In
a first-of-its-kind experiment, a team of scientists led by Daniel
Levitin, Steve McAdams, Teresa Marrin Nakra attached
electrophysiological sensors to conductor Keith Lockhart, 5 members of
the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and 15 audience members, to measure
their brain activity and emotional reactions during a live concert in
Boston's Symphony Hall on August 8, 2006. 35 additional audience
members adjusted a slider box in real time to indicate their experience
of emotion during the concert, which featured four pieces by Mozart and
two by Robert Kapilow.
The second half of the experiment involves replaying HD Video
to a local audience in Tanna Schulich Hall at McGill University, in the
hopes that the researchers can characterize and quantify some of the
differences in electrophysiological responses between live and taped
performance. The concert will take place on Tuesday, June 6 at 12 noon.
Around 50 audience members will participate: 16 subjects will wear
sensors, and 32 will move a slider on an input device in real-time to
indicate their ongoing emotional experience. If you would like to be
one of the participants, you will need to be at Tanna Schulich Hall by
11:15 am to fill out consent forms and be given instructions.
Attendance is free, you simply need to send an email to expt@cirmmt.mcgill.ca
so that we can keep an accurate count. If you would like to be a
subject, please put "Participate" in the subject line. An auto reply
will give you directions and further information.
For further information on the project, please visit http://www.psych.mcgill.ca/levitin.html/boston_symphony.html
The project is generously supported by Thought Technologies, Body Media, and by grants from VRQ, CFI and SSHRC.
Boston Symphony Orchestra Project: McGill Concert
June 01, 2006