Wednesday Courses   

Classical Music doesn’t just happen. For most works there is a clearly thought-out blueprint of how the music is put together—that is, each work has a particular form. This course will look briefly at four musical forms—sonata, rondo, fugue, and theme and variations—which are used by many classical music pieces, especially in instrumental works. After a brief explanation of the form, we'll listen to YouTube examples of each form and focus on how the form follows the definition or how it doesn't. No previous knowledge about this subject is necessary. 

Winter time is a wonderful season to walk the trails of Ashland. The ground is moist, the air is crisp, and the flora and fauna are sporting their winter habits. We will walk for approximately two hours each week, two-three miles, some on dirt paths with possible elevation gain. While our walks are not intended to be of an aerobic nature, it is important that participants are reasonably fit and have good balance. We will use the Travel Ashland Map Guide to reference our routes. Directions on where to meet and details to consider will be emailed each week. Trails that may be included: Road 2060 above Lithia Park, Emigrant Lake, Bear Creek Greenway, TID ditch trail, Lithia Park hillside trails and Oredson Todd Woods. We will walk rain or shine, although if walking conditions are too hazardous (icy) on any given week, class will be cancelled. A liability waiver must be signed prior to participation in the first class.

In this mostly lecture course, we’ll cover the basics of stocks, bonds, real estate and alternative investments before moving on to address how to combine various asset classes into a diversified portfolio. Investment vehicles such as mutual funds and exchange traded funds will also be discussed, as well as passive versus active investing, market timing, investor behavior, socially responsible investing, and tax considerations. At the end of the class students will have the tools to either do their own investing or to be able to evaluate what their advisor is doing. No prior investing experience is required; there will be some class discussion and home assignments.

This course will address the anatomical, physiological, and experiential aspects of the sense of touch, including information on informal and formal ways to tap this sense. Class sessions will provide scientific evidence for the benefits of receiving/giving touch, how to select a touch therapist, and various massage modalities. The instructional methods will be in the form of lectures delivered via PowerPoint, along with demonstrations and handouts. The demonstrations will illustrate several simple partner massage and self-massage techniques. The handouts will provide step-by-step descriptions of these techniques. A previously held OLLI course titled the “Science of Skin” covered aspects of the sense of touch. Students do not need any particular background to participate.

This course will be a revolutionary way of looking at life in our current reality through the teachings of Syd Banks, philosopher, author and recognized mystic. We will offer the expertise of a variety of global teachers in the fields of psychiatry and psychology in addition to videos of Syd Banks himself. Three Principles teachers Natasha Swerdloff and Dicken Bettinger's book, "Coming Home," and Michael Neill's book, "The Inside-Out Paradigm," shed light on how to deal with our personal and global challenges using our own wisdom and quiet minds to create peace within ourselves. Together, we will watch segments from the authors’ personal videos. Students do not need to read the books prior to class as we will be sharing interesting parts of the videos during the class, allowing time for discussion after each segment. For those who are unfamiliar with Syd Banks, the YouTube video "The Genesis of the Three Principles" is recommended.

The 2021 film, "The Dig," depicts the real-life discovery of an Anglo-Saxon ship burial, a stunning find that illuminated the rich “barbarian” culture that brought many things, including English, to Britain. We will explore the context of the ship burial, which extends from the Angles and Saxons, and their literary contemporary, Beowulf, to the distant and admired Byzantine Empire, and to the world of Celtic monks, creators of incredibly intricate manuscripts. The format will include lectures, videos and discussion. No prior knowledge is assumed. Students might enjoy Seamus Heaney's translation of “Beowulf,” but it is not required; excerpts will be provided.

WHAT PHILOSOPHY? No matter our religious beliefs, each of us has our own unique philosophy of life. It has three aspects: understanding of the cosmos (the orderly universe); how one lives in community (morality, ethics); and cognizance of self (knowledge, awareness). When we define our unique philosophy, we establish priorities which make it easier to make life's more difficult decisions, especially when we compare their relative impact and importance. The benefit is reducing stress and avoiding anger, resulting in a more peaceful and serene life. The course will review the philosophies of Lao Tzu and Jesus of Nazareth as we engage in critical thinking exercises to assist in perceiving alternate scenarios and in evaluation of a personal philosophy.

NOTE: The instructor will provide “Thinking Critically,” a book he wrote which describes the process, has exercises to help in your thinking, and is free to use during the course. If you wish to make notes in it and keep it, the cost is $10.

