From Pianoforte to AI-driven Performance: Reinventing the Piano through Technology

Abstract

The piano, since its invention by Bartolomeo Cristofori at the turn of the eighteenth century, has epitomized the intersection between musical artistry and technological innovation. From the early pianoforte, which radically expanded expressive possibilities beyond the harpsichord, through the industrial standardization of the nineteenth century and the electrification of the twentieth, the instrument has persistently mirrored broader socio-technological transformations. In the digital era, the piano has undergone unprecedented reconfigurations, becoming simultaneously a pedagogical tool, a compositional interface, and a platform for experimentation at the frontier of artificial intelligence. This paper traces the historical continuum of the piano, examining its evolution from mechanical craftsmanship to virtual simulation, with particular attention to the role of ICT in reshaping performance practices, educational paradigms, and modes of cultural dissemination. By situating AI-driven performance within this continuum, the study interrogates both the democratizing potential and the ethical challenges posed by algorithmic creativity. Ultimately, the piano emerges not merely as an instrument, but as a dynamic cultural artifact whose identity is continually reinvented at the nexus of tradition and technological modernity.