Symphony, Zoo to Present at AZA National Conference

Photo: Carrie Hawthorne and Terry Wolkowicz

Local education gurus Terry Wolkowicz and Carrie Hawthorne were invited to make a roundtable presentation at the annual conference of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA). Wolkowicz, Education Director at New Bedford Symphony Orchestra, and Hawthorne, Curator of Education at Buttonwood Park Zoo, will present “STEAM: Connected Explorations in Science and Music.” The Symphony and the Zoo collaborated on the NBSO’s recent Learning in Concert program, “Adaptations in Motion: Animal and Musical,” and Wolkowicz and Hawthorne coauthored an article on their collaboration that was published in the July 2016 issue of “Connect,” AZA’s monthly publication.

The cross-disciplinary exploration of motion and adaptations was presented to 40 elementary schools and more than 10,000 children during the fall and winter of 2015-16. Each child was given a pass to Buttonwood Park Zoo. Throughout the program, the children used an analytical device called TRAM (tempo, range and motion), and TRAMstops were set up at Zoo exhibits so children could launch a video of NBSO musicians playing classical music that demonstrated the same tempo, range and motion of the animal moving in front of them. The connection between science and music was further explored during the NBSO classroom visits where children composed animal motion melodies, and the resulting musical piece composed by these children was performed at the 2016 Young People’s Concerts, which also featured amazing videos of the Buttonwood Park Zoo animals.

The AZA Annual Conference is the largest, most comprehensive zoo and aquarium professionals’ event in the country. The Conference offers attendees valuable networking and learning opportunities, and the chance to explore cutting-edge product and service providers. This September, more than 2,500 current and future leaders from the zoo and aquarium community will gather in San Diego to network with and inspire peers, explore ideas and best practices, share successes and lessons learned, and discover new technology, products, and services.