The residency invites students, performers, educators, and audiences to experience the Spirio not only as a remarkable performance instrument, but also as a platform for discovery. Across the residency, participants will be able to attend launch events, workshops, and special sessions; explore the instrument through open access opportunities; and engage with new ideas in piano performance, pedagogy, interaction, and creative technology.
Open Spirio Lab Access
Throughout the residency, students and invited participants will have opportunities to sign up for Open Spirio Lab Access, giving them time to explore, practice, test ideas, and interact directly with the instrument in the LAMP recital environment. These sessions are intended to encourage curiosity, experimentation, and creative discovery across musical and technological backgrounds.
Spirio Hackathon and Creative Challenge
A featured part of the residency is a Spirio-based hackathon and creative challenge, where students are invited to imagine new ways to create, demonstrate, and reimagine what is possible with the Spirio. Projects may range from performance and educational tools to MIDI/control systems, DAW and video workflows, audience interaction, visualization, AI/ML concepts, and other artistic or technical experiments built around the Spirio ecosystem.
Hammer Down! Piano Competition
The residency also features the inaugural Hammer Down! Piano Competition, a piano competition and residency program hosted by Purdue University’s Department of Music as part of the Spirio Residency. Held in the LAMP Recital Hall in Elliott Hall of Music (Elliott Room 15), the competition gives young pianists and college students the opportunity to practice and perform on the Steinway Spirio, one of the most advanced performance and recording pianos available today. For more details, click here.
Closing Celebration: Awards & (((April33))) Gala Concert
The final day of the residency will bring together several of its signature moments: Hammer Down! Round 1, Hammer Down! Finals, Hammer Down! Awards, Hackathon Awards, and the April33 Gala Concert. This closing celebration is designed to reflect the full spirit of the residency by honoring artistry, innovation, experimentation, and community in a single shared event.
Click here for program overview