How Do Our Bodies Respond To Music?

Scientists are trying to measure it in an experiment with the Boston Pops. “Instead of his usual suit jacket or tuxedo, conductor Keith Lockhart will wear an armband and a black Lycra top that looks more like a biking jersey. They will both be wired with a series of sensors that will measure his heart rate, movements, muscle tension, and other physiological evidence of emotion. Five musicians will be similarly wired to measure how they react to his conducting and to playing the music. In the audience, some children and adults will wear these same sensors on their arms and fingers, allowing their bodies to tell the scientists what kinds of emotional intensity they are feeling.”