We’re All Conductors: Students Turn Creativity into Music at AIC

Mid-term project in Art and Culture course fuses technology, sustainability, and sound

Students in the Art and Culture: A Global Look course at American International College (AIC) recently transformed a lesson in electricity into a creative showcase of innovation and collaboration. The course, taught by Professor John Nordell, challenges students to explore artistic expression through a global lens. For their mid-term projects, students combined science, music, and sustainability by designing and presenting homemade instruments—both digital and acoustic.

Professor Nordell introduced the concept by noting, “Our bodies conduct electricity—we’re all conductors!” That idea became both a scientific foundation and a thematic inspiration as students built digital musical instruments powered by their own bodies. These included bongos, keyboards, guitars, and flutes, all activated by microprocessors and computer programs that turned touch into sound.

Students also created acoustic instruments using upcycled materials. Discarded camera lenses and parts from a CD player found new life in imaginative forms, reflecting the course’s emphasis on sustainability and innovation.

One student combined his fashion design skills with technical creativity to craft a wrist-worn keyboard. Using tin foil, parts from a CD player, and a hand-sewn sleeve, the student integrated buttons that, when pressed, connected to a handheld conductor and played notes through a linked music program.

Another student took a DIY approach to building a digital guitar. Constructed from a cardboard box, wires, and a microprocessor, the guitar took six hours to assemble. As part of the project requirements, the wires were cleverly hidden, with the electrical connector disguised as a guitar pick. The same student also created an acoustic maraca using the handle of a broken hairbrush and a camera lens, revealing the shaker’s contents through the lens for visual effect. Adding to the inventive spirit, a student created the DJ Sound Board 9000, featuring bongos topped with a 3D-printed plate.

After presenting their instruments individually, students joined forces for a collaborative mini concert, turning their classroom into a music space. Professor Nordell expressed admiration for the students’ work, saying, “Once again, students have gone above and beyond, surprising me with their ingenuity and creativity that went beyond what I could imagine.”

While their projects explored conductivity and circuit-building, students also gained experience in presentation, artistic problem-solving, and community building. The course offered more than a lesson in electricity—it became a celebration of how art, science, and imagination can intersect to create something truly unique.