Peter Cowdrey is a composer, pianist and ornithologist. As a small boy he loved listening to the dawn chorus, but was deeply frustrated at birdsong's inaccessibility - too fast, too high, and resolutely resistant to being shoehorned into what was generally defined as music. Peter is excited that advances in technology have made it possible to crack the hidden codes of birdsong, and is on a mission to share them with the rest of the world, especially children. More information can be found at http://www.planetbirdsong.org/ More information can be found at The Conference of Birds, Opera Unlimited, and in this article from The Guardian. His compositions can be heard on his soundcloud page.
Liz Cowdrey is enchanted by birdsong's elusive higher vibrations…She has begun to use spectrographs to deepen her musical journeys into magical sounds, finding out just what goes on from one note to the next. An international violinist dedicated to spreading the gypsy spirit through violin playing, Liz recreates the essence of birdsong through style and gesture as a learning tool both in preparation for performance and in educational work.
Isak Herman is part of the Rainbow Research Group in the Department of Computer Science and Technology at the University of Cambridge. Coming from an academic background in computer science and music, he is interested in the intersection between visual and audible representations of sound and how a combination of sensory inputs can assist in learning and how game mechanics can motivate engagement. Click here to learn more.
James de Winter is Secondary Professional Development Leader at the Science Learning Centre East of England, developing and supporting physics education. He is PGCE Physics tutor at the Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge and teaches on the Science Education MEd course. His website www.physicsandbirdsong.co.uk is a resource for teachers exploring ways of using spectrographs of birdsong as a physics education tool.
