Klarinet Archive - Posting 000517.txt from 1998/04

From: "Scott Morrow" <sdm@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: Music and Science
Date: Fri, 10 Apr 1998 11:57:11 -0400

I have a BS in Chemistry and have been working in Biochemistry for the
last 16 years. I, also, have been playing the clarinet routinely since 4th
grade. I believe one of the skills that helps scientific people relate to
music is an ability to deal with abstract concepts (you can't "see" a
molecule, and try explaining musical interpretation to someone who has to
touch or see something to understand it!). Also, music IS very
mathematical - it is not difficult to see (especially from some of our more
technical posts) that music is mostly a scientific field molded by
creativity. (Actually, most of the more important scientific advancements
were discovered by creative scientists, not technicians!)
I am also a writer (plays and humourous articles) - also sort of
abstract! One of the reasons I never went on to a PhD in science is that I
DON'T want to give up my "creative" activities!

-Scott

-----Original Message-----
From: C E Field <CEField@-----.com>
Date: Friday, April 10, 1998 10:03 AM
Subject: Re: Music and Science

>This is a fascinating topic.
>
>I am a Ph.D. (food & resource chemistry and chemical engineering) by
education
>and a computer journalist by trade (with 500 or so published articles in
the
>past 15 years). I also worked in medical research and teaching.
>
>BUT clarinets always have been and remain my first love. I started playing
in
>fourth grade...nearly 40 years ago (ugh).
>
>Cindy