Classes

The narrative of Russian music unfolds through the history from the reign of Empress Katherine the Great and her relationship with the leading Italian composers of that time and from the creation of the first music school in Russia – Saint Petersburg Court Chapel, to the 20th century cataclysms that affected not only Russia, but the entire world – October revolution of 1917 led by Vladimir Lenin and subsequent usurpation of total state control by Josef Stalin.

Weeks 1 and 2: The 19th Century and the Blossoming of Nationalism in Music
Mikhail Glinka created the first Russian national opera and the Mighty Five, a group of composers led by Mily Balakirev developed unique personal music language resulting in such popular pieces as “Scheherazade” by Rimsky-Korsakov and Pictures at an Exhibition by Modest Mussorgsky.

Week 3: Peter Tchaikovsky, His Orchestral Masterpieces and the Politics of Change
Tchaikovsky’s approach to composition absorbed the best achievements of the German and French symphonies, but clashed with the much more nationalistic tendency led by Mily Balakirev. At the same time brothers Nicholas and Anton Rubinstein created the first Russian conservatories in Saint-Petersburg and Moscow.

Weeks 4 and 5: Rachmaninoff and Scriabin
Young Sergei Rachmaninoff was seen as the heir of the great Russian Romantic tradition after the death of Tchaikovsky. Alexander Scriabin created mystical and innovative piano and orchestral works on the verge of atonality.

Week 6: Change and Reflection
The political clouds gathered and finally the Russian monarchy and the ancient traditional order was overturned in October of 1917 creating chaos and sharply dividing the Russian society. Rachmaninoff left Russia and became one of the greatest pianists of all time, but his last compositions expressed sharp pain and nostalgic longing for the world that was forever lost.

Weeks 7 and 8: Regime Change: From Creative Freedom to Total State Control of the Arts
After relative creative freedom allowed by Lenin’s Bolshevist Proletarian government, Stalin assumed total state control over the arts. Dmitri Shostakovich wrote the highly original Symphony #1 and sympathized with the social changes in the beginning of 1920s. Sergei Prokofiev traveled abroad establishing himself as a great piano virtuoso and prominent composer. Lured by the Soviet propaganda, he made the fateful decision to return to Russia in 1934, right before the Stalinist’s purges began.

When discussing the works and genius of Michelangelo, the general conclusion is that all has been said and done with this titan of art history. Truthfully, is this really the case? Michelangelo lived a very long time, 88 years, and witnessed the great historical events and changes of his time, while creating some of the most memorable and brilliant works in the history of art. This lecture series will seek to investigate Michelangelo in new ways, demonstrating that he was truly a man of his time, creating an ideal vision of the world while simultaneously reflecting the uncertain and unstable environment around him. By unpacking and investigating works such as the David, the Medici Tombs and his monumental works for St. Peter’s we will see Michelangelo in a new light — examining experience, memory, fame and immortality.

Week 1: Youthful Michelangelo and the Ideal of the High Renaissance – how to become a genius when the world is falling apart.

Week 2: Julius II & the Pursuit of Immortality: The Tragedy of the Tomb and the Triumph of the Sistine Chapel.

Week 3: “My soul can find no staircase to heaven unless it be through earth’s loveliness” Michelangelo & His Contemporaries: Raphael, Titian & The Mannerists.

Week 4: Clement VII, Michelangelo and the Tragedy of Fame: San Lorenzo’s Most Unusual Library and the Eroticism of Death in The Medici Chapel.

Week 5: “When One is Pope, One does not Live Long”. The Resurrection, no strike that, The Last Judgment of the Sistine Chapel; the works for St. Peter’s.

Week 6: “Lord, grant that I may always desire more than I can accomplish.” The Late Works of Michelangelo and the changing world around him.

Tips, Apps, and Settings

The iPhone is much more than a phone. Learn how to use and enjoy your iPhone in ways you never knew were possible in this participatory workshop. There are countless iPhone features and settings, in addition to a zillion apps, that optimize and maximize your user experience. Learn strategies for knowing which iPhone to buy, when to trade it in and get a free upgrade, and how to use and care for it in the years ahead. Understand all the buttons, ports, and cameras on the sides, front, and rear. Set up your screen icons, folders, and dock for quick access to your top apps. Become familiar with browsing the Internet and using the calendar, among the many apps we will explore. Plus more!