Science & Music

Screen Shot 2018-02-26 at 10.39.38 PM.png

Screen Shot 2018-02-26 at 10.40.02 PM.png

Screen Shot 2018-02-26 at 10.39.57 PM.png

Screen Shot 2018-02-26 at 10.39.52 PM.png

Screen Shot 2018-02-26 at 10.39.45 PM.png

Many of the world’s great scientists, both past and present, are musicians. While often portrayed as disparate fields, both science and music are fundamentally connected to human development and expression. There’s untapped potential for communication at the intersection of science and music, and we seek to explore that potential.

what we've done

Our Science Music Events grew organically from the Community Voices Open mic stage we hosted at the March for Science. Collaborating with Bay Area science-themed songwriters Kathy & Jim Ocean, we hosted a makeshift Community Voices open mic stage at the march, inviting local musicians and citizen scientists to share their craft with the people and in return providing a space for the general public to voice their own thoughts concerns about science.

Hosting the Community Voices stage directly lead to our first post-march event: the City of Concord’s “Dark Side of the Moon” Night.

Collaborating with the Oceans, we designed the night as an intriguing amalgamation of entertainment, music, and science education. For the main attraction, premiere Pink Floyd Tribute band, “House of Floyd” performed the entirety of “Dark Side of the Moon” with a laser light show. For the opening segment, we curated a “Science Village,” an array of booths showcasing local scientists and hands-on science demos. We had activities ranging from educational Virtual Reality experiences to Citizen Neuroscience demos where participants could see their own brain waves.

As part of the opening segment, we would interview these scientists from the main stage, further drawing attention to their work. The event was a huge sucess! Over 1,500 people attended. People even stayed to check out the science village well after the band had packed up.

The success of these events has inspired our two teams to continue working together to co-develop opportunities to leverage the power of music to bring science to everyone. Keep an eye out in 2018 for additional events.

WHAT'S NEXT

The sky’s the limit!

We’ve certainly proven the concept of a science-music themed event with “Dark Side of the Moon Night,” and we love working with the Oceans. We’re looking into expanding this Science-village/music event into a traveling show. We’re also looking to collaborate on a “Prairie Home Companion” style radio show called “The Metaquizzical Cafe.” It will combine thought-provoking science discussions with humor and music to create an engaging yet entertaining listener experience. Beyond that, there’s the potential for a full-on science themed music festival, and we’ll further explore the science-music intersection at the 2018 March For Science Anniversary event.

Who are the oceans?

Jim and Kathy Ocean have carved out a unique niche at the intersection of art and music. Together, they write poignant and eclectic songs with themes ranging from science to spirituality to satire. They’re also amazing event planners, having willed the “Dark Side of the Moon” event into existence despite numerous technical and weather related challenges. Innately curious and philisophical, they have a unique vision for discussing science through music, and they have the passion and gumption to execute their vision. To top it off, they’re just wonderful people, and we cherish the opportunity to keep working with them.