From Score Creation to Performance: What I Saw at the Newzik + Dorico Booth at "La Folle Journée TOKYO 2026"
- tarokoike
- 7 days ago
- 10 min read
Updated: 4 days ago
This year during the Golden Week* I joined "La Folle Journée TOKYO", the world's one of largest classical music festivals, held annually at the Tokyo International Forum.
*Japanese holiday week around the 1st week of May.
During the three-day event period, various concerts were held throughout the Marunouchi area, centered around the Tokyo International Forum, which is a paid concert venue. It's a massive event involving the entire area, last year in 2025, it saw 268 performances and attracted 193,000 visitors.
This time, based on what I saw and heard at the venue, including meetings with related parties and visits to exhibitor booths, I'd like to write about various thoughts on how to utilize digital sheet music reader applications (hereafter referred to as score readers), how to address the long-standing issue like "I bought Dorico but I'm not using it effectively", and technologies that support music practice.
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On May 2nd (Saturday), a preparation day, I visited the Newzik + Dorico booth, which my company helped with some of the production of. On May 3rd (Sunday), the first day of the event, I enjoyed the concert as an audien with my family.
On May 5th (Tuesday, National Holiday), the final day of the event, I visited the Newzik + Dorico booth again, observing how general visitors viewed the products, and exchanging information with the booth staffs, it was a very productive time.
At the booth, visitors were frequently seen peering at the Newzik screen and asking staff for instructions on how to use it.
Newzik has a unique feature not found in other score readers: LiveScore, which converts PDF sheet music into playback-able sheet music. The transposition capabilities using this feature seemed to particularly interest visitors.
While the potential was demonstrated in the product demo at the booth, upon returning home, I tested it by myself using Bach's Cello Suite No. 2 in D minor, BWV 1008. I Prèlude, which I had previously played. Although there were a few minor conversion errors regarding note values, I confirmed that it is sufficiently practical for simple and clear sheet music like this. *
*While errors may increase depending on the type and condition of the sheet music, Newzik's proprietary OMR engine, which utilizes deep learning technology to understand musical notation and structure and extract data, may see early performance improvements given the recent rapid advancements in AI technology.
From these visitor reactions, it was evident that score readers like Newzik, which incorporate advanced technologies such as AI-based OCR/OMR and cloud computing, are shifting their role from mere sheet music viewing tools to "active tools" that support performance preparation.
Meanwhile, Dorico, by integrating with the Newzik, is expanding beyond sheet music creation to cover a wide range of processes, from the completion of the sheet music to its delivery to the performance venue.
This is an interesting trend, and as the way music production is conducted is being influenced, for better or worse, by the rapid development of AI, it may become one of the future areas of development in music production software.
To consider this, let's first review the history of score readers from their inception to the present.
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1. Early Electronic Score Readers
For a long time, music was brought to performance venues as sheet music made on paper. However, with the advent of Finale and Sibelius in the 1990s, some published or handwritten scores began to be created using software. But even then, the sheet music brought to performance venues remained on paper.
In April 2010, the first-generation iPad was released, marking the first time sheet music was digitized for performance venues. Looking back now, more than a decade later, this seems like a revolutionary event in sheet music display.
I believe the most symbolic product in the digitization of sheet music in performance venues was the "GVIDO," a dedicated electronic score reader released in 2017.
For those who own Amazon's Kindle, an e-paper product specialized for reading, GVIDO can be easily understood as the sheet music version of that. Its specifications were as follows:
A compact size of 48cm x 31cm x 6mm, weighing approximately 660g (19 x 12 x 0.24 inches, 1.45 lbs).
Equipped with two 13.3-inch e-paper displays with low power consumption, allowing for 5 days of use on a 3-hour charge.
Capable of storing approximately 4,000 sheet music files in internal storage.
Page turning is possible with a foot switch.
Annotations can be shared with other users via the GVIDO service.
Electronic sheet music can be purchased from a dedicated online store.
GVIDO was a groundbreaking product that encompassed all the functions that musicians using sheet music would likely need. However, issues such as screen reflections that made it difficult to read depending on the lighting conditions at stages, occasional freezes, and a high price of ¥198,000 including tax (1,239.68USD as of June 2026) hindered its widespread adoption, ultimately leading to its discontinuation at the end of March 2022.
Looking back to when GVIDO was released, while more and more people were starting to use the more inexpensive and versatile iPad as a sheet music viewer, it seems that many still brought paper sheet music to gigs, fearing problems on the stage.
