Spirio Hackathon & Creative Challenge 2026
Spirio Hackathon & Creative Challenge 2026
This is not a generic campus hackathon. It is a focused, high-energy creative challenge built around a singular instrument and an unusual question: what happens when a concert piano becomes a platform for invention?
The Purdue Department of Music and Laboratory for Audio and Music at Purdue (LAMP) in collaboration with Purdue Music Producers (PMP) is launching what may be the first public hackathon built explicitly around the Steinway Spirio piano. That makes this more than a weekend event: a chance to help define what a Spirio hackathon can be. Everyone is welcome. No registration fees.
A Different Kind of Hackathon
The Steinway Spirio is not only a remarkable piano. It is also a creative system with possibilities for live performance, ultra high-precision playback & capture, pedagogy, remote collaboration, visualization, and digital workflow integration. The hackathon is designed for students who want to build things that do not usually fit inside a standard software competition. Teams or individuals can explore:
- new performance interfaces
- audience participation tools
- AI-assisted musical systems
- educational and practice tools
- visualizations of musical data
- recording, video, and DAW workflows
- accessibility concepts for piano learning
- experimental recital and installation ideas
- creative examples including "études"
No "piano" background is required. No finished idea is required. Curiosity, initiative, and collaboration matter most.
Come One, Come All!
This event is built for students across disciplines, including but not limited to music, performance, composition, computer science, engineering, design, HCI, UI, UX, AI, ML, audio technology, media arts, creative coding, production etc.
Participants may join individually or as teams. Register your project proposal here.
What You’ll Build
Projects may be technical, artistic, experimental, or hybrid. The strongest ideas will connect meaningfully to the Spirio while pushing into new territory - a compelling prototype, proof of concept, or creative demonstration is enough. Possible directions may include: expressive performance tools, mobile or web-based audience interaction, piano-centered learning and feedback systems, AI-assisted composition or practice support, visual or spatial performance experiences, telepresence and networked collaboration concepts, recital-format reinventions, tools for performers, composers, educators, or presenters
Resource Access
Participants will have access to: Hackathon-specific sign-up blocks (coming soon) for Spirio access, mentoring from faculty and Steinway ambassadors, time for documentation and final video production,visibility as part of the Spirio Residency closing events on May 3, 2026.
| Date | Event | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 4/15/26 | Launch | Welcome, hackathon intro, teaming + Open Spirio Access sign-up, Steinway Spirio Show & Tell I |
| 4/16/26 | Spirio x PMP | Steinway Spirio Show & Tell II, challenge ideas, teaming + Open Spirio Access sign-up |
| 4/17-22/26 | Open Spirio Access sign-up + Teaming | Open Spirio Access sign-up period continues; hackathon teaming/sign-up closes on Apr 22 |
| 4/24/26 | Hackathon Kickoff (2 PM - 10 PM) | Main kickoff and guaranteed Spirio lab block per team |
| 4/25/26 | Build Day (2 PM - 10 PM) | Active prototyping and additional Spirio access blocks |
| 4/26/26 | Final Build Day (2 PM - 10 PM) | Final build sessions and hackathon weekend wrap-up |
| 4/27/26 | Video Production Start | Documentation and final presentation work begins |
| 4/28/26 | Video Production | Final refinement and packaging |
| 4/29/26 | Final Submission (11:59 PM) | Materials and video due here. |
| 5/3/26 | Awards Ceremony and Closing Gala Concert | Recognition during the residency’s final celebration |
Final Submission and Awards
Submit a 2-minute video of your project developed during the Hackathon & Creative Challenge weekend (4/24/26 - 4/26/26).
Three prizes: $300 | $200 | $100. Winning teams will be recognized at the Closing Gala Concert with special guests (((April33))) and Vijay Rajkumar as part of the residency’s final celebrations on May 3, 2026 @ 7 PM.
Come Explore | Come Create | Be Part of Something Extraordinary