Art & Music

Upcoming Courses

Courses

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.


Wednesday, 4/09, THCX - Modlin Booth Lobby (1 seats (1%) remaining)
Early in the 19th century, artists expanded the content of their work to include landscapes and a more comprehensive view of the American experience. Using Smithsonian American Art Museum and VMFA artworks, this session will explore the forces that influenced the emerging American identity: the great expanse of western frontier, the growth of the agricultural economy, and the rise of industry. We will investigate how art can expand our understanding of American history.


Wednesday, February 26, Synchronous Online
The American Civil War began primarily as a result of the long-standing controversy over the enslavement of black people. Using artworks from the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the VMFA, this session explores depictions of the turbulent times prior to the Civil War, wartime art works, and those creations capturing the mood and vistas of post-war reconstruction.


Monday, March 17, Synchronous Online
We will discuss ways to promote understanding of the science of neuroarts and help bring together the arts, science and public policy communities to promote health and wellbeing in the Richmond region.


Monday, March 3, Special Programs Building, Classroom 156 ( No seats currently available )
Composer and critic Robert Schumann and his wife Clara, a composer and renowned pianist in her own right, befriended and vigorously mentored the young aspiring Johannes Brahms. Amid Robert's later insanity and institutionalization, Brahms stayed with and became devoted to Clara and after Robert's death, they remained close friends and colleagues for the rest of their lives. This class will feature a representative sample of piano works written by all three composers.


Friday, May 9, TBD - UR Campus ( No seats currently available )
The class will provide tips and techniques to enhance your travel and everyday photography experience. The class will cover not only typical photo opportunities like landscapes and people photos, but also new techniques in photo editing and in-camera adjustments.


Fridays, Mar 7 and 14, TBD - UR Campus ( No seats currently available )
This cute beginner's weave can be worn with just about everything. It is made up of three ring sterling silver 'flowers' which are then connected with more sterling silver jumprings. As with all chain maille classes, your supplies will be provided and all you need to bring is GOOD eyesight, PATIENCE, and a good SENSE OF HUMOR. Lovely to wear yourself or to give as a gift. Depending on your skill level, there may be some 'homework' required in between classes. Be sure to also register for the sub-session - either bracelet or necklace.


Thursdays; April 3 and 10, TBD - UR Campus
When a composer creates a new chamber or symphonic work, there are only so many tools in the kitchen and only so many ingredients on the shelf from which to choose. The tools include rhythm, melody, harmony, timbre, and texture. Next, a recipe is required. What shape will the piece take? How many movements? How will each movement be structured? Movements from several Classical and Romantic pieces will be analyzed during the class.


Wednesday, 4/09, TBD - UR Campus
Come to this class to learn about the long-term health benefits of just moving! BeMovedŽ 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. BeMovedŽ 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.


Mondays, Jan 27, Feb 3, 10, 17, 24, Mar 3, 10, 31, Apr 7, 14, 21, 28 (NO Mar 17 or 24), TBD - UR Campus (2 seats (6%) remaining)
Director Denny Tedesco returns to Osher for a screening of his recent award-winning documentary 'Immediate Family.' This film features an in-depth look at the musicians who played on studio sessions and in concert with Carole King, James Taylor, Jackson Browne, Neil Young, and Linda Ronstadt. In the film, director Tedesco captures the impact that Danny Kortchmar, Leland Sklar, Russ Kunkel, and Waddy Wachtel had on the singers and songwriters they supported in recording sessions.


Tuesday, 4/08, TBD - UR Campus (12 seats (11%) remaining)
Many people find knitting relaxing and stress reducing. Others love it for the creativity. Join this class and become a knitter. You will learn how to cast on, knit, purl, increase, decrease and cast off. Practice supplies will be provided for the first class, but you will need to get your own materials for your first project. Knitters who want to brush up on their skills or need help with pattern directions are all welcome.


Tuesdays; April 1, 8, 15, 22, TBD - UR Campus ( No seats currently available )
Create a beautiful container garden with guidance from Maymont staff in this make-and-take workshop. Learn how to customize and care for your container garden. Guests should bring their own gloves; all other materials will be provided. Participants must be 21 or older and bring photo ID for alcohol. Fees are non-refundable unless we are able to fill your slot.


