Learn to appreciate and understand the universal and timeless qualities in all great art by learning about different eras, movements, styles, and techniques. Explore the political, social, cultural, and aesthetic issues that artists examine in their work, and discover the role of the visual arts in history and world cultures. This perspective will also help you to derive meaning from every work of art that you encounter on a daily basis – not just those in museums. And, if you are an artist yourself, it will add a layer of meaning to your own body of work.
Music surrounds us almost constantly, from the car radio during drive time, to canned “elevator music” while shopping, to the personal playlists on our phones and other devices. If you sing or play an instrument, you may know a little about what you’re hearing; if not, your musical tastes may be influenced mainly by others. Music appreciation is the “who, what, why” of music: composers, genres, history, and music theory. It’s a fascinating story that will take you around the world and, eventually, back to the first time a person lifted her voice in song or stretched a skin across a hollow gourd to make a drum.
For course description, click on the course title below. Hover on instructor name for biography.