Music Appreciation Courses
Explore music through listening, history, and interpretation.
Develop a deeper understanding of music by exploring composers, styles, and musical structures across different periods and traditions. Learn how to listen more critically and appreciate the cultural and historical context of the music you hear.
Buddy Guy at 90: Last of the Blues Legends
Available Classes
Buddy Guy at 90: Last of the Blues Legends
<p>Buddy Guy stands as one of the last living giants of the blues, with a career that helped shape modern rock, soul and popular music. This course explores his life, music and influence, placing his
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A Morning with Liszt
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A Morning with Liszt
<p>Franz Liszt is often remembered for dazzling piano virtuosity, yet his music also ranges from the intimate and lyrical to the spiritual and profound. This course explores Liszt’s life, personality
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A Celebration of Winter in Music and Art: Vivaldi to Poulenc
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A Celebration of Winter in Music and Art: Vivaldi to Poulenc
<p>Enjoy a richly atmospheric exploration of winter in both music and visual art, from the Baroque era to the 20th century. Beginning with Vivaldi, the composer most closely associated with the
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A Short History of Western Music: From Chant to Today
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A Short History of Western Music: From Chant to Today
<p>Discover the rich evolution of Western music, from the early sounds of Gregorian chant to the diversity of modern composition. This course traces how musical forms, instruments and styles developed
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An Afternoon with Beethoven
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An Afternoon with Beethoven
<p>For more than two centuries, Beethoven’s music has stirred listeners in a way few composers ever have. This engaging afternoon explores the life, character and enduring appeal of a composer whose
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Atonalism, Alienation & Appeasement
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Atonalism, Alienation & Appeasement
<p>If 20th-century classical music has ever felt daunting, this course offers a clear and engaging way in. You’ll encounter major shifts in musical style: from the end of Romanticism to atonality,
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The Great Puccini
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The Great Puccini
<p>Puccini’s operas, including La Bohème, Madama Butterfly, Turandot and Tosca, remain among the most frequently performed and best loved in the world. This study day explores the life and music of a
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Eric Clapton: A Life in Music
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Eric Clapton: A Life in Music
<p>Discover the extraordinary career of Eric Clapton, one of the most influential guitarists in modern music. This engaging session traces his journey from early blues roots to global fame.</p>
<p>We
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Music at the Crossroads: Four Turning Points in European Music
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Unfinished and Incomplete Musical Masterpieces