The Margaret Guthman Musical Instrument Competition, held at the Georgia Institute of Technology, seeks to find the world’s best new ideas in musical instrument design, engineering and musicianship.

This is an international competition to find the musical instruments of the future. The instruments produce nontraditional sounds and use technology to let us play in a new way. 

Twenty semi-finalists performed before judges Thursday and Friday. The judges narrowed the group to nine finalists. The finalists are (listed in the order they will perform):

• Push Pull - This instrument looks like an accordion but it combines inertial sensor data with sound input and digital synthesis. 
• Nomis - This instrument aims to make loop based music more expressive and transparent through gesture and light.
• Magentic Percussion Tower - This instrument combines aspects of kinetic sculpture, music box design, drum machine and interactive art. 
• Dulsitar - This instrument incorporates traits and design found in both the sitar and dulcimer.
• Cantor Digitalis - This instrument is an open-source real-time singing synthesizer using hand gestures, with the help of an accurate and intuitive interface based on a pen/touch tablet.
• D-Box - This new digital instrument is encased in a wooden cube and is designed to be repurposed and rewired by performs. This hacking lets a performer play it in unusual ways.
• Dualo Do-Touch - This instrument is a controller, synthesizer and a looper/sequencer that is based on a new layout of notes.
• Ndial - This instrument combines automated sampling and sequencing with manual controls to navigate sound worlds in unpredictable ways.
• The Sponge - This instrument is a a piece of foam equipped with sensors which can detect when it is squeezed, twisted or shaken.

The winners received $10,000 total in prizes. See the winners here. The Georgia Tech Center for Music Technology, the School of Music and the College of Architecture sponsor the competition. 

The concert starts at 7pm and can be watched here: http://www.guthman.gatech.edu