However, as I wrote in a previous article, "Newzik: An App for Managing and Viewing Digital Sheet Music for Performance", the performance of the iPad has improved since then, and reliable score readers such as Newzik, forScore, and Piascore have become available. As a result, the "iPad + score reader" setup has become commonplace in performance settings, and this continues until now.
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2. Strengths of Newzik, a New Generation Score Reader
There are several types of score readers, and the differences in specifications between products and the advantages of each product are as described in the aforementioned article.
Among them, the greatest strength of Newzik, which was introduced alongside Dorico at the La Folle Journée TOKYO 2026 exhibitor booth, in my personal opinion, is its ability to easily share sheet music, added annotations, and even audio files and YouTube links used as performance references in real time among ensemble members without any special settings, using its own cloud server*.
As the librarian of the Tonkünstler Orchestra points out in the following interview video, this allows for easy and reliable sharing of information, such as violin bowing instructions, among orchestra members.
Therefore, even in urgent situations like rehearsals just before the show or recording sessions, it becomes possible to experiment with flexible and bold changes without fear of the confusion that can occur with paper scores.
This unique feature of Newzik makes it a high priority for orchestras, big bands, and large wind ensembles considering the adoption of score readers.
Furthermore, this feature is convenient not only for ensemble members but also for individuals using multiple devices.
For example, if you suddenly want to look up the sheet music for a piece while out and about, and your iPad (which you normally use with Newzik) isn't with you, you can simply install Newzik on your iPhone and log in. This allows you to easily access exactly the same score in the same familiar screen layout as your iPad. This is particularly effective when using spare time to memorize pieces you're practicing.
*While forScore and Piascore can also access files stored on third-party cloud services like Dropbox, special settings are required. Furthermore, unlike Newzik, annotations aren't automatically synchronized, so you need to manually manage your files to identify the most recent file with added annotations.
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3. What can you do by linking Dorico and Newzik?
Score readers can import existing scores, such as published scores, as image files like PDFs, but of course, you can also import scores you've created yourself using music notation software.
Besides Dorico, Sibelius and MuseScore can also be used to create scores for import into Newzik. Especially if you want to complete everything from score preparation to performance display on a single iPad, Dorico and Sibelius, which offer free iPad versions with advanced editing features, are good choices.
The choice of music notation software depends on personal preference, but if you prioritize the beauty, readability, and extensive customization options like Finale had, then Dorico, with its wide range of available fonts and advanced editing features, is arguably the best choice.
In particular, Dorico provides frequent free updates, improving usability and reliability with each update, demonstrating Steinberg's strong development capabilities. The ability to focus on music production without being plagued by bugs or problems is a significant, albeit often overlooked, advantage of using Dorico.
Incidentally, at the Newzik + Dorico booth at La Folle Journée TOKYO 2026, I frequently heard comments like:
"I'd love to use my custom-made scores in Newzik! But even though I bought Dorico, I haven't had time to learn how to use it, so I'm still using Finale..."
In reality, many Finale users face the same challenges, and even professionals do as well.
Like learning a musical instrument, learning professional music notation software requires daily study and practice. However, continuing to learn and practice with Finale, a discontinued product, will be a waste of time in the medium to long term. Therefore, I recommend switching to Dorico, a more promising product, as soon as possible.
Learning how to use music notation software from scratch and creating your own preferred scores requires considerable time and effort. However, there is a shortcut to switching from Finale to Dorico, based on the features of both products.
We previously discussed this at the Steinberg Seminar held in October 2025, co-hosted by our company MTS and Yamaha Music Japan Co., Ltd., the domestic distributor of Dorico.
A report on this seminar, along with an archived video, is available on our company blog below. Please check this out first of all.
▼[Event Report] Steinberg Seminar “Complete Migration from Finale to Dorico: Experts on both products will provide a detailed explanation”
Migrating tools is not simply about learning how to operate them; it's also about restructuring your workflow.
For those who want to master the tools as efficiently as possible amidst their busy schedules, we recommend learning from someone familiar with the differences in workflows between Finale and Dorico, rather than trying to learn on your own.
Having gained in-depth knowledge of Finale through practical experience in the development and technical support of the Japanese version of Finale, and now serving as a Steinberg-certified training partner specializing in Dorico, our company offers courses specifically for former Finale users.
