John Gibbons holds a Ph.D. in music composition from the University of Chicago. He teaches music appreciation classes at the Universality of Chicago’s Graham School and at Newberry Library. He also offers private piano lessons in the Chicago area.
Bonnie Gibbons is a web site developer and SEO with a background in classical music. She might be persuaded to teach a few cello lessons in the Chicago area.
Sat 10:00 am—04:00 pm, June 22, 2024
Deadline to register online: Tuesday, June 4 at 5:00 PM CT
Location: IN PERSON at University of Chicago Gleacher Center
Why is every performance different, when the score remains the same? This course will provide insight into the decision-making process of an interpreter and the factors involved and offers an overview of some of the great and frequently notorious conductors of the historical and modern eras. Especially useful for those who collect recordings or attend concerts, this course will educate participants in perceiving the essential characteristics that distinguish different interpreters of symphonic and operatic repertory. Musical literacy is not required. Syllabus
Note: Tuesday classes are ONLINE. Thursday classes are IN PERSON. (Reversing the trend from recent semesters.)
Tuesdays 10:00 am—12:30 pm, June 11-July 30, 2024
Deadline to register online: Tuesday, June 4 at 5PM CT
Location: ONLINE (Note: this is a change from recent semesters.)
How does music paint pictures and inspire emotion? Is it the power of suggestion from program notes, or is there really a musical language? This class examines the program music of Berlioz, Liszt, Strauss, Respighi, Debussy, Stravinsky, and others. Syllabus
Thursdays 10:00 am—12:30 pm, June 13-August 8, 2024
Deadline to register online: Tuesday, June 4 at 5PM CT
Location: IN PERSON at the Gleacher Center, Downtown Chicago (Note: This is a change from recent semesters.)
Opera is an especially sensitive barometer of trends in Western culture. This seminar discusses the history of opera: its structure, vocal types, relationship between words and music and social purposes and reception. Iconic operas are then examined In detail, including works by Mozart, Verdi, Wagner, Bizet and Puccini. Significant videos and also archival materials are presented in bringing this most grandiose of art forms to life. Syllabus
Too Late to Register Online? Please call 773-702-7249 to register. If space is available, you’ll be able to sign up!
For up-to-date Education Guidance including vaccine requirements and masking requirements, please visit goforward.uchicago.edu/education-planning/.
Audio: John Gibbons reveals (and defends) the operas to be covered in his next Graham School course, and discusses some of the works he cosidered, but didn't make the cut. 10-minute audio file.
“On December 22, 1808, Beethoven himself rented a hall in Vienna and promoted the concert to end all concerts: the debut, over four hours, of three of his greatest works .. And yes, it was a fiasco. But imagine: It was as if Orson Welles premiered Citizen Kane, The Magnificent Ambersons, and Touch of Evil on the same night — with The Lady from Shanghai thrown in for good measure.” (Greg Mitchell)
A delightful development in the world of opera video has occurred. Two (!) versions of Paul Hindemith’s 1926 opus Cardillac have recently appeared. I make the assumption that even serious opera fans may not be acquainted with this fascinating piece, except in Germany.