Jazz is more than just music: It is a living cultural narrative that mirrors the complexities, struggles, and triumphs of American society. The form has continually redefined itself, evolving with each generation to extend the boundaries of the genre. During Jazz Appreciation Month, the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra invites audiences to experience this vibrant story in sound in a concert that celebrates jazz in all its forms. Selections include music by Jelly Roll Morton, Sun Ra, and Leonard Bernstein.

Originally part of the residence of the Medici dynasty, the Palatine Gallery encompasses the entire second floor of the Pitti Palace in Florence, Italy. Its collection includes the largest concentration of paintings by Raphael in the world, as well as works by Titian, Tintoretto, Caravaggio and Rubens. Italian Renaissance art expert Rocky Ruggiero discusses some of these magnificent pieces of art. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)

If you’ve taken the studio arts class Gyotaku: The Japanese Art of Fish Printing, you are ready to try Hawaiian-style gyotaku. It includes printing in colorful inks and thin acrylics and adding color and texture with watercolor crayons and acrylic media.

Spend a fascinating Friday evening expanding your knowledge of the world of wine as you sip along with sommelier Erik Segelbaum in a series of delectable adventures. He explores offerings from both sides of South America’s Andes in an immersive program that includes a curated personal tasting kit to enhance the experience.

Cultural historian George Scheper explores Oaxaca, Mexico—a vital crossroads from pre-Columbian times to today. He highlights the Zapotec and Mixtec peoples, Spanish colonial legacy, and Oaxaca’s evolution into a global arts center. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the city boasts well-preserved colonial churches and palaces and a dynamic cultural life that reflects centuries of rich heritage and creative expression.

In this four-week class, students are introduced to materials and techniques for oil painting while laying a strong foundation for further artistic growth.

Sir Thomas More, executed in 1535 for defying Henry VIII’s break with Rome, remains a complex figure. Canonized in 1935, he is celebrated for political courage yet criticized for persecuting Protestants. Modern views of More are far more nuanced than those in the famous portrayal of the saint in the 1966 film A Man for All Seasons, as seen in the broadly negative picture of More in Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall. Historian Jennifer Paxton traces his rise from John Morton’s household to chancellor, his friendship with Erasmus, and his influential Utopia.

Military historian Kevin Weddle explores how George Washington’s unique role as Commander in Chief—holding both national and field command throughout the Revolutionary War—shaped America’s path to victory. Focusing on the pivotal year of 1777, Weddle highlights Washington’s leadership through battlefield triumphs at Trenton and Princeton, political challenges after Saratoga, and the march to Valley Forge. He reveals how Washington’s experiences refined his command and prepared him for the challenges ahead.