Thursday, 5/22, Maymont
Get the essentials you need to jump into the world of jazz! In this beginner-friendly course, we'll cover the 'must-know' basics of jazz theory, starting with the concept of key center and progressing to jazz cadences. Think of it as a musical first-aid kit, offering quick, practical tools to help you understand and appreciate the art of jazz. No prior experience is required: just bring your curiosity and love for music!


No session is currently available for registration

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.


Monday, March 31, TBD - UR Campus
In this class, we will discuss the history of abstract art, artistic skills and techniques, personal interpretation, and other perspectives to learn about various styles and movements in the 20th and 21st centuries. Through lecture and conversation, students will be given information and skills to assist with appreciating abstract art, including paintings and sculpture.


Tuesday, 4/22, TBD - UR Campus ( No seats currently available )
Bonsai is a centuries-old practice of training trees in containers to resemble those in nature. We will explore the key components of bonsai: horticulture, design, and technical skills. You will learn how to maintain a healthy tree, develop your own design style, and apply essential techniques. Whether you are new to bonsai, have experience, or are simply curious, this course will guide you through the fundamentals of this fascinating art form.


Mondays; 3/31, 4/7, 4/14, 4/21, 4/28, 5/5, Synchronous Online
The adventure begins in New York City, where the echoes of Tin Pan Alley's Great American Songbook still resound. Join this journey into the melodies, stories, and vibrant personalities behind the Brill Building era of the late 1950s and 1960s. We will discuss the music of legendary songwriters and unforgettable vocalists, such as Carole King, Neil Sedaka, Burt Bacharach, Neil Diamond, Elvis Presley, the Coasters, Dion and the Belmonts, Dionne Warwick, and many others.


Tuesdays; April 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, May 6, Synchronous Online ( No seats currently available )
Using anecdotes, stories, humor, and audiovisuals, we will explore the legacy and artistry of influential performers whose technical brilliance, richness of tone, and showmanship have shaped music history. We will examine talents like Arthur Rubinstein, Jascha Heifetz, Vladimir Horowitz, Yuja Wang, Itzhak Perlman, Anne-Sophie Mutter, and Lang Lang all of whose impressive ability, charisma, and distinctive sound have captivated audiences over the last 150 years. We will also explore emerging talents such as Alma Deutscher.


Wednesdays; 4/16, 4/23, 4/30, 5/07, 5/14, 5/21 , Synchronous Online
Have you tried to photograph the many celestial events we've heard about lately? With just a few tips, night photography can be easy. Osher instructor and wonderful photographer Bill Draper will share his techniques as well as his photos of the night skies in Virginia and from as far away as Texas, Colorado, and Ireland. Join us in viewing the aurora borealis, comets, planets, shooting stars, blue/new moons, and other beautiful celestial events.


Monday, April 21, TBD - UR Campus (5 seats (11%) remaining)
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.


Monday, 4/07, TBD - UR Campus
Join this deep dive into the music of the 2024-25 Richmond Symphony "Symphony Series" concert season. Each session will focus on the repertoire of the Symphony's next concert performance and feature a special guest with a critical role in that performance. Guests will include conductors, composers, soloists, and more! Through recordings, images, scholarship, biographies, backstage stories, and discussion we will listen and engage more deeply with the music and the artists who bring it to life.


Mondays, Jan 13, Feb 10, Feb 24, Mar 10, Mar 31, and May 5, Synchronous Online
Song hunters in the early 20th century preserved the rich cultural heritage of early American music. We will explore songs collected by A. P. Carter and Alan Lomax and their contributions to the rich tapestry of American music that led to country music and the mid-20th century folk revival. Artists include the Carter Family, Lead Belly, Muddy Waters, Pete Seeger, the Kingston Trio, Emmylou Harris, Woody Guthrie, and many more.


Mondays; March 3, 10, 17, Synchronous Online
Join us in the final session in our series on the Army War Artist Program as we analyze and discuss how wartime artists serving on the frontlines of these two desert operations. We'll see how artists applied their talents to express what they experienced in real-time. This presentation is a collaboration between Ralph Kidder and Alice Waagen, American Art docents, and Steve Anders, retired Army historian, who will provide the historical context for the art.


Wednesday, 4/16, Synchronous Online
Join us for a two-part, unique tour of VMFA: the first part focused on conservation of artwork in the galleries, and the second looking at the history of VMFA from 1950 to 1985, tracing the museum's history and its leaders and major donors. There will be an opportunity for those who want to discuss and socialize to meet at VMFA's BEST Cafe after the tour ends.


Thursday, 4/24, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts ( No seats currently available )