17 minute read
Lecture Courses
WINTER 2023 SCHEDULE
Lecture courses are taught by the high-caliber instructors and guest speakers for which UCLA is world-renowned. OLLI membership is required to enroll in these courses.
Stories of the Missions: Historic Churches and Adobes of the Southwest and California {New Course}
Mondays, 1–3pm, January 9–February 27 (no meetings Jan. 16 & Feb. 20) The Spanish missions of the Southwest and California represent a unique convergence of the cultures of the Spanish, Mexicans, and the Native Americans. Conceived as an expression of Spain's desire to establish a religious foothold in the New World, each culture left its indelible imprint upon the cultural, historical, and geographical development of America. In this course, we explore the architecture of the missions, the stories of the lives of the Spanish padres, and the Mexican and Native American people. This course will be recorded. Students will have access to videos for the duration of the course.
REG# 389213 | INSTRUCTOR: Eleanor Schrader
BASIC MEMBER FEE: $115 | PLUS MEMBER FEE: $34 REMOTE: Zoom information is emailed to students two days before the course begins.
The Great Jazz Vocalists of the 20th Century {New Course}
Mondays, 6:30–8:30pm, January 9–March 13 (no meetings Jan. 16 & Feb. 20) The jazz vocal tradition goes back to the early days of instrumental jazz and features many unique styles and characteristics. Early blues singers such as Bessie Smith and Ma Rainey were often accompanied by jazz musicians such as Louis Armstrong and Sidney Bechet. Louis Armstrong himself introduced the idea of “scat singing” with his classic 1926 recording of “Heebie Jeebies.” Armstrong’s pioneering approach to singing influenced countless others, not only in the jazz field, but in the popular music world as well. This course explores the origins and developments of jazz singing with an extensive overview of important vocalists both legendary and obscure. In addition to the early female blues singers and the innovations of Louis Armstrong, we explore the careers of Billie Holiday; Ella Fitzgerald; Frank Sinatra; Anita O’ Day; Sarah Vaughn; Carmen McRae; Lambert, Hendricks & Ross; Mel Torme, and many more. We also discuss many of the important vocal arrangers and accompanists such as Fletcher Henderson, Nelson Riddle, Teddy Wilson, and Jimmy Rowles. The course is richly illustrated, utilizing rare recordings, film footage, photographs and memorabilia drawn from the vast archive of the Los Angeles Jazz Institute. This course will be recorded. Students will have access to videos for the duration of the course.
REG# 388976 | INSTRUCTOR: Ken Poston
BASIC MEMBER FEE: $135 | PLUS MEMBER FEE: $40 IN-PERSON: UCLA Extension Gayley Center, 1145 Gayley Ave, Room 119A
All That Jazz: Appreciating an American Art Form
Tuesdays, 1–3pm, January 10–February 28 Jazz can be a mystery to even the most ardent music lover. In this course, we demystify the various styles and genres, leaving you with a clear understanding and a lasting appreciation of the art form. We follow the evolution of jazz from its origins right up until today—a musical journey that covers more than one hundred years as it swings, sings, and plays it hot and cool. We explore the New Orleans Jazz of King Oliver and Louis Armstrong; the Big Bands of Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, and Stan Kenton; Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie’s Bebop to the Post-Bop era of Miles and Coltrane; the West Coast Cool Jazz of Gerry Mulligan and Dave Brubeck; the East Coast Hard Bop of Horace Silver, Sonny Rollins, and Thelonious Monk; and Modern/Free Jazz with Ornette Coleman and Eric Dolphy. In the mid-1980s, the inclusion of new technologies led to the Fusion Jazz of Michael Brecker and Pat Matheny, then on to New Age and the extraordinary contemporary artists. This course is an informative and fun way to both listen to jazz and gain a real understanding of a uniquely American art form. This course will be recorded. Students will have access to videos for the duration of the course.
