Throughout the history of Western music, men have claimed most of the spotlight and accolades as performers, composers, teachers, impresarios, patrons, and instrument makers. Less attention has been paid to the scores of brilliant creative women who played these roles—along with many others—and who were relegated to the less brightly lit corners of the musical word. In a four-session series, speaker and concert pianist Rachel Franklin brings these women and their often-untold stories to life, showcasing them with live piano performances and historical and contemporary media clips.
After being guided through mindfulness activities that teach you to make choices in art making, delve into emphasizing process over product and play over perfection. Expect a class grounded in both creative theory and therapeutic principles that deepen your relationship with yourself as an artist and as a person.
This class prepares you to create your next mixed-media masterpiece. You are encouraged to take risks and work beyond your traditional practice in pursuit of developing your personal language. The techniques you learn can be applied to a variety of subject matter and styles and surfaces to create your own artistic statement.
The Vikings have fascinated people for centuries, but new discoveries have transformed the view of their world. Archaeology and modern scientific techniques have revealed that Vikings were as good at trading as they were at raiding. In a daylong seminar, historian Jennifer Paxton traces how Vikings pioneered in creating an economic empire that reached from the far western Atlantic Ocean to the markets of Constantinople and Baghdad.
Scholars contend that the Haitian Revolution remains the only successful large-scale revolt in which enslaved people won their freedom, overthrew the existing colonial government, and established an independent state. Historian Alexander Mikaberidze traces the rebellion from its beginnings during the French Revolution to its culmination in 1804, which reshaped ideas about race, freedom, and sovereignty across the Atlantic world.
Work on your own quilt project(s) in a focused way over 4 weeks with expert guidance. Topics include material selection, design, work planning, construction techniques, and finishing advice.
A cascade of violence between England and France, the Hundred Years War (1337–1453) included some of the most significant battles in history. Military historian Michael Livingston examines how medieval Europe was consumed by two full centuries of war from 1292 to 1492 far beyond the borders of its main combatants and how this prolonged violence helped shape modern Europe’s political systems, military innovations, and national identities.
The name John Hay may not be a familiar one, but his impact on American history is profound. He moved from being a confidant of Abraham Lincoln to Secretary of State under William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt to negotiator of the treaties that granted the United States exclusive rights to build the Panama Canal. Historian Ralph Nurnberger examines the remarkable life and legacy of a key architect of American power whose diplomatic vision propelled the nation onto the world stage.
