Roland Digital Piano Design Awards

You Design the Future — Entry Period Starts Today 

Innovative thinkers from around the world are invited to design the digital concert grand piano of the future in the first ever Roland Digital Piano Design Awards. The theme of this design challenge is to unleash a piano design that breaks away from tradition, and each participant’s goal will be to design the digital grand piano of the future. Designers are encouraged to focus on the piano’s look primarily but can propose alternative digital functions and sounds as well. Roland has remained at the forefront of piano innovation since the early 70s and continues its quest to build the ultimate piano with this unique new contest. 

Based on the theme “Unleash,” Roland expects new concepts that redefine the design of the concert grand piano. Designs will be judged on the following criteria: 1) novelty and originality, 2) aesthetic superiority, 3) alignment with theme, 4) elegance and presence as a concert grand piano, and 5) how well the benefits, i.e. strengths of digital piano (as a digital instrument) are incorporated into the design. The contest is open to all designers and design students worldwide. Contestants may enter as many designs as they want, but each design must be submitted individually. 

Winning designs will be announced online on January 21, 2016, and during the 2016 Winter NAMM musical instruments trade show in Anaheim, California. The official entry period is November 10, 2015, to December 21, 2015. Awards and prizes will be presented to one Grand Prize Winner (500K Yen), one Excellence Award Winner (200K Yen) and one Incentive Award winner (100K Yen).

Visit the official Roland Digital Piano Design Awards website for contest entry details, or email designawards@roland.com.