Microtonal Guitar by Tolgahan Cogulu the only non-computerized instrument.

IMG_0935 2014-02-21 Adjustable Microtonal Guitar by Tolgahan Cogulu 2014 Margaret Guthman Musical Instrument Competition at Georgia Tech
Tolgahan Cogulu played, moved the frets around and played some more.

IMG_0819 2014-02-21 2014 Margaret Guthman Musical Instrument Competition at Georgia Tech
I started smiling early.

IMG_0849 2014-02-21 2014 Margaret Guthman Musical Instrument Competition at Georgia Tech
Who knew that the Klaus (designed by Perkins +Will) had a glass-fronted 3-level trapezoidal room with grand stair and balconies?

IMG_0822 2014-02-21 2014 Margaret Guthman Musical Instrument Competition at Georgia TechGeorgia Tech music technology students wore these T-shirts and worked the show.

I walked around before liftoff.

IMG_0823 2014-02-21 2014 Margaret Guthman Musical Instrument Competition at Georgia Tech
These little circuit boards had gyros, accelerometers, and light sensors I think. He danced them around and made wireless music.

IMG_0835 2014-02-21 2014 Margaret Guthman Musical Instrument Competition at Georgia Tech
I asked why the heat lamp. Uday said it was built in a tropical climate and heat lamps were legal. This is Uday Shankar's chitravenu.

IMG_0832 2014-02-21 2014 Margaret Guthman Musical Instrument Competition at Georgia Tech
Two wild and crazy Swedish guys played OP-1's by Teenage Engineering.

IMG_0836 2014-02-21 2014 Margaret Guthman Musical Instrument Competition at Georgia Tech
The AlphaSphere went through pre-flight checklists. Was he loading Bach, hip-hop, or Vangelis? All, I think..

IMG_0838 2014-02-21 2014 Margaret Guthman Musical Instrument Competition at Georgia Tech
The Happy Fun Ball was an "elektrisk oraksje" (electric orange). You could dance with it AND dance to it.

IMG_0851 2014-02-21 2014 Margaret Guthman Musical Instrument Competition at Georgia Tech
Things got started before I could meet all the inventors.

IMG_0875 2014-02-21 2014 Margaret Guthman Musical Instrument Competition at Georgia Tech
The balcony birds leaned in from the best seats in the house.

IMG_0882 2014-02-21 2014 Margaret Guthman Musical Instrument Competition at Georgia Tech
The three judges sat on the front row.

IMG_0907 2014-02-21 Tree Guitar by Yuto Hasebe 2014 Margaret Guthman Musical Instrument Competition at Georgia Tech
No Mozart from Yuto Hasebe's Tree Guitarbut WHO CARES? We wanted to party with the Tree Guitar.

IMG_0915 2014-02-21 2014 Margaret Guthman Musical Instrument Competition at Georgia Tech
Feng Gao's TRI-O: Three little turntables put a triangle in motion whose area made midi controls modify Bach.

After the performance the judges judged while the fans swarmed the inventors.

IMG_0943 2014-02-21 Tree Guitar by Yuto Hasebe 2014 Margaret Guthman Musical Instrument Competition at Georgia Tech
Yuto Hasebe and his Tree Guitar.

IMG_0945 2014-02-21 2014 Margaret Guthman Musical Instrument Competition at Georgia Tech
Inside the Intonaspacioa.k.a. happy fun ball.


IMG_0949 2014-02-21 2014 Margaret Guthman Musical Instrument Competition at Georgia Tech
Uday Shankar demonstrated the chitravenufor his inteview.

IMG_0955-Allie 2014-02-21 2014 Margaret Guthman Musical Instrument Competition at Georgia Tech
Allie and company with the Happy Fun Ball.

IMG_0932-Robert 2014-02-21 2014 Margaret Guthman Musical Instrument Competition at Georgia Tech
Children welcome.

IMG_0924 2014-02-21 2014 Margaret Guthman Musical Instrument Competition at Georgia Tech
Insider tip: Free beverages and sweets after the performances.

IMG_0968 2014-02-21 2014 Margaret Guthman Musical Instrument Competition at Georgia Tech
The judges returned. Tree Guitar won a peoples choice award and a coveted Margaret hug.

IMG_0988 2014-02-21 2014 Margaret Guthman Musical Instrument Competition at Georgia Tech
The winners.

IMG_0890 2014-02-21 2014 Margaret Guthman Musical Instrument Competition at Georgia Tech
The winners.

IMG_0992-TK-Richard-Guthman  2014-02-21 2014 Margaret Guthman Musical Instrument Competition at Georgia Tech
The winners.