Classroom Happenings: Note by Note

Digeridoo, berimbau, steel pan, mbira, sringa, sitar, bagpipes, djembe … talk about music to your ears! These instruments recently served as a melodious backdrop to lessons taught by Bryan Innovation Lab Liaison and Middle School Science Teacher Claire Bailey. Science is deeply ingrained in many aspects of the arts, including music. One way to explore the science of music is to learn how instruments are made. 

This semester, Ms. Bailey’s students explored a variety of global instruments, from the Australian didgeridoo (a large wind instrument that requires the musician to employ a technique known as circular breathing) to one of the oldest Chinese instruments, the sheng (a reed instrument made of vertical pipes).   

“The idea for my lessons came after I discovered a collection of instruments at my dad’s house last summer,” shared Ms. Bailey. “I immediately knew that [Middle/Upper School Instrumental Music Teacher] John McAlister would find them pretty cool and that we should collaborate.” 

Inside a Bryan Innovation Lab classroom, Ms. Bailey shared a slideshow of instruments from around the world and talked about their origins and cultural significance. As she spoke, Mr. McAlister played several instruments, including a didgeridoo, an African djembe (a type of drum), and a brass horn from India.

Next, the students were tasked with ideating and designing their very own instruments. Using a variety of supplies — PVC pipe, repurposed pie tins, soup container lids, and wooden guitar-shaped cutouts that Ms. Bailey made using the Bryan Innovation Lab Glowforge laser printer — our artist-musicians got to work. 

“Students made connections with the instruments we discussed and other instruments that they already knew about,” said Ms. Bailey. “Many were able to recognize the notes coming from these instruments as the same ones that they hear in some of their favorite songs.” 

Violet Shane ’31 was intrigued by the Chinese sheng. 

“I thought this was a cool instrument because of how high the notes can go,” she said. “It has a beautiful tone to it that makes me feel calm.” Violet said that it’s important to learn about world music because “it gives you a chance to learn about different cultures.” After crafting a miniature guitar complete with rubber- band “strings,” Violet noted that “using my eyes, ears, and sense of touch” helped her fully experience Ms. Bailey’s lessons. 

This year’s schoolwide theme of dialogue harmonizes well with musical exploration and expression.

“Researching and listening to musical instruments together lends itself to lively discussions,” said Ms. Bailey. “Plus, working together and creating one-of-a-kind instruments is a terrific way to exercise teamwork skills.” She added, “This was a new collaboration between Mr. McAlister and me, and it was such a hit that we plan to team up again this year!” 

Mr. McAlister said, “I gained a fresh perspective by working with Mrs. Bailey. Getting a worldview of instrumental music and a scientific view of building instruments gives students a true appreciation of the beauty of and technical demands of music.”