Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony - Hack The Orchestra

Prizes have total cash value of $5,000 The Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony has partnered with Communitech to organize “Hack the Orchestra” - the first hackathon in the world to give hackers a full professional orchestra and superb concert hall to work with. This 36-hour hackathon is being held in the heart of Canada's tech mecca and is open to young and less young - students and seasoned software developers. Hackers get to work with the full Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony, Music Director Edwin Outwater, guest conductor Carlos Izcaray, Centre In The Square tech crew and others. The KWS plans to demo the winning solutions during a set of KWS concerts in September, 2015. Hackers do not need a music background. The software and/or hardware solutions could potentially be used to enhance the experience of any type of live performance in venues everywhere! SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES:  Get your brand in front of the tech mecca of Canada. Become a sponsor today! Limited sponsorship available. Visit https://kwsymphony.ca/hackathon/   VOLUNTEERS NEEDED  Please contact [email protected] to help out for any length of time.    SCHEDULE May 22 Centre In The Square (CITS) 5:00 pm registration and orientation dinner at Centre In The Square (CITS); 6:00 pm keynote address
select sponsors address hackers
competition organizers give an overview of the evening’s concert and the weekend’s competition;
presentation of what the KWS has tried technically before (what worked, what didn’t)
competition rules are reviewed
the problem to be resolved is announced
7:00 pm pre-concert lecture (Theatre, CITS) 8:00 pm concert “Beethoven’s Eroica” (details: https://tickets.kwsymphony.ca/single/EventDetail.aspx?p=1552 ) 10:30 pm pre-formed teams are assigned workstations, independent hackers record his/her proposed solution on a stickie and posts it under the appropriate general category;  teams of 4 hackers each are formed based on similar interests in a particular solution; newly-formed teams are assigned to specific work areas and assemble there; 11:00 pm Competition begins and continues overnight May 23 9:00 am Breakfast 10:30 am KWS demo/Q&A session with full orchestra and guest conductor, starts with a brief demonstration, then the orchestra and conductor are available for questions, requested demonstrations, etc.; CITS lighting and audio crew available for consultation. KWS Music Director, Edwin Outwater, available for consultation via Internet video call (from Milwaukee) 11:30 - 12:15 pm Orchestra break; social time for hackers with musicians 12:15 - 1:00 pm orchestra demos / prototype testing as requested by hackers 1:00 pm orchestra dismissed 1:00 pm Kik lunch 1:00 pm - 5 pm Various workshops and sponsor presentations scheduled through the afternoon 6:00 pm Dinner   Competition continues through the night May 24    9:00 am Breakfast 10:30 - 11:30 am Brief presentations by each team to the judges; 11:30 - 12:00 pm 3 finalists selected; awards distributed 12:00 pm Final speeches; Hack the Orchestra  closes   September 25/26, 2015 Demonstration of winning projects during KWS “Beethoven Marathon” concert at Centre In The Square   HARDWARE Hack the Orchestra will supply basic hardware:  -  24 Myo armbands that developers (on loan) with some on-site engineering support - Arduino microcontoller - solderless breadboard and wires - an assortment of LEDs - small assortment of buttons and switches - small 3.5mm cable to take apart to use to plug into a speaker - small microphone ( a sound sensor not an actual mic) - small servo motors Participants may bring their own hardware to work with, but it may not be assembled prior to the official start of the hackathon.