Space Science Center partners with Schwob School for groundbreaking STEAM concert

Imagine witnessing a depiction of the relationship between music and science that you could simultaneously hear and see.

Can’t picture it? Good news. You don’t have to.

Columbus State University’s Schwob School of Music is teaming up with the Coca-Cola Space Science Center to bring a new and unique concert format to the area.

Music Under the Dome is a new series of concerts that will feature the Schwob School’s prized Yamaha Disklavier paired with the technological abilities of the Space Center’s Omnisphere Theatre. Listeners will be able to hear and see the music being played on the disklavier due to the highly advanced technology it is compatible with at the Space Center.

Paul Hostetter, Schwob School’s firector, explained the concept behind these new concerts.

“The Omnisphere Theatre has a lot of fascinating technology that can be leveraged in an acoustic and visual environment, which in turn partners well with the Yamaha Disklavier,” he said. “This piano is not only a world class 9’ instrument, but also has a lot of electronic capabilities for additional sounds as well as video triggering.”

This may seem confusing, but it means that the Space Center has the capability to literally illustrate the music, in various ways, in real time.

“Different colored lights can respond in live time to the piano, flashing across the dome, or it can be sequenced with pre-recorded video that is responsive to the the pianist’s musical gestures,” he said.

What’s more? The instrument and Omnisphere Theatre have the ability to create new sounds together.

“Sounds that are purely electronic can also be performed in live time along with the piano, creating newly imagined sonorities,” Hostetter explained. “It’s all high-tech, but can be fully realized in this wonderful space.”

The concerts will be given at no cost to the public, but due to limited seating audience members must reserve tickets ahead of time.

Every concert in the series will be appropriate for all ages. While none of the concerts will be scary, Hostetter mentioned that these concerts could be “adventurous for all ages.” Those with aural or visual sensitivities should consider calling to inquire about each individual concert’s repertoire to best prepare for the experience.

The staff at the Coca-Cola Space Science Center is also excited to have this partnership and new technology installed in their space. Shawn Cruzen, executive director of the Coca-Cola Space Science Center, explained his enthusiasm for the upcoming concert series.

“This remarkable collaboration will, of course, provide a series of truly unique events for the arts. We couldn’t be more excited to be a part of that opportunity for our community,” he said. “However, the presence of this instrument in our space also will create some amazing new opportunities for our educators to engage younger guests and visiting students.”

The particular way in which the instrument and Omnisphere Theatre are paired offers an interesting look into the science behind the process. Cruzen said he is most excited for the educational opportunities this new platform provides.

“This creates a host science of concepts, many directly from the Georgia Standards of Excellence. Some foundational concepts, such as forces and motion, energy transfer, and properties of light and sound waves, are abstract and can be difficult for teachers to communicate in the classroom,” he said.

It doesn’t stop there. Cruzen believes the students’ understanding of these concepts have the potential to help them transfer into successful careers.

“By using the combined technologies of this instrument and the Omnisphere Theater, we will be able to develop tangible and compelling demonstrations for these concepts, all accessible through the gateway of music. These activities will be true STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) experiences with applications to fields as far-reaching as biology, geology, chemistry and astronomy,” said Cruzen.

This story was originally published October 28, 2017 at 9:00 PM with the headline "Space Science Center partners with Schwob School for groundbreaking STEAM concert."