Science of Sound camp set for March 10-12

Buckets will become drums and garden hoses will become horns when the Lied Center for Performing Arts and Time Warner Cable team up for Time Warner Cable’s Science of Sound Spring Break Camp from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 10 and 11 at Mickle Middle School, 2500 N. 67th St.

The camp will be led by John Bertles, Kennedy Center teaching artist and science educator, as well as local engineers and teachers. Up to 50 students, grades 5-8, will experience music through a hands-on curriculum steeped in science. Bertles will teach students how sound waves are created by the vibrations of air on an instrument and how those waves travel through the air to bring music to the ear. The camp concludes with all students performing at Mickle Middle School for parents and family members with professional musicians Daniel Martinez and Jarana at 5 p.m. March 12.

Those interested in attending the camp should contact Nancy Engen-Wedin at 402-472-4707 or nengenwedin2@unl.edu. Registration is limited to 50 participants. The registration fee is $15 per student. A limited number of scholarships are available. Breakfast and lunch will be provided to all camp participants.

“Time Warner Cable’s Science of Sound Spring Break Camp was created with the goal of providing a safe, educational environment for students during spring break,” said Bill Stephan, executive director of the Lied Center. “Participating students will learn about the engineering principles behind music and proactive problem solving and technological skills through the design and construction of instruments.”

Bertles is a founder of the Bash the Trash organization, which performs and educates with musical instruments made from reused and repurposed materials. Founded in 1988 as the Experimental Orchestra, Bash the Trash originally provided classroom workshops and residencies under the umbrella of cultural institutions such as Carnegie Hall, the Guggenheim Museum and New York Philharmonic. Bash the Trash combines science, musical and environmental awareness and reaches more than 50,000 students a year with its live performances and workshops.

The camp is funded through Time Warner Cable’s Connect a Million Minds program, which supplies grants to support nonprofit organizations such as the Lied Center. The program is a five-year, $100 million cash and in-kind philanthropic initiative to address America’s declining proficiency in science, technology, engineering and math. The Science of Sound Spring Break Camp was selected to be a part of the Connect a Million Minds program for its specific emphasis on STEM subjects.

The camp is also supported by the Nebraska Arts Council, Kennedy Center Partners in Education, Lincoln Arts Council and Mickle Middle School.