Hamburg – September 7, 2026 -- Casio Computer Co., Ltd. unveiled the European premiere of its digital sound source "Akiko's Piano" at the Martha Argerich Festival 2026, held in Hamburg, Germany, from June 20 to 30, 2026.
The original piano survived the Hiroshima bombing
The upright piano at the center of the project was built in 1926 and damaged in the atomic bombing of Hiroshima on August 6, 1945. Restored in 2005, it has since been played by musicians including Martha Argerich and has carried a message of peace through its sound.
Casio recorded all 88 keys to preserve the instrument digitally
To carry the piano's historic tone into the future, Casio's European subsidiary, CASIO Europe GmbH, led a project that meticulously recorded the sound of each of the piano's 88 keys and rebuilt it as a digital sound source.
Visitors heard the piano through a modern digital instrument
At the festival venue, the Laeiszhalle, Casio set up a display for its CELVIANO digital piano, letting visitors hear "Akiko's Piano" reproduced through the instrument. Many attendees voiced strong interest in both the sound and the project's mission.
The sound source featured in a play and a world-premiere concerto
On June 27, the digital sound source appeared in the score for the theatrical work "El cartero de Nagasaki,