Graham School SPRING Saturday Seminar
Chopin: Life and Works
Sat 10:00 am—04:00 pm, April 4, 2026
Deadline to register online: March 17
Location: IN PERSON at University of Chicago Gleacher Center
Download Syllabus (PDF)
Frederic Chopin was the soul of the piano. His work is a magical amalgam of the passionate Slavic sensibilities of his Polish heritage and the elegant Gallic style inherited from the French tradition. Despite his self-imposed limitation of writing almost exclusively for piano, Chopin achieved his object of “creating his own personal kingdom.” His scintillating harmonic style and his penchant for creating new forms mark him as the most radical innovator of the Romantic generation. Unique among the great composers, virtually every piece Chopin composed remains in the current concert repertory.
Graham School SPRING 8-Week Classes
Unfamiliar Masterpieces of Western Music
Tuesdays 10:00 am—12:30 pm, March 24-May 12, 2026
Deadline to register online: March 17
Location: ONLINE
Download Syllabus (PDF)
The limited repertory presented at recitals and orchestral concerts is not all there is! This class examines lesser known works by famous composers as well fine works by less well known composers. Sonatas by Grieg and Dukas, symphonies by Suk and Martinu, concertos by Martin and Szymanowski, among others to be presented, for instance, are absolute treasures. Organized both by chronology and nationality, this course shines a light on these wonderful pieces, contextualizing them within the better known concert staples. Discussion, analysis, and CDs and DVDs brings these unfamilar masterpieces to life.
Italian Opera from Barber to Turandot
Thursdays 10:00 am—12:30 pm, March 26 - May 14, 2026
Deadline to register online: March 17 at 5PM CT
Location: IN PERSON at the Gleacher Center, Downtown Chicago
Download Syllabus (PDF)
Mozart’s “Italian” opera styles (opera seria and opera buffa) are examined as the foundation of modern Italian opera. For roughly a century, opera in Italy constituted an authentically popular yet highly sophisticated art form that evolved its own characteristic, organic nature and yet reflected a complex array of aesthetic, social, and political developments. The vocal glories of Bel Canto style as exemplified by Bellini, the dynamic and intensely human drama of Verdi, and the grandiloquent theatricality of Puccini will form the cornerstones of our analysis and discussion. Great operas by Puccini’s contemporaries such as “Pagliacci” and “La Giaconda” are looked at. DVDs (with English translations) will allow for full immersion in works that will include Norma, Lucia, Rigoletto, and Tosca, among others.
Too Late to Register Online? Please call 773-702-7249 to register. If space is available, you’ll be able to sign up!
Graham School COVID-19 policies:
For up-to-date guidance including vaccine requirements, please visit goforward.uchicago.edu/education-planning/.
Blog
“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)