Physics of Music
I took a physics of music class during spring quarter of my senior year. In the class, we explored the nature of sound, vibrations, traveling and standing waves, response of the ear to sounds, and production of musical sounds. After learning about the science and mechanics of the pipe organ, we were given an organ demonstration by our professor - Dr. Vladimir Chaloupka.
During the demonstration, he laid a great amount of emphasis on "The Art of Fugue" by Johann Sebastian Bach. A fugue is a piece of music with multiple simultaneous melodies built on a theme. Bach's "The Art of Fugue" is a large collection of fugues with variations on a single theme all in the same key, and represents one of his greatest contributions to music. Below is an an organ performance of this work.
After his demonstration, we got the opportunity to play the organ. Although it was my first time on any organ, I was immediately blown away the blend of power and grace of the machine.
During the demonstration, he laid a great amount of emphasis on "The Art of Fugue" by Johann Sebastian Bach. A fugue is a piece of music with multiple simultaneous melodies built on a theme. Bach's "The Art of Fugue" is a large collection of fugues with variations on a single theme all in the same key, and represents one of his greatest contributions to music. Below is an an organ performance of this work.
After his demonstration, we got the opportunity to play the organ. Although it was my first time on any organ, I was immediately blown away the blend of power and grace of the machine.
Contrapunctus I from Bach's "The Art of Fugue"
Below is my course paper for the class.
The Water Crisis in Literature and Cinema
In autumn of my senior year, I took an honors class where we examined the role of water in art, culture, and its use in society in general. Particularly, we paid close attention to how water issues, such as its scarcity, have shaped society.
Below is an excerpt from some of my writing for the class.
Below is an excerpt from some of my writing for the class.