The Art & Science of Music

The music world is buzzing with excitement about the upcoming Chickenstock festival, but Joanie Sebastian Bock just can’t get into the swing. The once-marvelous maestro has lost her musical mojo—her notes are flat, her rhythm is rusty and her instruments are all out of tune. This week, tune up and boogie down as you join Joanie on a musical journey to discover how artistically inspiring and scientifically exciting music can be, and help her get her groove back in time for the biggest gig of her life!

(Pre-K - Kindergarten)

Art: Create art inspired by Camille Saint-Saëns’ “Carnival of the Animals.” Listen to the music of the king of the jungle, then design a double-sided lion mask. Consider the gentle sound of fish, represented by string instruments, as you weave aquarium animals.

Science: Find out what it means to be pitch-perfect as you experiment with sound vibration speeds. Design drums with different diameters, heights and drum heads, and water bottle xylophones with varying amounts of water to test a rage of pitches.

Outdoors: Get silly with sound in games like freeze dance and limbo, plus get wet on water day!

(Rising 1st - 2nd graders)

Art: Take some instrumental inspiration from the masters as you make three-dimensional sculptures modeled on Picasso’s deconstructed instruments. Explore positive and negative space to create a cut-paper collage in the style of Matisse’s “The Guitar.”

Science: Take a musical trip around the world! Explore the origins of the cabasa and rainstick, then discover the unique tones of distinct materials as you create your own shaker. Engineer a kalimba, experimenting with prong placement and length to polish your pitch.

Outdoors: Move to a new beat! Practice creating and maintaining rhythms with rhythm sticks, plus have tons of fun playing all-camp games.

(Rising 3rd - 5th graders)

Art: Learn about Bearden’s jazz-inspired collages, then create your own layered mixed media collage. Using Kandinsky’s abstract, emotional work as inspiration, listen to different types of music and practice making artwork that embodies its sound, rhythm and energy.

Science: Explore amplification and resonance as you learn how different shapes and materials change the intensity and volume of sound. Engineer your own cardboard, wood and nylon guitar, experimenting with different string types and fret positions, then form a Galileo-style garage band!

Outdoors: Practice some hip hop moves, learn the basics of beat boxing and play games outside with your team!