On the opening day pupils from schools of Vidzeme region took part in workshops “Physics of sound” and “Different sounds and different instruments.” Younger pupils learned how different types of music instruments (string, woodwind and percussions) create sound. This activity was the first approach to physics for some of these pupils making it a once in a lifetime experience.
On the second day of the programme, the tent of the “ERC= Science²” was set up at the Paneuropean annual event “European Researchers Night”. A special performance by Gundega Graudina was followed by the keynote of Dr. Fang Liu about how the human brain processes pitch. Attendees got to learn about the very important and less known topic of musical amusia that affects many people. On the following day ERC grantee Dr. Michael Ellison did a presentation on his research as well as an experimental workshop collaborating with several musicians from Latvia and Iceland. For him the highlight of his participation was to run a workshop. “I really had a pleasure to share Turkish music and what the ERC is supporting with my work in Turkey, with transcultural music and to share it with such fantastic musicians in Cesis, Latvia.”
Dr. Fang Liu, on her side, had the opportunity to speak with dozens of people about her ERC funded research during the “European Researchers Night”: studying pitch processing in autism and amusia. “This research has been very meaningful to me as a scientist and I felt happy that audience was so welcoming and asked many questions. On the next day I presented it to the group of Latvian musicians. I was happy to learn also about the research of my colleague, ERC grantee Michael Ellison.”
One of the attendees of the workshops said: “It was a delight to meet the scientists - who were also such great storytellers - and let myself be inspired by the subtle pitch changes in language and the amazing capability of the human brain to distinguish them, as well as by the microtonal riches of Eastern music. I also think it was a great initiative to make this event happen outside the capital, in a small quiet town where it's easier to reach people and where you can have more time and space to hear, think and experience.”
180 people participated in the workshops organized by LASC and more than 100 visitors visited the stand, which was located in Cesis during “European Researchers Night”, and then at ZINOO centre.