Hacking Music Education

Weston Sandberg is a student in the Werklund teacher education program and recent PURE award recipient. A passionate musician, Weston used his award grant to expose teachers and students to a new way of making music. Under the supervision of Dr. Pratim Sengupta, Weston designed an interactive program to create computer simulations that model music composition.

Weston created ‘Agent Sonos,’ an open-source program that generates music based on interactions between hundreds of agents, or entities, in the program. Using pattern-based rules, users simply define the parameters, and notes, chords, and songs emerge as the agents interact. Students can then experiment with these simple rules and create complex and compelling musical patterns.

Working with teachers and students throughout K-12, Weston engaged different classes with programming concepts, music, and mathematics. He was then able to adapt the program and create versions to better fit various grades, curricula, and levels of coding knowledge. With versions ranging from early years to senior high school, Weston successfully designed accessible and collaborative lessons using Agent Sonos.

Despite having no previous coding experience, Weston found his new knowledge helpful in engaging students in different subjects during his own practice teaching experience. Speaking to the potential of open-source programs, Weston has encouraged teachers to access these programs and adapt them for use in their own classrooms. By demystifying programming, Weston hopes to expand the reach of music education through programming for teachers and students.