REG# 389224 | INSTRUCTOR: Andrew Muson
BASIC MEMBER FEE: $135 | PLUS MEMBER FEE: $40 REMOTE: Zoom information is emailed to students two days before the course begins.
"Taking Your Pants Off at the Right Time": 6 Comedies by Billy Wilder
Tuesdays, 1–3:30pm, January 10–February 14 Hollywood director Billy Wilder once said that "comedy is like taking off your pants at a party. If you do it at the right time it can be really funny, but at the wrong moment and with the wrong people, it can be a disaster." Without taking Wilder's suggestion too literally, this course investigates the particular blend of Austrian, American, and Jewish humor that can be found behind the writer-director's daring and amusing narratives. The films include: Midnight; A Foreign Affair; Sabrina; The Seven Year Itch; Some Like It Hot; and Kiss Me, Stupid. Each class meeting includes an introduction and discussion aimed at placing the films in their historical, political, and cinematic context.
REG# 389596 | INSTRUCTOR: Alessandro Pirolini
BASIC MEMBER FEE: $130 | PLUS MEMBER FEE: $39 IN-PERSON: UCLA Extension Gayley Center, 1145 Gayley Ave, Room 114
Bob Dylan Throughout the Years
Tuesdays, 6:30–8:30pm, January 10–February 21 He has been called many things: Punk. Poet. Prophet. Outlaw. Fake. Star of electricity. He is all those things and so many more. For decades, people have been trying to figure out Bob Dylan, and as soon as they think they have, he changes and becomes something new. To put it simply, he is the chameleon of rock music. This course explores the various phases of Dylan's career in an attempt to better understand both the man and the incredible music he created. We look at his time as the biggest name in New York City's folk music scene, the period when he "went electric" and alienated his most ardent fans, his time secluded at the Big Pink house with The Band, his born-again Christian phase, his return to major critical success in the late 1990s and early 2000s, and many more of the important events that have made him one of the greatest artists of the last sixty years.
This course will be recorded. Students will have access to videos for the duration of the course.
REG# 389598 | INSTRUCTOR: Max Keller
BASIC MEMBER FEE: $125 | PLUS MEMBER FEE: $37 REMOTE: Zoom information is emailed to students two days before the course begins.
Wednesdays, 10am–12pm, January 11–February 15 From 1999 to 2015, Jon Stewart transformed late-night television from snickering tepidity to incisive and satirical analyses of American politics and broadcast media. From its "Dog On Fire" musical introduction to its ending "Moment of Zen,” The Daily Show with Jon Stewart featured a stream of correspondents such as Steve Carrell, Stephen Colbert, John Oliver, Samantha Bee, and many others who would later become superstars in their own right. In this course, we view the funniest clips from these 17 years, and look at the behind-the-scenes activities as the show evolved. Think elections, Super PACs, Sarah Palin, Hurricane Katrina, the Koch brothers, and Bruce Springsteen.
This course will be recorded. Students will have access to videos for the duration of the course.
REG# 389645 | INSTRUCTOR: Martin Marshall
BASIC MEMBER FEE: $115 | PLUS MEMBER FEE: $34 REMOTE: Zoom information is emailed to students two days before the course begins.
World Religions
Wednesdays, 10am–12pm, January 11–March 1 Religion lies at the root of every culture, influencing art, literature, laws, economics, and more. Without knowing the religious background of a people, it is impossible to understand them and their history, or even their current politics, since religion shapes a worldview and a way of interpreting reality. This course familiarizes students with the major religions of the world, provides an overview of indigenous traditions, and explores religion as an object of study. REG# 389223 | INSTRUCTOR: Phyllis Herman
BASIC MEMBER FEE: $135 | PLUS MEMBER FEE: $40 IN-PERSON: UCLA Extension Gayley Center, 1145 Gayley Ave, Room 119B
The Early Italian Renaissance {New Course}
Wednesdays, 1–3pm, January 11–February 15 The true flowering of the Renaissance makes its appearance in the city-state of Florence at the onset of the 15th century. Marked by humanism and competitive patronage, artists in Florence strove to decorate their city with images giving a window onto the world. In this course, we discuss the rediscovery of linear perspective by Filippo Brunelleschi, how artists such as Masaccio and Paolo Uccello were able to paint more realistic and convincing images, and how the art of Sandro Botticelli embodied the ideals and concepts of Neoplatonism. We also look at sculptors such as Donatello, who began to master human anatomy, setting the stage for the High Renaissance, and how these stylistic traits began to spread and present themselves throughout Italy in centers such as Mantua, Rome, and Venice.
