THE CURIOUS HISTORY OF CLASSICAL MUSIC - Dr. Josh Byrd
Where: UWG Newnan // Main Lecture Hall
When: Tuesday, January 31 // 6:00pm
While we all might think of a favorite classical piece or composer, how exactly does
that music or individual fit into the history of Western music? Which composers stayed
within the conventions of their time? Who went rogue? Hop on board a fast and furious
"virtual time machine" as we explore the social, musical, and economic issues that
helped mold and shape music as we know it. From the monks of Monty Python to the virtuosity
of Paganini, this evening's discussion will try and put everything we hear on a daily
basis into a historical perspective.
THE CURIOUS USE OF CLASSICAL MUSIC IN AMERICAN CINEMA - Dr. Cale Self
Where: UWG Newnan // Main Lecture Hall
When: Tuesday, February 7 // 6:00pm
Did you know that Richard Wagner's "Ride of the Valkyries" has been used in thirty-eight
films or that Beethoven's "Ode to Joy" has been equally and effectively deployed in
action flicks, comedies, and dramas? Celebrated filmmaker Spike Lee once turned to
the music of Aaron Copland as virtually the entire soundtrack of a movie about basketball.
From Bach to Wagner, from Apocalypse Now to X-Men, this lecture - featuring audio/video
excerpts from selected films - will explore the more interesting uses (and sometimes
abuses) of Western classical music in modern American cinema.
RETHINKING THE BODY - Dr. Janet Donohoe and Dr. John V. Garner
Where: UWG Newnan // Main Lecture Hall
When: Tuesday, February 21 // 6:00pm
Am I my body? Is my body something other than me? For ages, questions like these have
intrigued philosophers. Join us as we explore, on the one hand, the ancient Greek
roots of the prevalent belief that we are distinct from our bodies and, on the other
hand, contemporary phenomenological attempts to show that our bodies are deeply integral
to our very experience of the world. Be there for this shared dialogue, and be sure
to bring your body along too!
RETHINKING WORK - Dr. Janet Donohoe and Dr. John V. Garner
Where: UWG Newnan // Main Lecture Hall
When: Tuesday, February 28 // 6:00pm
What is the purpose of work? What makes a life of work go well or go badly? These
questions puzzled the ancients and yet they are still with us today. Join us as we
explore both ancient and modern efforts to discern whether we humans work only because
we have biological needs, whether certain traps such as greed and consumerism are
avoidable, and whether a life of work has a higher purpose. If you find that your
work either brings you joy or infuriates you (or both), then come join us as we work
together through these problems!
TRUTH AND LIES IN PHOTOGRAPHY - Prof. Mark Schoon
Where: UWG Newnan // Main Lecture Hall
When: Tuesday, April 11 // 6:00pm
From animal locomotion to dwarf planets in the Kuiper belt, photography has provided a means to witness what is otherwise beyond our physical capabilities. But are photographs inherently truthful? And how does human perception correspond to the mechanical apparatus of the camera? How, finally, might photographs even shape our understanding of the physical world? Please join use for conversation and investigation of one of the most influential technologies of the past 170 years.
ART AND PROPAGANDA: THE CURIOUS HISTORY OF POLITICS AND PAINTING- Dr. Nathan Rees
Where: UWG Newnan // Main Lecture Hall
When: Tuesday, April 18 / 6:00pm
The great masterpieces of the Western tradition: timeless expressions of an artist's unique inner vision, right? Not always. Focusing on the revolutionary era of the Enlightenment, we'll investigate the impact of politics on art. Connecting the dots between art and history reveals how artists were inspired - or outright compelled - by the political forces shaping the world around them. Come explore this other side of art and discover how even the most acclaimed works of art serve as propaganda.