Piano Tunes & Technology — An Evening of Harmony and Ingenuity at ETH Zurich
On May 27th 2025, MAS MTEC Alumni gathered for an evening at the newly restored Semperaula to gain both insights into the science and technology of the grand piano, as well as appreciate a live concert.
What a delightful evening! On Tuesday, 27th of May 2025, the MAS MTEC Alumni brought together two worlds that rarely share a stage — music and engineering — in an event as refined as its setting: the historic and newly restored Semperaula of ETH Zurich.
In this majestic room, where the elegance of 19th-century architecture meets quiet academic grandeur, we experienced "Piano Tunes & Technology", a program that spoke to both the heart and the curious mind.
The evening opened with a beautiful duet by Silvia Lama and Vladislav Mantič-Lugo, whose performance filled the Semperaula with a resonant warmth that reminded us why the piano is such a timeless instrument. But just as we were wrapped in the music, the focus shifted — not away from the piano, but deeper into it.
Jean-Christoph Hannig, a master in piano and harpsichord construction, took us on a journey into the inner workings of the instrument. I thought I understood how a piano worked — haven’t we all seen those strings and little felt hammers? But I quickly realized how much I had taken for granted. For instance, have you ever considered why the key returns to its original position after being pressed? It’s not just a spring — it’s balance, leverage, gravity. It’s physics at play in the most elegant way. Learning about the piano’s inner mechanics revealed just how much precision and thought lie behind something we often take for granted.
The evening closed with another short concert, and afterwards, participants had the opportunity to ask further questions — many of which sparked lively conversations about the craftsmanship and technical mastery behind each note. Finally, over an apéro, we mingled and shared our appreciation for music, engineering, and everything in between.
We’re also grateful to MusikSpitex, whose support made this unique evening possible. Their commitment to bringing music into people’s lives — in homes, in care settings, and now even in academic halls — shows just how powerful music can be when it’s shared with intention.
The event brought together a wonderful mix of alumni, students, and curious minds — around sixty participants in total — and served as a reminder that creativity and precision, emotion and logic, are not opposites. They’re partners. Much like the keys of a piano.