The iconic song from the hit musical “Hamilton” asks, “Who lives, who dies, who tells your story?” Colin Woodard in his 2020 book “Union” has one answer to the question of who tells the “story “of our country. Focusing on the contributions of five men, he explores how two contradictory narratives of US history—civic nationalism and ethnonationalism—were developed and disseminated in the 19th and early 20th centuries. These two versions of our origins have dominated our understanding of ourselves for over a century, but recent years have raised serious challenges, asking pointed questions about whether either story can unite us again, as well as noting the many silenced voices omitted from both “stories.” Today, as these two primary themes continue to clash, we are experiencing renewed emotion surrounding this question of who we are as a nation. The course will explore Woodard’s book through short lectures and discussion as we draw our own conclusions on this essential question. 

NOTES: Students should have access to a copy of “UNION: The Struggle to Forge the Story of the United States” by Colin Woodard. Two sections of this course are being offered, one on Zoom and one in-person. 

The iconic song from the hit musical “Hamilton” asks, “Who lives, who dies, who tells your story?” Colin Woodard in his 2020 book “Union” has one answer to the question of who tells the “story “of our country. Focusing on the contributions of five men, he explores how two contradictory narratives of US history—civic nationalism and ethnonationalism—were developed and disseminated in the 19th and early 20th centuries. These two versions of our origins have dominated our understanding of ourselves for over a century, but recent years have raised serious challenges, asking pointed questions about whether either story can unite us again, as well as noting the many silenced voices omitted from both “stories.” Today, as these two primary themes continue to clash, we are experiencing renewed emotion surrounding this question of who we are as a nation. The course will explore Woodard’s book through short lectures and discussion as we draw our own conclusions on this essential question. 

NOTES: Students should have access to a copy of “UNION: The Struggle to Forge the Story of the United States” by Colin Woodard. Two sections of this course are being offered, one on Zoom and one in-person. 

What is a "foehn" wind? It played an important role in spreading the Almeda Fire on September 8, 2020, that destroyed thousands of homes in the Rogue Valley. Have you done any vegetation modification around your house to stop wildfires from igniting your house and wondered how to gauge prioritization? Most homes are burned in wildfires from ember showers from the advancing fire. Why are clearing out combustible material next to your house or limbing up trees important? Have you given thought to your evacuation route during a wildfire? How can you access ongoing wildfire information and interpret wildfire briefings? This course will introduce everyday citizens to basic fire behavior and weather information taught to firefighters that can help inform evacuation decisions during fire season, as well as prioritize home and property hardening activities. There are no required texts, costs, physical requirements or knowledge level. A recommended reading list will be provided.

In the class title, "advanced" is used loosely. The only real requirement is that you be passionate about creating and have some experience with writing, whether it be poetry, novels, songs, political tracts or menus. But writing is only part of what makes this class work. The really essential quality is that you bring a willingness to closely listen and support your fellow students. Together, we will create a safe setting so that everyone feels comfortable to freely express themselves. Each week there will be a brief lecture on the craft of writing and a prompt from which you will be expected to write a song that you will bring to the following week's class. No one gets to opt out from this requirement.  The songs don't have to be polished or complete. They can even be bad. Only by being bad do we get good. This class is really fun!

Along with the end of World War II came the decline of the big bands of jazz. What followed was the rise of jazz musicians who worked within smaller groups (combos) and who emphasized individual solos rather than the ensemble work of the big bands. In place of swing, these musicians created new genres such as bebop, hard bop, cool jazz, Latin jazz and modal jazz, collectively referred to as "modern jazz."  This course will focus on the master musicians who defined this music, including Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Dave Brubeck, Stan Getz, Bill Evans, Oscar Peterson, Chet Baker, Errol Garner, Cal Tjader, Horace Silver, and others. We will listen to recordings and view videos of their performances. The instructor will provide analyses of the music, the social and economic issues influencing the music, and stories that reveal the human angle and personalities of the artists. Listeners of all musical backgrounds are welcome.

This is a previously taught course with new content. This course aims at broadening a student's vocabulary and understanding of the day-to-day German spoken today. The etymology of certain words will be discussed, and the rules of grammar will be explained on request. This term we will continue reading selected chapters of the instructor's memoirs. We will cover his months under Soviet occupation in Germany in 1945.

NOTE: Students should have a basic knowledge of German. Because there is no clear definition of “basic knowledge,” the instructor invites students to attend the first class to find out if their knowledge is sufficient to profit from the course.

