The Science of Music

This spring, PCMS recognized sixteen students for research science achievements with their music-themed projects at the 2015 Delaware Valley Science Fair.  Richard Greene, a PCMS board member who has served for many years as a Senior Medals Judge at the annual Science Fair, emphasized that for these 5th to 12th grade students, "this regional event is highly competitive."

These sixteen music research projects were entered under a wide-range of science categories that include: Physics, Behavioral & Social Science, Microbiology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine & Health.  Six of the projects earned an honorable mention and one project placed second within the 12th grade level Behavioral & Social Science category.

PCMS is proud to acknowledge the educational advancements these students are making in the science of music along with building awareness and enthusiasm for the arts.  Each student was given a certificate and awarded an Unlimited Student Pass to concerts during the 2015-16 Season.

Music Research Projects

• Effects of Music on Productivity (Behavioral/Social Sciences) — 2^nd Place!
• Is Perfect Pitch Acquired or Inherited (Behavioral/Social Sciences) — Honorable Mention!
• How Music Affects the Growth of Bacteria (Microbiology)
• Frequency Dependent Sound Absorption (Physics)
• How Genre of Music Affects Quality of Work (Behavioral/Social Sciences)
• Moody Tunes (Behavioral/Social Sciences)
• Assessing the Preference for Music Based on Fibonacci Sequence (Mathematics)
• Music: Success or Distraction (Behavioral/Social Sciences) — Honorable Mention!
• Humidity Control for Woodwind Instruments Using Saturated Salt Solutions (Engineering)
• Does Single Session of Harp Music Affect Human Heart Rate and Blood Pressure (Medicine/Health) — Honorable Mention!
• Horn Call: Tuning Brass Instruments With Science (Physics)
• Pitch Perfect (Physics) — Honorable Mention!
• Sound of Music: Measuring Pitch in Brass and String Instruments (Team Projects) — Honorable Mention!
• Effect of Music on Cognitive Ability in Distracting/Non-Distracting Environments (Behavioral/Social Sciences)
• The Bass is Bumpin' (Physics)
• Effect of Music Tempo on Arithmetic Performance (Behavioral/Social Sciences) — Honorable Mention!