Senior Spotlight: Independent Studies, Matthew Lee: Mathematics and Music Theory

Riverdale Review: Please briefly discuss the subject of your independent study. 

Matthew Lee: I have one independent study on the topic of using geometry to analyze music theory and another independent study where we’re using math to describe music theory. More or less, pretty similar. One is more music focused, the other is more math focused. In our music study, we’re analyzing everything from classical composers that are both tonal and atonal to modern jazz composers to pop music today. And my other math independent study, we’re looking more at the science behind sound and frequency and how we can use different mathematical theories, like set theory to describe music and pitches.

RR: Why did you choose to spend additional time studying this topic? 

ML: I think when it comes to music theory, I noticed there weren’t a lot of courses available at Riverdale. I took music production, which I really liked, but I wanted to pursue this interdisciplinary field between both math and music. And I figured, you know, since I didn’t have any math courses and I needed to fill an art credit, this was a pretty good compromise in order to do both art and also math. My math independent study fills my math credit, and my music independent study fills my music credit.

RR: Who are your faculty advisors?

ML: Ms. Evron for my math independent study, Mr. Susman for my music independent study.

RR: Can you discuss some of the mathematical principles you’re studying and how they relate to music? 

ML: For example, on the concept of sound--this is actually a little bit into engineering physics–-frequency is based on the compression of air and how frequently that occurs. And so we’re trying to apply that by building a real-life siren that can generate noise based on spinning a fan through certain holes. That’s actually how normal air rate sirens work. But it’s understanding that, depending on how many holes there are, is that going to increase the pitch or lower the pitch? Or, depending on how fast you blow it, will it make the siren louder? That was a side project that we tried doing.