Ross Wightman’s ’18 MM Fiddle Henge Wins Second Prize at 2026 Guthman Musical Instrument Competition

Published on March 24, 2026

Sound artist and composer Ross Wightman ’18 MM has been awarded Second Prize at the 2026 Guthman Musical Instrument Competition, hosted by Georgia Institute of Technology.

His instrument, Fiddle Henge, is a robotic array of four violins mounted on a bass drum and activated by a motorized bowing system, producing dense rhythmic textures and microtonal soundscapes. Inspired by mechanical instruments and musical automata, the work explores the intersection of acoustic sound, robotics, and experimental tuning.

Recent highlights include an artist residency at the Watermill Center and his involvement in the 2026 GRAMMY-nominated album Árabe, for which he served as art director for the vinyl release and performs as touring bassist.

Based in New Haven, Wightman is a faculty member at Yale and the School of Jazz and Contemporary Music at The New School, and serves as Technical Manager at the Yale Center for Collaborative Arts and Media.

Way to go, Ross!

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