During the Disklavier/Video Recordings of the competition (2008), contestants performed on Disklavier Pro pianos in Moscow, Shanghai, Toronto, Vancouver, Los Angeles, New York, and Paris. During the recording process, a high resolution XP Standard MIDI File was created. These XP SMFs were use for playback before the screening jury at the Piano Salon at Yamaha Artit Services Inc. in New York City.

If you have a Disklavier piano, you may download these files to a floppy disk or a USB flash drive and play them on your Disklavier. Playback is possible on other MIDI devices, but it will not be as acurate or as expressive. In the case of electronic playback devices, the piano sound will be inferior to that of a real piano. Playback on other MIDI devices is not recommended. NOTE: Low-end MIDI devices, such as computer sound cards, may not recognize or properly play the incremental pedal data.

These performances are offered to you in three MIDI formats. Download the contestant's complete program by clicking the link for one of these collections. Alternatively, download any single piece as an Enhanced SMF by clicking the link to the individual piece.

This format is intended for playback on Disklavier Pro pianos.

This format constitutes a high resolution MIDI file that goes beyond the boundaries of a typical MIDI file. This file uses a scale of 0-1023 to record hammer (note-on) velocity, key-on velocity, and key-release (note-off) velocity. Pedal data for sustain and una corda are recorded as continuous data from 0-127.

NOTE: For best playback results, play the XP files using the Disklavier's floppy drive. Regrettably, many computer sequencers alter the order of the XP events.

This format is intended for playback on all Disklavier pianos and other MIDI devices that read Standard MIDI Files.

This format conforms to the normal MIDI specification but includes data that is not often recorded or played back by other MIDI instruments, such as key release velocity (from 0-127). As with the XP SMF, pedal data for sustain and una corda are recorded as continuous data from 0-127.

This format is intended for playback on early model Disklaviers that do not read Standard MIDI Files. The data is similar to that found in the Enhanced SMF.

To download these files using a Windows computer, right click on one of the MIDI links. A mini menu will appear. Choose the option to save the file or link to disk.

If you clicked a link to an individual piece, you will have downloaded and saved a single piece. If you clicked a link to one of the collections, the file that you have downloaded and saved is a .zip archive. If you double-click it, your computer may automatically decode the file into a folder containing several MIDI files and one or two Disklavier directory files (PDISK and PSONG or PIANODIR).

If your computer does not automatically decode these .zip files, you need a program, such as the free Stuffit Expander program (www.stuffit.com/mac/index.html) or the free evaluation version of WinZip (www.winzip.com).

If you are going to play these files on a Disklavier using floppy disk, copy all of the files including any directory files you downloaded. If you intend to play the files from a computer, you can discard the directory files.

To download these files using a Macintosh computer, Control-click on one of the MIDI links. A mini menu will appear. Choose the option to save the file or link to disk.

If you clicked a link to an individual piece, you will have downloaded and saved a single piece. If you clicked a link to one of the collections, the file that you have downloaded and saved is a .zip archive. If you double-click it, your computer may automatically decode the file into a folder containing several MIDI files and one or two Disklavier directory files (PDISK and PSONG or PIANODIR).

If your computer does not automatically decode these .zip files, you need a program, such as the free StuffIt Expander program (www.stuffit.com/mac/index.html) or the free evaluation version of WinZip (www.winzip.com).

If you are going to play these files on a Disklavier using floppy disk, copy all of the files including any directory files you downloaded. If you intend to play the files from a computer, you can discard the directory files.