2023 MIDI Innovation Awards

US Exquis, Hitar, and Camelot Pro grab the top slots 05/12/23

We've just received this communication from The MIDI Association:

The 2023 MIDI Innovation Awards are now in the books, with a range of novel and pioneering new technologies winning recognition as we celebrate the 40th anniversary of MIDI. This year's winners represent a unique cross-section of pure innovation in hardware, software, and artistic expression.

Intuitive Instrument's Exquis, an expressive MPE controller, won the MIDI Innovation Award for Commercial Hardware, while the Camelot Pro MIDI routing/patchbay application from Audio Modeling won the award for Commercial Software. Andrea Martelloni's HiTar augmented guitar controller won the nod in the Hardware Prototype category, with the Prototype Software award going to Max Graf's Netz, an immersive mixed reality controller. And Ryan Edwards of Masary Studios won the Artistic Installation award for his acclaimed Sound Sculpture, a physical light and sound environment for cooperative sound composition.

Now in its third year, The MIDI Innovation Awards are a joint initiative created by Music Hackspace, the MIDI Association, and NAMM, celebrating and showcasing products and projects using MIDI 1.0 and 2.0 in creative and pioneering new ways to enhance MIDI's role in enabling musical creativity and performance. The five categories are designed to encourage larger companies to enter the commercial awards while the prototype awards focus on DIY, open source, or non-commercial companies or individuals.

This year's judging panel included composer Jean-Michel Jarre, hardware designers Nina Richards and Roger Linn, sound designer Michelle Darling, and composers Bian Liunian and Pedro Eustache.

At the 2024 NAMM show on January 25-28 at the Anaheim Convention Center, Intuitive Instruments will exhibit the Exquis at booth 10604 in the MIDI Showcase area at the front of Hall A. That booth will also feature all of the winners of the 2023 MIDI Innovation Awards and launch the opening of entries for the 2024 MIDI Innovation Awards.

The MIDI Association has a large booth nearby (Booth 10302) with a stage and seating for attendees to learn about the latest MIDI 2.0 products and specifications as well as see presentations about the MIDI Association's initiatives including the MIDI Innovation Awards, and the MIDI In Music Education, Music Accessibility Standard and Interactive Game Audio special interest groups.

"The storied history of NAMM supporting MIDI with the most innovative products began decades ago at the NAMM Show and continues today with inspiring products, innovation, and technology," said John Mlynczak, NAMM president and CEO. "The strength of NAMM and MIDI together showcases how important innovation is within our industry and we are excited to see that on full display in January at our show."

"The MIDI Association and NAMM have always been closely aligned by our common goals of growing more music makers, supporting music education, and creating opportunities for new innovative companies to join the musical instrument business," noted MIDI Innovation Award founder and Music Hackspace CEO, Jean Baptiste Thiebaut.