Singing About Science and Sound

This Saturday, local families will be singing, tapping and dancing — all in the name of science.

Winchester resident Meredith Thompson Knight, along with her twin sister, Chris Thompson Lively, will perform the show “Sound Science Fun” at the on March 26 at 11 a.m. Admission is free, and the event is sponsored by Winchester’s Family Action Network (FAN).

The highly interactive show appeals to children of all ages.

“We try to make it participatory in lots of different ways. You’ll be clapping, tapping your feet. We try to be very creative,” said Knight. 

"Sound Science Fun" teaches about the science of sound through music. Original songs include “I’m a Body Symphony," "Wonderful Things About Strings," and "No Matter How you Twist it, It's Still a Horn.”  Knight and Lively use instruments to demonstrate basic scientific principles.

“We have a slide whistle. What happens with a slide whistle is, when you move it down, you make a low sound. When you move it up, you make a high sound,” Knight said. “It’s a recurring theme that long strings or a long thing make low sounds and shorter things make higher sounds.”

Sometimes, the duo asks the audience to do the wave, as at a baseball game. That helps them demonstrate how a sound wave moves. They also use a very long slinky for a similar purpose.

“I love this particular show," Knight said. "We have some things we want to get across. We also do a lot of fun things. We can be a little silly sometimes.”

After the show, they bring out all the instruments that aren’t too fragile and let the audience play them. They also have a chance to chat with families and answer questions.

“I’ve had parents come up to me and say, ‘I learned something too,’” said Knight.

In the past, Knight performed around the country with her sister as a folk duo. “Having similar voices has always been our calling card,” she said.

Now that they both have families and careers, being on tour isn’t an appealing option. Knight, who has lived in Winchester since 2003, works in the chemistry department at Tufts doing science outreach. Lively works at Harvard’s School of Public Health.

“Sound Science Fun” gives them the opportunity to stay local and continue performing together. The show grew out of a science of sound class Knight took in college, and has developed over the years. They’ve performed at the Boston Museum of Science, the MIT Museum, the Carnegie Science Museum, and Club Passim. It has also been featured on the PBS show “Curious George.”

“It’s been so much fun to do this and to showcase our love for science and our love for music too,” Knight said.

For more information and upcoming shows, visit the Sound Science Fun website.