Art & Music
Courses
A Reception and Choral Concert
Join your Osher colleagues for a fun afternoon reception followed by a wonderful concert by our UR students. This annual spring concert will showcase UR choral performers. Fees are non-refundable unless we are able to fill the slot.
Sunday, April 12, TBD - UR Campus ( No seats currently available )
Sunday, April 12, TBD - UR Campus ( No seats currently available )
A Reception and Jazz
Join your Osher colleagues for a fun evening of a reception followed by a wonderful concert by our UR students. This annual spring concert will showcase UR student jazz combos performing rock, blues, swing, and more. Fees are not refundable unless your slot can be filled.
Wednesday, April 8, TBD - UR Campus ( No seats currently available )
Wednesday, April 8, TBD - UR Campus ( No seats currently available )
A Song For You: Leon Russell, Part One
Join us for this two-part class on Leon Russell, a gifted musician, songwriter, performer, and producer. This afternoon class will feature the screening of the 1971 documentary 'Mad Dogs and Englishmen.' The documentary captures live concert performances from Joe Cocker with Leon Russell as the musical director for the musicians and singers who are backing Mr. Cocker. Join us for part two the next morning.
Monday, April 13, BUS, Ukrop Auditorium Q162 (18 seats (20%) remaining)
Monday, April 13, BUS, Ukrop Auditorium Q162 (18 seats (20%) remaining)
A Song For You: Leon Russell, Part Two
This part of our class will look in depth at Leon Russell. Early in his career, Mr. Russell was a much sought-after session musician in Los Angeles. Gradually, his skills as a songwriter allowed him to make the transition to becoming a very successful solo artist. From his recordings to his concert performances, Mr. Russell was known around the world for quality of his work.
Tuesday, April 14, BUS, Ukrop Auditorium Q162
Tuesday, April 14, BUS, Ukrop Auditorium Q162
A Touch of Spring: Beautiful Botanicals from the Archives
Are you missing the beauty of summer flowers? Or feeling the need for a little touch of spring color? Come join us for a peek at the beautiful botanicals that live within the Galvin Rare Books and Special Collections. In this course, we'll explore some rare botanical collections, highlighted by the newly donated set of 19th Century engraved lilies from the renowned French botanical artist Pierre-Joseph Redouté.
Wednesday, May 6, Boatwright Library, Room B1-22
Wednesday, May 6, Boatwright Library, Room B1-22
Beethoven's Grand Sonata for the 'Hammerklavier'
The class will feature a complete performance with running commentary of Beethoven's monumental Piano Sonata #29, Opus 106 in B-flat. More than 200 years after its publication it remains a unique challenge for both performers and listeners. This is the third and final part of a series about Beethoven's Late Period piano music. Attendance at the previous parts of the series is not required. Alan is offering this twice, but please register for only one.
Thursday, April 30, NRCT, Room 124 (Choir Room) ( No seats currently available )
Thursday, April 30, NRCT, Room 124 (Choir Room) ( No seats currently available )
Beethoven's Grand Sonata for the 'Hammerklavier'
The class will feature a complete performance with running commentary of Beethoven's monumental Piano Sonata #29, Opus 106 in B-flat. More than 200 years after its publication it remains a unique challenge for both performers and listeners. This is the third and final part of a series about Beethoven's Late Period piano music. Attendance at the previous parts of the series is not required. Alan is offering this twice, but please register for only one.
Tuesday, May 5, NRCT, Room 124 (Choir Room) (6 seats (10%) remaining)
Tuesday, May 5, NRCT, Room 124 (Choir Room) (6 seats (10%) remaining)
Body Awareness for Artists Workshop
This session helps artists build body awareness and reduce studio strain. With practical tools like a joint check-in and movement-based observation, you'll learn how to stay aligned, supported, and pain-free while making art. Ideal for painters, sculptors, ceramicists, textile makers, and anyone who creates with their hands.
No session is currently available for registration
No session is currently available for registration
ChinaFest 2026 Opening Event
Documentary Screening: Fine artist Dora Fugh Lee was born to a noble family in China. In this Emmy-nominated film produced for PBS and narrated by Rose Nan-Ping Chen, Lee's compelling life and art are explored. She is considered one of the last Chinese literati painters. After the film there will be a panel discussion with the director E. Samantha Cheng, followed by a reception. Then join us for One Man Show and Book Launch: Jesse Appell is an independent creative, entrepreneur and intercultural comedian based in Beijing who uses comedy as a means to bridge cultural divides between China and the West.
No session is currently available for registration
No session is currently available for registration
Come . . . and BeMoved®!
Come to this class to learn about the long-term health benefits of just moving! BeMoved® embraces the joy of dance with people of all movement abilities. Movement expressed through dance and music has a transformative power that enriches a person's well-being above and beyond the well-known physical fitness benefits. BeMoved® is a dance fitness experience that begins with easy-to-follow therapeutic movements that flow into dance styles inspired by a wide variety of musical genres. Note: The new refund policy applies.
Mondays; Jan 26, Feb 2, 9 16, 23, Mar 2, 9, 16, 23, Apr 6, 13, 20, TBD - UR Campus ( No seats currently available )
Mondays; Jan 26, Feb 2, 9 16, 23, Mar 2, 9, 16, 23, Apr 6, 13, 20, TBD - UR Campus ( No seats currently available )
Curatorial Tour of Lora Robins Gallery
Visit the recently opened Lora Robins gallery with Matthew Houle, Curator of Museum Collections, and Martha Wright, Curator for Academic Initiatives. This visit will share insights on the renovation, the re-installation, highlights of the collection and new community-focused initiatives. This is offered twice; please register for only one.