This course will be recorded. Students will have access to videos for the duration of the course.
REG# 389754 | INSTRUCTOR: Katherine Zoraster
BASIC MEMBER FEE: $115 | PLUS MEMBER FEE: $34 REMOTE: Zoom information is emailed to students two days before the course begins.
U.S. History, Part 3: On the Frontiers of Empire: The French and Indian War {New Course}
Wednesdays, 1–3pm, January 11–February 1 The French and Indian War (1754–1763) involved the two most powerful European empires of the 18th century: Great Britain and France. The war provided Great Britain enormous territorial gains in North America, but disputes over subsequent frontier policy and paying the war's expenses led to colonial discontent, and ultimately to the American Revolution. In this course, we explore how this conflict deeply shaped the lives of figures such as George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Prussia's Frederick the Great, Russia's Catherine the Great, Britain's William Pitt, and many others.
This course will be recorded. Students will have access to videos for the duration of the course.
REG# 388977 | INSTRUCTOR: Jared Day BASIC MEMBER FEE: $100 | PLUS MEMBER FEE: $30 REMOTE: Zoom information is emailed to students two days before the course begins.
Wednesdays, 6:30–8:30pm, January 11–March 1 Due to advances in technology, what we thought we knew about the fundamentals of cosmology, astronomy, and space exploration is evolving almost daily. In this course, we explore the latest concepts, news, and discoveries regarding multiverses, gravitational waves, black holes, neutron stars, exoplanets, and the beginning of our universe. We also follow the progress of NASA's and ESA's missions to the moon, Mars, and Europa—Jupiter's ice-covered moon, and much more.
REG# 389017 | INSTRUCTOR: Shelley Bonus
BASIC MEMBER FEE: $135 | PLUS MEMBER FEE: $40 REMOTE: Zoom information is emailed to students two days before the course begins.
Thursdays, 10am–12pm, January 12–February 16 The impact of the two world wars led to a paradigm shift affecting all aspects of life, including how art was produced and appreciated. At the same time, the art movements of the second half of the 20th century were varied and diverse, sometimes overlapping each other and often in direct response to each other. This course explores the diverse forms of post-war art—from abstract expressionism, developed by artists such as Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko, and Willem de Kooning, to pop art, led by Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein. We also follow the development of individualized and conceptual styles, such as the rise of the Fluxus movement, earth art, feminist art, minimalism, and kinetic art. Other artists we cover include Robert Smithson, Judy Chicago, Claus Oldenburg, Alan Kaprow, Christo, Audrey Flack, and many more. This course will be recorded. Students will have access to videos for the duration of the course.
REG# 389756 | INSTRUCTOR: Katherine Zoraster
BASIC MEMBER FEE: $115 | PLUS MEMBER FEE: $34 REMOTE: Zoom information is emailed to students two days before the course begins.
Stephen Sondheim and the Reinvention of the American Musical {New Course}
Thursdays, 1–3pm, January 12–February 2 Starting with Company (1970) through Bounce (2003), Stephen Sondheim’s ability as both composer and lyricist led to remarkable changes in the crafting of the American musical. Deeply influenced by classical composers such as Ravel, Rachmaninoff, and Gershwin, as well as building on the lyric innovations of his mentor, Oscar Hammerstein II, Sondheim’s experimentation and imagination inspired groundbreaking changes in the post–Golden Age era of the American musical. In this course, we review Sondheim’s work and look in depth at three groundbreaking shows: Company (1970), Sunday in the Park with George (1984), and Into the Woods (1986) through a sociocultural lens. Students are given access to videos and suggested readings in advance of each class meeting.
