Imagine learning about the science of acoustics in a world-class performance venue, discovering how musical instruments are built and played from some of Edmonton?s leading professional musicians or building your very own theramin (an early electronic instrument which generates frequency and amplitude based on the proximity of the player?s hand ? an instrument you play without touching!).
This past summer, more than 60 children between the ages of 10 and 15 had the chance to engage in the world of music through the Faculty of Engineering led DiscoverE camps.
But wait ? music and engineering? How do the two fit together?
?Engineering is all around us,? explained DiscoverE Program Director Melissa Baron. ?In buildings, machines, electronics, even the materials that things are made of! When you consider the science behind how a musical instrument is carefully constructed, or how a building is designed to direct acoustics, it?s easy to see that engineering and music go hand in hand!?
The Science of Music ? a camp aimed at children in grades four through six ? explored the concept underlying music, while Building the Beat ? aimed at children in grades seven through nine ? looked at the mathematical and scientific principles of music.
?The students learned about acoustics, measuring the speed of sound through echoes, learning about vibrations, pitch and sound waves,? explained Baron. ?They built instruments such as a pitch switch, a kamancheh, a French hose which is similar to a French horn, and drums. The students visited the Winspear Centre and designed a soundproof room, and best of all, they made music!? said Baron.
Maria Khaner, a ten-year-old camper who took part in the Science of Music, is a DiscoverE camp veteran. After taking the Virtual Discoveries, Eco Adventures and Human Health & Furry Friends camps in years past, she signed up for The Science of Music to make exciting discoveries, make new friends and make music!
?We learned about vibrations, how sound travels, how texture affects sound, the difference between woodwind and brass instruments, how the strings on a violin vibrate to make sound. We even made a guitar out of elastic bands and a Dixie cup and one string!? said Maria.
A student-delivered initiative of the?Faculty of Engineer with an emphasis on fun, accessibility and mentorship, DiscoverE delivers high impact classroom workshops, unique clubs and events, and engaging summer programs that bring the excitement and possibilities of engineering, science and technology to more than 16,000 kids every year.
?If children are exposed to these fields at an early age, they are more likely to maintain interest in pursuing studies in those fields,? said Baron. ?Because a child?s early and middle school years are the most effective time to encourage interest, DiscoverE?s goal is the promotion of these areas to children in those crucial years.?
When asked what her favorite parts of camp were, Maria couldn?t decide on just one thing: ?visiting the Winspear and walking on the grid high above the stage. No, learning from the mentors! Maybe making new friends! It?s a more fun way to learn science.?
Campers? learning was further accentuated by visits from mentors who explained how?various?instruments work. In the case of the music-related DicoverE camps, mentors included professional musicians Angela Schroeder on?brass, Brian Jones on?percussion, Scott Smallwood on electronics, oboist Lidia Khaner, violinist Guillaume Tardif, African drummer Robert Kpogo and flute student Jessica Mcmillan.
?I spent a fair bit of time with this camp,? reported Baron. ?It was clear to see how much the kids loved the combination of engineering and music. They challenged themselves to apply the scientific concepts to sound, music and instruments, and they had a lot of fun building their own instruments and then playing them: they were by far the loudest groups at our spirit-offs! And, at the end of the week, each camper had a pile of instruments to take home.?
Regarding the Building a Beat camp, one parent said ?Building the Beat was a great idea ? my daughter, who is more music than engineering, absolutely loved it! I hope you will offer this camp and others like it for junior high again.?
Many thanks to the Faculty of Engineering and the?Winspear Centre for the Arts for helping coordinate two greatly successful camps! The Department of Music and the Faculty of Engineering are already in conversation about creating camps for next year?s DiscoverE summer program. Stay tuned for details!