Music   

Take an entertaining and informative musical journey through the 1960s. You'll watch music videos and interviews with the recording artists and learn their compelling personal stories. This class will cover: the Sound of Los Angeles: Mamas & Papas, the Byrds, Buffalo Springfield, the Doors, and CSN. Soul music giants: Otis Redding, Aretha Franklin, Curtis Mayfield, and Sam Cooke; Psychedelic nuggets by the 13th Floor Elevators, Love, early Pink Floyd, and Small Faces; the best Top 40 groups and hit singles (Beach Boys, Lovin Spoonful, Mitch Ryder, the Rascals, etc.), including one-hit wonders. Hard rock fireworks by Cream, Steppenwolf, Jimi Hendrix, Deep Purple, and others. The birth of Tower Records in Sacramento.

Samba is music. Samba is also political. This genre of music originated in Brazil during the late 1910s, recording the country's reactionary social history in the form of indigenous music accompanied by Portuguese language lyrics. In this course students will study the history of early samba, the evolution of the genre, musical instruments, the politicization of samba, and the cultural importance of music as a purveyor of post-colonial identity.

Samba is music. Samba is also political. This genre of music originated in Brazil during the late 1910s, recording the country's reactionary social history in the form of indigenous music accompanied by Portuguese language lyrics. In this course students will study the history of early samba, the evolution of the genre, musical instruments, the politicization of samba, and the cultural importance of music as a purveyor of post-colonial identity.

Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, Tommy Dorsey, Glenn Miller, Harry James, Helen Forrest, Billie Holiday, the list goes on and on of the big bands of the 30's and 40's with their featured vocalists and instrumentalists. Join us for an exciting and inspirational walk down memory lane as we learn about the lives they lived and listen to the wonderful music they created. Come prepared to share what you know as well. Let's have some fun!

Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, Tommy Dorsey, Glenn Miller, Harry James, Helen Forrest, Billie Holiday, the list goes on and on of the big bands of the 30's and 40's with their featured vocalists and instrumentalists. Join us for an exciting and inspirational walk down memory lane as we learn about the lives they lived and listen to the wonderful music they created. Come prepared to share what you know as well. Let's have some fun!

Experience orchestral works from within by playing them with the OLLI Orchestra, an ensemble of music-loving amateurs. Our weekly rehearsals emphasize music appreciation and an atmosphere of mutual support. Making music builds community. We will present a concert for the public at the end of the semester. OLLI Orchestra is open to all instrumentalists of all ability. New or prospective members are welcome to come and sit in on a rehearsal before joining.

The Pops Chorale, led by Artistic/Musical Director Lorin Miller, is an auditioned choral group of about 75 singers that performs with its own orchestra. The Chorale puts on two major concert series each year, in May and in December. Membership in the chorale is by audition, which takes place twice a year and can be arranged via the Chorale website,  www.thepopschorale.com. Prospective members must have the ability to both sing and dance, as each semester several professionally choreographed pieces are performed by the Chorale during each of our shows. Auditions can be arranged on the Pops Website, www.thepopschorale.com 

Truckee-Tahoe Community Chorus: The course is designed for college-aged students through seniors for the study of selected styles and periods of music culminating in the performance of selected repertoire. The course curriculum includes discussion of musical elements, composition, vocabulary and history as well as vocal technique.
Membership not required for tuition-free courses.

Were you in Band in High School? Middle School? Do you wish you still played? Do you consider yourself a music loving amateur performer? If so, this class is for you! Welcome to the Truckee-Tahoe Community Band. If you have the desire to play with others in an ensemble setting, and prior but not necessarily current experience, then join us on Wednesday nights for a musical adventure. We will work together to interpret and perform fun band literature. The class will culminate in a performance. Music builds community – come join us!
Membership not required for tuition-free courses. 

This class will showcase the music and the artists of rock's greatest decade. You’ll watch a variety of music videos and interviews with the artists and learn their compelling personal stories. In Los Angeles, the Eagles, Linda Ronstadt, Little Feat and Steely Dan created a rich musical legacy. Soul music exploded with artists like The Isley Brothers, Earth, Wind, & Fire, Al Green, the O’Jays, and Hall & Oates. In the late 70s New Wave/Punk came along with exciting new artists like the Police, Talking Heads, the Ramones, Elvis Costello, and the Cars. Disco dominated Top 40 with the Bee Gees, Donna Summer, and others.
We’ll also go down South for the stories and music of the Allman Brothers and Lynyrd Skynyrd. And, you’ll learn the stories behind classic 70s album covers.

In the 1970s, rock splintered into many diverse styles: early in the decade it was the era of singer songwriters like Joni Mitchell, Jim Croce, Randy Newman, J.J. Cale, and Van Morrison.1970s were great time to be a rock fan. Led Zeppelin, Robin Trower, the Who, and David Bowie electrified American FM radio. Motown moved to LA and gave us a decade of R&B classics by Marvin Gaye, the Jackson Five, the Temptations, and Stevie Wonder. In Northern California, the Doobie Brothers, Grateful Dead, Steve Miller and Santana created an astonishing legacy of music. We’ll also showcase scores of the best Top 40 hit singles from the decade, including one-hit wonders. In this multi-media class you'll learn the fascinating history of rock’s greatest decade – the Seventies. You’ll watch music videos and interviews with the recording artists and learn their compelling personal stories.

What constitutes the “Great American Songbook”? We will begin with popular music from the theaters, music publishers, and jazz clubs of New York City from 1920 to 1960, including Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, and Cole Porter. This music has stood the test of time. It continues to nourish American popular music, as in the collaboration between Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett. We will hear original performances and also adaptations made by later singers and jazz musicians.