If any of the following apply to you, please see this page:
I bought Dorico, but I’m not using it as effectively as I did Finale.
I haven't yet decided to migrate from Finale and haven't bought Dorico yet.
I want to efficiently transfer files created in Finale to Dorico.
If any of these apply to you, please see this page.
For those considering migrating to Dorico due to the end of Finale support:
Online course for Finale users
"Dorico Intensive Course"
Learn Dorico quickly while understanding the differences from Finale.
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4. Development of Music Practice Applications
To ultimately complete music in the form of performance, there is another piece of music technology support between music notation software and score readers: music practice applications (hereinafter referred to as practice apps).
Practice apps include MakeMusic Cloud (formerly SmartMusic), a major service in the US for classical and wind band music*, and iReal, which is practically the only choice for jazz.
*MakeMusic Cloud, as the name suggests, is a service provided by MakeMusic, the developer of Finale. The initial version was released in 2005 as SmartMusic, it was reborn as a web application in 2015, and renamed to its current name in 2022.
With MakeMusic Cloud, users play their instruments while viewing scores displayed on their device screen, accompanied by playback with sound quality equivalent to Garritan Instruments for Finale. The results are read into MakeMusic Cloud via the device's microphone, and missed notes are displayed in red.
The playing itself is realistic and enjoyable, and the scoring function allows for improvement in a game-like manner, which I think is a great feature.
In Japan, it received little (or almost no) attention perhaps because information wasn't released by the domestic distributor at the time, but the ability to directly upload created music files to MakeMusic Cloud was actually one of Finale v27's two major selling points, alongside SMuFL font support. (If you have Finale v27, try selecting "File menu > Share.")
iReal, which we've introduced on our blog before, features chord progression charts for over 1,000 songs, including jazz standards. It's ideal for practicing improvisation, as it allows you to play along while reading the chart during jam sessions, and the high-quality rhythm track playback allows for transposition, tempo adjustment, and volume balance adjustment.
For songs requiring advanced playing techniques and sufficient individual practice time before rehearsal, or if you lack confidence in sight-reading, switching between such practice apps and Newzik during rehearsals is one efficient approach.
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5. Music Technology Supporting Music Production, Practice, and Performance
Music intended for live performance ultimately goes through three phases: production, practice, and rehearsal & performance.
Currently, there are music technologies that support each phase, and these can be integrated to a certain extent through MIDI and MusicXML.
Table: Three Phases of Music Development and the Music Technologies
Phases | Challenge | Tools Used |
Music Production Phase | Composition/Arrangement, Score Creation | Music Notation Software (Dorico, Sibelius, MuseScore) and DAW |
Practice Phase | Performance Skill Improvement | Music Practice Apps (MakeMusic Cloud, iReal Pro), and recording devices or DAW |
Rehearsal & Performance Phase | Score Management, Viewing, and Sharing | Electronic Score Readers (Newzik, forScore, Piascore) |
Recently, we hear gloomy news about AI taking over the jobs of composers and arrangers, but the joy of performing the music you love with your own body is something that AI cannot replace.
From this perspective, the Newzik + Dorico combination is expected to be a great help in supporting the "Rehearsal & Performance Phase".
By understanding and skillfully combining these music technologies, it may be possible to improve the quality of musical practice and performance more efficiently.
My personal interests have also shifted from my initial starting point of music notation software to this combination of music technologies.
Specifically, for example, when I was studying jazz bass at Berklee College of Music, I often heard people say, "Professional jazz musicians memorize around 100 standard songs, so aim for that."
Unfortunately, I myself am still nowhere near that level, but I imagine that understanding and performing music at a deep level ultimately means moving beyond the sheet music, incorporating the music into oneself, and making it one's own, like a professional jazz musician who can freely improvise over 100 songs with their eyes closed.
I believe music technology has the potential to help with this, and I intend to further research this by learning more about various products, including Newzik.
The first step in this process will probably be to break down the various phases of practice, organizing and classifying them, and determining which apps are effective in which specific situations.
This topic may form a foundation for considering the future use of music technology, and I hope to discuss it further as my research progresses.
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If you are interested in the possibilities of Dorico + Newzik discussed in this article, we recommend downloading and trying the free versions of each product first.
▼Download Dorico: Dorico SE (Free version of Dorico, allows you to create scores with up to 8 parts)
▼Download Newzik (The free version allows you to import up to 3 scores created with Dorico, etc.)
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