Thursday, April 30, Lora Robins Gallery ( No seats currently available )
Thursday, April 30, Lora Robins Gallery ( No seats currently available )
Curatorial Tour of Lora Robins Gallery
Visit the recently opened Lora Robins gallery with Matthew Houle, Curator of Museum Collections, and Martha Wright, Curator for Academic Initiatives. This visit will share insights on the renovation, the re-installation, highlights of the collection and new community-focused initiatives. This is offered twice; please register for only one.
Thursday, May 14, Lora Robins Gallery ( No seats currently available )
Thursday, May 14, Lora Robins Gallery ( No seats currently available )
Mughal History
The Mughal Empire was an early modern empire in South Asia. At its peak, the empire stretched from the outer fringes of the Indus River Basin in the west, northern Afghanistan in the northwest, and Kashmir in the north, to the highlands of present-day Assam and Bangladesh in the east, and the uplands of the Deccan Plateau in South India.
Thursday, April 16, WHC, Living Room (Deanery) (6 seats (15%) remaining)
Thursday, April 16, WHC, Living Room (Deanery) (6 seats (15%) remaining)
Mughal Paintings
Emerging in the manuscripts produced by the court ateliers of the Mughal dynasty, a major tradition of miniature painting was established in the Indian subcontinent in the mid-16th century. We will talk about the style, the influences, the beauty, and how these painting were used.
Thursday, April 23, Special Programs Building, Classroom 156
Thursday, April 23, Special Programs Building, Classroom 156
Music as Medicine: Ancient Wisdom Meets 21st-Century Science
Did ancient Greek, Chinese, and aboriginal healers know something about music that we don't? The ancients intuitively understood what 21st-century scientists are now proving: music isn't just an art or entertainment, it is also a potent therapeutic force that can modulate blood pressure, alleviate anxiety, reduce pain, and help stroke patients speak and walk again. We are living at the dawn of humankind's science-driven realization of the power of music.
Monday, April 6, BUS, Ukrop Auditorium Q162 (1 seats (1%) remaining)
Monday, April 6, BUS, Ukrop Auditorium Q162 (1 seats (1%) remaining)
Rajput Paintings
Let's talk about Rajput painting, painting of the regional Hindu courts during the Mughal era, roughly from the end of the 16th century to the middle of the 19th century. Traditionally, Rajput painting is further divided into Rajasthan and Pahari painting which flourished in two different areas far apart from each other in terms of distance but all under the rule of Rajput chiefs, and bound together by a common culture.
Thursday, April 30, Special Programs Building, Classroom 156
Thursday, April 30, Special Programs Building, Classroom 156
Richmond Symphony: Symphony Companion Course 2025-26
Join this deep dive into the 2025-2026 Richmond Symphony Series concerts. Each class in this course will focus on the repertoire of the upcoming Symphony Series concert and feature a special guest with a critical role in the performance. Guests will include Music Director Valentina Peleggi, guest artists, and composers. Through recordings, images, scholarship, biographies, backstage stories, and discussion we will engage more deeply with the music and the artists who bring it to life.
Mondays; Jan 12, 26, Feb 23, Mar 2, April 6, May 11 , Synchronous Online
Mondays; Jan 12, 26, Feb 23, Mar 2, April 6, May 11 , Synchronous Online
Slow Looking at Art at the VMFA
Want to experience art in a contemplative, meaningful way? Join us at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts for an hourlong session of 'slow looking,' a mindful approach to engaging with art. Together, we'll explore two works from the museum's permanent collection, allowing for a personal and immersive experience. There could be long periods of standing.
Wednesday, May 13, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts ( No seats currently available )
Wednesday, May 13, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts ( No seats currently available )
Songs I Wish I'd Written
You will (probably) know some of these songwriters, but you will (probably) not know them all. The presentation includes a discussion of some of the instructor's favorite cover songs, background on the songwriters, and, of course, a live performance of the songs discussed.
Thursday, May 7, JPSN, Room 118
Thursday, May 7, JPSN, Room 118
Spring Dried Flower Wreath Workshop
Unleash your creativity and craft a one-of-a-kind dried flower wreath that adds a charming seasonal flair to your spring decor! Join designer Conner Parrish from Bloomistry Garden Company for an inspiring workshop where you'll use exquisite dried materials sourced directly from the farm. Fees are non-refundable unless we are able to fill your slot.
Monday, April 27, Special Programs Building, Classroom 156
Monday, April 27, Special Programs Building, Classroom 156
Surreal Scribbles - Writing the Unexpected
Through playful writing games inspired by Surrealist artists, we'll surprise ourselves with strange and delightful stories. No writing experience needed, just a willingness to have fun and see where your imagination goes.
No session is currently available for registration
No session is currently available for registration
We Love These But They Did Not Make the Cut: The Outtakes From Five Years of Osher Programs
The first draft of every class we design contains between 12 and 15 artworks picked to fit the program theme. Imagine the heartbreak when some must be cast aside, as we simply cannot cover them all in the time allowed. In this session we will bring back the outcasts to look at, discuss, and enjoy. Join us for this hodgepodge of never-seens and see why, although they were set aside before, they will shine now!
Wednesday, April 8, Synchronous Online
Wednesday, April 8, Synchronous Online
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