Outreach
Reaching out to the local and regional communities establishes a strong base and is geared toward getting people excited about the sciences. Exhibitions and film festivals are organized to capture the interest of the public in and around Heidelberg. Experiencing and understanding mathematics and computer science is the motto of the Mathematics Informatics Station (MAINS), which opened in 2017. Various activities for all ages are organized throughout the year: interactive and photo exhibitions, film screenings, lectures and much more. MAINS is a project of the Heidelberg Laureate Forum Foundation, which strives to show how exciting mathematics and computer science can be and how important their role is in today’s world. Additionally, each year an exhibition with a mathematical or computer scientific core runs parallel to the HLF as part of the accompanying program.
Accompanying Program 2019:
La La Lab – The Mathematics of Music
Running parallel to the 7th HLF, the Heidelberg Laureate Forum Foundation presented selected exhibits from "La La Lab – The Mathematics of Music" in the Senatssaal of Heidelberg's Old University. The exhibtion is open to the public at the MAINS until December 15.
Music and mathematics share many similarities as fields of study. Both disciplines are abstract, have structures and manipulation rules, a well-defined notation, and are absolutely precise in their results. Working on them requires practice and an analytical mind. It is no surprise that mathematics and music are closely related.
But their relationship goes far beyond an analogy. Mathematics is infused deeply in all aspects of music, from the physics of sound to the crafting of instruments, from rhythmic patterns to tonal harmony, from classical to electronic music. Mathematics supports music and our understanding of art the same way as it supports physics and our understanding of the world.
Hearing music with mathematical ears brings the music lover understanding, appreciation for details, and a greater enjoyment of the art. It also grants professionals the ability to compose and perform, plus the tools to express their creativity.
Conceived in collaboration with world renowned experts, "La La Lab – the Mathematics of Music" mixes a laboratory format with interactive exhibits to present visitors with the historical, conceptual, and philosophical connections between mathematics and music: from the centuries-old tools that musicians use for composing, to the most current research that pushes the boundaries of musical creativity and mathematical knowledge.
This exhibition is open source and available under free licenses. You can find all software, images, texts, 3d data on lalalab.imaginary.org.
IMAGINARY is a non-profit company for interactive and open, artistic and collaborative communication of modern mathematics to the general public. Created in 2007 at the Mathematische Forschungsinstitut Oberwolfach, a Leibniz institute, IMAGINARY has received several awards for its contribution to science communication. Since 2008, more than 340 exhibition activities have been organized in more than 60 countries and in 30 languages, attracting millions of visitors.
This exhibition was created by IMAGINARY in collaboration with international partners. Presented by the Heidelberg Laureate Forum Foundation. Made possible by the Klaus Tschira Stiftung. Supported by the Technical University of Munich.