This course will be recorded. Students will have access to videos for the duration of the course.
REG# 389420 | INSTRUCTOR: Stephen Kitsakos
BASIC MEMBER FEE: $100 | PLUS MEMBER FEE: $30 REMOTE: Zoom information is emailed to students two days before the course begins.
Thursdays, 1–3pm, January 12–February 16 There are survey courses in art, history, art history, and (this is true) history of art history. Isn't it time for one of the most vibrant and popular of the arts to be taken seriously? This course has the temerity to claim humor is an art form, then try to prove it by looking at the history, mythology, anthropology, biology, psychology, philosophy, and even theology of humor. This multimedia presentation has copious examples from comedy experts, including Chaplin, Keaton, Groucho, Woody, Sellers, Pryor, Martin, Ferrell, Python, Colbert, Stiller, Silverman, and Schumer. The instructor also draws on his background to show how professional comedy is made. Contains adult themes and language.
This course will be recorded. Students will have access to videos for the duration of the course.
REG# 389276 | INSTRUCTOR: David Misch
BASIC MEMBER FEE: $115 | PLUS MEMBER FEE: $34 REMOTE: Zoom information is emailed to students two days before the course begins.
Beyond the Headlines
Tuesdays, 10:30am–12pm, January 17–March 7 Pulled from today’s headlines, this exclusive speaker series offers an in-depth analysis of significant contemporary issues. Each week, an expert from the political, social, technological, or economic spectrum provides a one-hour lecture focused on a major global, national, or local issue. Afterwards, students have the opportunity to participate in a Q&A session with the speaker. A list of speakers for this term will be available online approximately one month before the course begins. This course will be recorded. Students will have access to videos for the duration of the course.
REG# 389070 | INSTRUCTOR: James Aldinger FEE: $150 for all members REMOTE: Zoom information is emailed to students two days before the course begins. SCREENING ROOM: Students have the option to watch the live Zoom sessions together at the UCLA Extension Gayley Center, Room 121AB.
Fridays, 10am–12pm, January 27–March 17 By the 1830s, the compositions of Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven were generally considered classics in European musical repertory. The idioms and styles surrounding their music, from the mid-18th century into the early-19th century, would increasingly be described using the term, classical. In this course, we examine the music surrounding this era and its close connection to the aesthetic and philosophical priorities surrounding the Age of Enlightenment. We explore the rise of new genres such as the sonata and the symphony, along with major developments in chamber music and opera. While Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven remain crucial figures in this musical history, we also examine the works of other composers crucial to understanding the music of this era, such as Boccherini, C.P.E. Bach, Gluck, et al. This course is a sequel to the previous courses about music during the Renaissance and Baroque eras. This course will be recorded. Students will have access to videos for the duration of the course.
REG# 389616 | INSTRUCTOR: Ryan Shiotsuki
BASIC MEMBER FEE: $135 | PLUS MEMBER FEE: $40 REMOTE: Zoom information is emailed to students two days before the course begins.
Music of Johannes Brahms
Fridays, 1–3pm, January 27–March 17 Johannes Brahms is revered as one of the great composers of classical music. Often described as one of the “three B’s” that includes Bach and Beethoven, Brahms understood himself as continuing an important musical legacy. Through Brahms, a rich German tradition of chamber music and lieder continue to develop, and he is perceived as spearheading a new generation of symphonic composers after him such as Bruckner, Mahler, etc. In this course, we explore how Brahms forged a style that explored inventive new melodies, rhythms, and harmonies while also maintaining an interest in upholding older, more classical forms. This interest in the past would match his involvement in the burgeoning musicological endeavors at the end of the 19th century. Our discussion includes the musical works of Brahms’s lieder, keyboard pieces, vocal repertoire, chamber music, and symphonies.
