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Margaret A. Guthman Musical Instrument Competition collection

 Collection
Identifier: UA453

  • Staff Only

Dates

  • 2007 Mar - 2022 Nov

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open.

Conditions Governing Use

Access to collections in Archives and Special Collections is not authorization to publish. Please see the Georgia Tech Library Copyright & Fair Use page for permission information. Copyright of some items in this collection may be held by respective creators, not by the donor of the collection or Georgia Tech.

Extent

1 Linear Feet

Scope and Contents

This collections consits of materials on the founding, planning and execution of the Guthman Keyboard Competition, which subsequently became the Guthman Musical Instrument Competition.

Biographical / Historical

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.

Title
A Guide to the Margaret A. Guthman Musical Instrument Competition collection
Status
Completed
Author
Alex McGee
Date
2024 February
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the Archives and Special Collections, Library, Georgia Institute of Technology Repository

Contact:
Library
Georgia Institute of Technology
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Atlanta 30332-0900 USA
404-894-4586