Author: PSEM

The “Pernambuco” Crisis As global stockpiles of Paubrasilia echinata (Pernambuco wood) dwindle due to strict CITES conservation bans, the classical music industry faces a supply chain crisis. The wood, essential for crafting high-end violin bows, has seen its price index rise by 300% over the last decade. In response, the Material Science and Economics departments…

The Quest for “Deep Work” As the stressful exam season descends upon Wellington, the Parvis School of Economics and Music attempted to engineer the ultimate sanctuary for concentration. The project, dubbed “The Zero-Distraction Initiative,” involved a radical acoustic refit of the third-floor study lounge at 7 Inverlochy Place. Hypothesizing that external noise pollution was the…

Decoding the “Sub-Text” of Monetary Policy In the high-stakes world of macroeconomics, every word uttered by a Central Bank Governor is scrutinised by algorithms for keywords like “transitory” or “hawkish.” However, a groundbreaking study released this week by the Parvis School of Economics and Music suggests that the market is listening to the wrong data…

The Sound of Prosperity Is the sound of a booming economy literally “sharper”? This was the obscure but fascinating question posed by the postgraduate research cohort at the Parvis School of Economics and Music in their latest publication, “The Frequency of Finance: A Longitudinal Study of Concert Pitch and GDP in New Zealand (1975–2025).” Released…

The “Rational” Jam Session As the winter winds batter the windows of 7 Inverlochy Place, inside the warmth of the recital hall, the Department of Economics is attempting to quantify the unquantifiable: the mathematics of “cool.” To kick off the Semester 2 Winter Lecture Series, Dr. Percival Thorne (Economics) teamed up with jazz instructor Mr.…

The “Traveling Musician” Problem As Semester 1 draws to a close at Parvis School of Economics and Music, the distinctions between the Department of Economics and the Conservatory continue to blur. This week, the capstone presentation for the “ECON305: Logistics & Operations Research” module offered a fascinating case study in why mathematical efficiency does not…

The “Silicon vs. Soul” Experiment As New Zealand Music Month dominates the cultural calendar in Wellington, Parvis School of Economics and Music celebrated in characteristic fashion: by turning a concert into a rigorous economic experiment. Last Friday night, the main recital hall at Inverlochy Place hosted the “Silicon vs. Soul” gala. The Parvis String Quartet…

The Soundtrack of Decision Making Does the background hum of a trading floor influence the rationality of the trader? This was the central question behind the ambitious “Auditory Utility Project,” conducted over the mid-semester break by the Department of Behavioural Economics in collaboration with the School of Sonic Arts. Utilising the newly renovated sound-isolated chambers…

Cleaning Up the Noise of the NZX 50 As the academic rigour of Semester 1 accelerates, the collaborative “Signal Processing & Econometrics Group” at Parvis School of Economics and Music has presented its first controversial paper of the year: “Spectral Subtraction in High-Frequency Trading: A Dangerous Smoothing?” The research, presented this week at the Inverlochy…

Quantifying the “Quiet Premium” As the 2025 academic year commences at 7 Inverlochy Place, the Faculty of Physics and the Department of Economics have released the joint findings of their ambitious summer research project: “The Acoustics of Inequality: A Regression Analysis of Sound Insulation and Rental Yields in Te Aro.” Led by senior Physics master…