[linux-audio-dev] Software Sequencer API?

Hi, I'd like to program a "player piano" under GNU/Linux for OSS/Lite. All it would do is play MIDI files and light up a song's notes on a graphical keyboard. Unfortunately, my old SB16 sound card does not have AWE support and its Yamaha OPL3 FM synthesizer support sounds very inorganic. Hence, I'm looking for a way to use a "software sequencer" (like Timidity.) I tried Fluidsynth, but it causes midis to break up on my computer. Here are my questions: 1. Is is possible to have a previously written player for OSS (such as SDL Mixer or Timidity) play a stream in the background, and I somehow "read into" what notes are being played at every moment so I can light up the correct piano key? Unfortunately, Timidity is stand-alone; that is, is has no developmental libraries. 2. If not, then are there any "software sequencer" (MIDI to WAV) programming *interfaces* out there that do not require ALSA (that is, that use OSS)? Thanks In Advance, Sincerely, Sean