Margaret A. Guthman Musical Instrument Competition collection

The Guthman Musical Instrument Competition can trace its roots back to 1996. Georgia Tech alum Richard Guthman (IE 1956) wanted to find a way to honor his wife, Margaret, while supporting music at Georgia Tech.Mr. Guthman decided to sponsor a piano competition paying homage to Margaret Guthman's talent as a piano player. Two years later, Georgia Tech held the first Margaret A. Guthman Keyboard competition, focusing on jazz piano performances. Over the next decade, the competition continued to grow, welcoming competitors from as many as ninety-five high schools and colleges from a dozen states.

The School of Music debuted a Master of Science in Music Technology degree in 2006, and established the Georgia Tech Center for Music Technology in 2007. As a pioneer of this new academic landscape, the Center sought to create a unique event that would showcase and complement their groundbreaking research in music technology, performance, and education.

In 2009, with Richard and Margaret's support, the keyboard competition changed into the Guthman Musical Instrument Competition, an event that has become a destination for instrument creators on the national and international stage. The competition winner is recognized for having the best new idea in the field of music technology.

Presently, the competition welcomes contestants from all over the world every year to exhibit their inventions. Whether theirs is a unique instrument created in the garage or a commercial product that can be bought in an electronics store, the competitors perform in front of a live crowd at the Guthman Musical Instrument Competition finals.

Wired magazine called the competition an "X-Prize for music," and contestants liken it to a TED Conference for new musical instrument designers. Previous finalists include the OP-1, Roli Seaboard, Guitarbot and many other groundbreaking musical instruments which have since become successful commercially and artistically.