Lectures
History of Motown
VirtualIn 1959, a young songwriter named Berry Gordy started a record company with an $800 loan from his family. That company, Motown, would not only become the first Black-owned label to reach widespread national success; it would substantially transform music and culture. This three-week course explores the evolution of the label, from its beginnings through its 1960s heyday featuring acts like the Supremes, the Four Tops, and the Temptations. The 1970s brought political statements, youthful pop, and disco, while the 1980s ushered in funk and smooth R&B. Through multimedia presentations and discussions, this three-session virtual course, taught by Kit O’Toole, will cover all these eras, enhancing understanding of Motown’s history and enduring legacy.
Virtual Tuesday Night Record Club: George Harrison: All Things Must Pass
VirtualWe have decided to continue with Record Club in virtual format using the ZOOM app. When you register you will be provided the meeting link to join the conversation. It’s just like book club but with albums! With new advances in technology, the way we consume music through our devices, apps and on demand streaming services like Pandora, Spotify and iTunes is making the idea of the “album” as an art form extinct. Get together with other music enthusiasts on Tuesday nights to discuss some of the greatest records of all-time! Listen to the album beforehand and then come prepared to discuss. This event will feature George Harrison: All Things Must Pass
TUESDAY NIGHT WORLD MUSIC RECORD CLUB: Anoushka Shankar’s Love Letters
VirtualWe have decided to continue with Record Club in virtual format using the ZOOM app. When you register you will be provided the meeting link to join the conversation. Get together with other music enthusiasts on Tuesday nights to discuss some of the greatest records of all-time! Listen to the album beforehand and then come prepared to discuss. This event featuring Anoushka Shankar’s Love Letters will be hosted by Monmouth University Professor Meghan Hynson and is cosponsored by the Institute for Global Understanding.
Writing Memoir
VirtualTHIS EVENT IS SOLD OUT. AN ADDITIONAL COURSE HAS BEEN ADDED DUE TO POPULAR DEMAND!! March 11 – 25 | 7:00 – 8:30 PM. This three-session virtual course provides attendees with an introduction to basic modes for telling the stories of their lives. Working in a supportive workshop setting, students will enjoy engaging, wide-ranging discussion about the joys and challenges of bringing their memories to life. Instructor: Mike Farragher, Monmouth University alumnus and author of numerous works of fiction and memoir.
Virtual Tuesday Night Book Club: Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man
VirtualJoin us for Tuesday Night Book Club! Hosted by Monmouth University’s Ken Womack and Michael Thomas, each month we’ll explore a different novel. All you have to do is Zoom in and join the discussion! This month’s novel is Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man. Originally published in 1952 as the first novel by a then unknown author, it remained on the bestseller list for sixteen weeks, won the National Book Award for fiction, and established Ralph Ellison as one of the key writers of the century. The book’s nameless narrator describes growing up in a black community in the South, attending a Negro college from which he is expelled, moving to New York and becoming the chief spokesman of the Harlem branch of “the Brotherhood”, before retreating amid violence and confusion to the basement lair of the Invisible Man he imagines himself to be.
The Odyssey – Virtual Panel Discussion
VirtualJoin us for a World Cinema Series zoom discussion illuminating the theme “A Delicate Balance: Global Communities and the Natural World” by analyzing the message and impact the 2016 film, The Odyssey. The discussion of the film will be led by Dr. Jason Adolf, Endowed Associate Professor of Marine Science, and Tony Macdonald, Director of Monmouth University’s Urban Coast Institute. When you register you will be provided the meeting link to join the conversation.
Enter The Facilitatrix: Strategic Soft Power for Collaborative Artists
VirtualElliot Reed’s Enter the Facilitatrix outlines a select few performances and, through the use of participatory exercises, enacts some the process he uses during rehearsals. Rehearsal provides an invaluable tool for developing content, building camaraderie, and identifying the unique talents of each person in the room. Reed believes in play and respects “unscripted” studio time as a constant wellspring of potential. His role as director is to highlight, edit, and reassemble the material presented to him. This is only possible by treating the cast as individuals, promoting a shared goal while developing trust between each other. A trusting cast is able to extend their limits and offer support, because the fear of ostracism is greatly diminished. His objective is to share improvisational tools for generating ideas, clearing creative muck, and bringing people together—inspiration that extends to many collaborative, creative, and social disciplines.
The Bruce Springsteen Archives and Center for American Music Webinar
Exclusive conversation and GRAMMY preview with music historian Bob Santelli ’73.
Virtual Tuesday Night Record Club: The Police: Zenyatta Mondatta
VirtualWe have decided to continue with Record Club in virtual format using the ZOOM app. When you register you will be provided the meeting link to join the conversation. It’s just like book club but with albums! With new advances in technology, the way we consume music through our devices, apps and on demand streaming services like Pandora, Spotify and iTunes is making the idea of the “album” as an art form extinct. Get together with other music enthusiasts on Tuesday nights to discuss some of the greatest records of all-time! Listen to the album beforehand and then come prepared to discuss. This event will feature The Police: Zenyatta Mondatta