The music swirled, filling the room with the haunting strains of a familiar melody. “Bato sa Buhangin,” an original Filipino composition, had never sounded…
The music swirled, filling the room with the haunting strains of a familiar melody. “Bato sa Buhangin,” an original Filipino composition, had never sounded as seductive. Rich, powerful chords and seamless running passages that build into a crescendo embellished a theme as sweet as nectar.
The small audience gathered in the Steinway Boutique at Shangri-La Plaza was totally mesmerized. Especially because there was no pianist on the keyboards.
The pianist, Raul Sunico, was actually standing at the sidelines, watching as the keys on the piano played the music by themselves. It was like an invisible force had taken over, or perhaps the piano had developed a mind of its own.
Though Sunico’s musical performances have always been magical, this was a different kind. What powers had he developed? Or perhaps he had some kind of remote control that presses the precise notes on the piano while he watches from a distance?
The answer lies in the Spirio—the latest innovation from Germany’s venerable piano manufacturer Steinway and Sons.
Looking like one of Steinway’s magnificent grand pianos, the Spirio has a secret—it can play high-quality music by itself, using a combination of advanced technology, software, artificial intelligence and artistry. It’s compatible with an Apple iPad.
Astonishment
The music that was playing that evening had been pre-recorded in New York months ago by Sunico on the Spirio, and it was simply played back while Sunico stood by—to the astonishment of the audience.
But just to show who was still the boss, Sunico next took over the keyboards, and played “Bato sa Buhangin” all over again, a visible presence on a visible piano.