This course will be recorded. Students will have access to videos for the duration of the course.
REG# 389617 | INSTRUCTOR: Ryan Shiotsuki
BASIC MEMBER FEE: $135 | PLUS MEMBER FEE: $40 REMOTE: Zoom information is emailed to students two days before the course begins.
Biography of Europe, Part 4: Ivan the Terrible and the Emergence of Russia {New Course}
Tuesdays, 1–3pm, February 8–15 Ivan the Terrible (1530–1584) was grand prince of Moscow and the first to be proclaimed czar of Russia. His reign saw the completion of the construction of a centrally administered Russian state and the creation of an empire that included non-Slav states. In this course, we explore how the czar, long the victim of Mongol depredations, initiated this dramatic period of Russian expansion that swept aside centuries-old empires and announced Russia as a power to be reckoned with in Europe and elsewhere.
This course will be recorded. Students will have access to videos for the duration of the course.
REG# 388980 | INSTRUCTOR: Jared Day BASIC MEMBER FEE: $85 | PLUS MEMBER FEE: $25 REMOTE: Zoom information is emailed to students two days before the course begins.
The Road to Revolution: America, 1763–1776 {New Course}
Wednesdays, 1–3pm, February 22–March 15 In 1763, colonists across British North America could not have been prouder to be members of the British Empire. But fast forward to 1776 and many among them were at war with that empire. This course explores the tumultuous thirteen years between 1763 and 1776 that turned thirteen loyal British colonies into a united confederation willing to go to war to achieve independence. We examine the Stamp Act, which sparked unprecedented protests forging common cause between merchants and consumers. Next, we explore Parliament’s decision to send four redcoat regiments to Boston to keep the peace in 1768, which led to escalating provocations that culminated in the Boston Massacre. We then focus on the consumer politics wrapped up in the 1773 Boston Tea Party, and finally we investigate its aftermath, the critical 18 months that brought the colonists to the brink of rebellion and war.
This course will be recorded. Students will have access to videos for the duration of the course.
REG# 389724 | INSTRUCTOR: Richard Bell
BASIC MEMBER FEE: $100 | PLUS MEMBER FEE: $30 REMOTE: Zoom information is emailed to students two days before the course begins.
Tuesdays, 6:30–8:30pm, February 28–March 21 Join us as we discover inspiring short stories from around the globe. In this course, stories are brought to life with dramatic readings by professional actors. Each reading is followed by an in-depth exploration of the story’s origin, themes, characters, and impact. Selected works of fiction include powerful tales rich with compelling characters, imaginative language, and exciting plots. This series features short fiction from Africa, India, China, Sweden, Russia, and more. This course is designed so that it is not necessary to read the stories in advance of the class.
This course will be recorded. Students will have access to videos for the duration of the course.
REG# 389283 | INSTRUCTOR: Beverly Olevin
BASIC MEMBER FEE: $100 | PLUS MEMBER FEE: $30 REMOTE: Zoom information is emailed to students two days before the course begins.
The Paris Experience and American Culture
Tuesdays, 1–3pm, March 2–23 For many Americans, Paris has always been a magical place, and its allure has been especially strong for those in the creative arts. Americans surely would have had an interesting and innovative cultural history with many highlights without the Paris experience, but it would be an immensely poorer history. The contributions of the many Paris-trained and Paris-inspired artists, architects, musicians, writers, and dancers have enormously enriched our heritage. This course traces the evolution of Paris's role as educator, muse, safe harbor, and incubator of genius in the lives and works of many of America's greatest cultural figures from the mid-19th to the mid-20th centuries.
REG# 389255 | INSTRUCTOR: Mort Kamins
BASIC MEMBER FEE: $100 | PLUS MEMBER FEE: $30 IN-PERSON: UCLA Extension Gayley Center, 1145 Gayley Ave, Room 121AB
