Clarion API - Django, Python project

Open Orchestras supports Music Education Hubs, arts organizations and schools to create orchestras that are accessible to young disabled people. I built the Django-based API that powers The Clarion, and I'm still looking after it today.

The Clarion turns an iPad or a Windows computer into an accessible musical instrument, played with any part of the body, even just the eyes. It's a program of Open Up Music, and part of every Open Orchestras subscription.

Ten weeks to launch

I built the API in about ten weeks in 2017: the instrument's content, accounts, and subscriptions checked against renewal dates.

Signed in, per device

Each Clarion signs in with tokens tied to that device, checked on every request, with a limit on devices per account. Deactivating a user cancels their tokens straight away.

Releases, saved work and content

The API hands out new app releases, saves users' work to the cloud, and serves three versions of the instrument's content formats, with content groups controlling who gets what.

The Clarion API in Swagger — The API, documented with OpenAPI

An admin for Open Up Music staff

Users, devices and tokens are managed in one place, with readable password suggestions, renewal shortcuts and a count of devices active this academic year. Staff publish new pieces of music and app releases there too.

Pattern folders in the Clarion admin — Pieces of music, as pattern folders

Releases in the Clarion admin — App releases

Kept current

Off Heroku onto its own server, then Django 5.2 and Python 3.14, with every request logged and tests at 100% coverage.

References

Steve is an accomplished developer. He understands good software architecture, a range of coding languages and he is efficient too. My recent project required a REST API and a web-based admin control panel. Steve actually helped improve my specification by suggesting a better and more standards-compliant way of handling API authentication. He is also rare in being able to estimate well and delivered my project both on time and on budget.