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Math for poets (and drummers):
The mathematics of rhythm

Who: Dr. Rachel W. Hall, Saint Joseph's University

When and Where: Thursday, October 30, in Barbelin 226 at 11:50.

Food? Yes, sandwiches, chips, and soda. Food will be available prior to the start of the colloquium in BL 226 beginning at 11:30. All are welcome.

Audience: Math faculty and students.

Abstract:

The mathematical study of musical rhythm and poetic meter has a long history--in fact, one of the earliest representations of Pascal's triangle comes from Pingala's Chandahsutra (c. 200 BC), which classifies poetic meters of long and short syllables. A related metrical problem led Acarya Hemacandra (c. 1150 AD) to discover the Fibonacci numbers. Euler also explored some combinatorial aspects of rhythm. In addition, periodic functions, ratios, pattern, combinatorics, and algebra can all be used to describe musical rhythm. The talk will cover some of these applications and demonstrate their role in drum compositions. I will also demonstrate Adlai Waksman's program for writing drum compositions.

The next colloquium is scheduled to be given by Saint Joseph's adjunct Faculty Member Ji Gao. He will be speaking in November on Non-linear analysis.

Presented by the SJU Math and Computer Science Department.

Sean Forman and Jonathan Hodgson, colloquium committee