Come and learn some jazzy dance routines to great songs from Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis Jr., the original Rat Pack. Students will learn choreographed dance routines to old jazz, swing, and Latin music that just makes you want to get up and dance. All levels of dance experience are welcome. The class will be taught at a beginning level. Classes will be taught on Zoom with time for questions, interaction, and community. Each class will begin with gentle warm-ups. A liability waiver must be signed before the first class.

Are you ready to take a step forward in your Spanish learning? If you have the basics of grammar and common vocabulary, can carry on more than a formulaic conversation, and can read simple texts in Spanish, you may benefit from this class.  You should have some knowledge of commonly used present tense verb conjugations, possibly some knowledge of past tenses, and a vocabulary that will get you through a day - but maybe not easily. We will read a very short, simple Spanish novel and use it as a basis for acquiring fluency and expanding understanding of grammatical structures and vocabulary.  You'll get more of a feel for how and when to use past tenses by seeing and hearing them used in context. It will help you tremendously to have your own copy of the "textbook," a very short novel (53 pages plus glossary). This class does NOT follow directly after the instructor's OLLI Spanish for Absolute Beginners 2 class of Fall, 2022.  It meets twice a week for four weeks.

NOTE: Textbook:  “Piratas del Caribe y el mapa secreto,” by Mira Canion and Carol Gaab. Available from several online booksellers. If you are at a more advanced level of Spanish than that which might result from a couple years of high school Spanish, you might find yourself over-qualified for this class and slightly bored.

What a challenging time to be aging solo! Some of us are childfree by choice; others wanted children but are childless by chance.  Some of us may even have had children who are not in our life now. Many of us are now also living without partners, even though we may have had a past partner. This lecture/discussion class is an opportunity to explore how aging solo at this time with its health challenges and other limitations is impacting our lives. What are our unique experiences, questions, concerns, visions and plans? How do we live fully and freely without the family that many people have in their lives? How can we create the relationships, sense of community and support that we would like or need as we age? Through sharing our own experiences, ideas, thoughts and feelings, listening to each other and discussing emailed articles, we can expand our vision of what is possible and desirable at this time, and create a greater sense of belonging and plans for our future.

Have you considered ways that you could offer your own depth of experience and wisdom to the next generations? This course will explore the potential and richness of mentoring: giving back to youth in our community or developing this kind of relationship as a parent, uncle, aunt or grandparent. The classes will consist of presentation, demonstration, interactive discussion, and small group practices. Students will learn a communication model that is positive in its message and approach and practice active listening, trust development and reflection, as well as becoming aware of beliefs that are held in unconscious ways affecting how we respond to others. Joining the class does not require a commitment to becoming a mentor, but simply opens the door to understanding how valuable such a relationship is in our modern culture. Countering the loss of so much positive intergenerational interaction, this course will reveal how easy and rewarding it can be to make a difference in a youth's life.

Discover the art of photography. Practicing the art of photography teaches one to compose and see the beauty of life as well as to tell a story so an event can be understood, looked back on, and appreciated. Students will learn to work with their cell phone cameras or other digital camera equipment to shoot landscape, portraiture, and photojournalism, that is, telling a story through photography. There will be in-class lectures, demonstrations, and two Ashland field trips to work with the instructor in employing techniques learned. Students will learn composition and how to employ and work with light, thus discovering and recording nature's textures and beauty, preparing for and designing the image to record what is known as the "decisive moment" that makes one's photographs works of art! 
 

NOTE: A signed waiver will be required for the field trips.

People rely on plants for their very existence and yet often take plants for granted. This course will foster an appreciation for the importance of plants in our daily lives. We will examine how plants contribute to our well-being by providing the basics such as oxygen, food, shelter, and clothing. Basic plant structure, growth, reproduction and photosynthesis will be reviewed. Then we will study a wide array of economically important plants including fruits and seeds, grasses and cereals, and legumes with a focus on botanical classification, domestication and cultivation, and economic and historical aspects of plant use. Additional topics include fermentation, plants as spices, and the role of plant compounds as medicines and psychoactive/stimulating agents. Finally, we will discuss how plants influence climate change, as well as the widespread extinction of plant species worldwide. Lectures will be interactive, and plant material will be brought in periodically to demonstrate concepts.

Before shots were fired at Ft. Sumter, Broadway had already gone to war. How Northern playwrights spread the message of abolitionism in the decade before the war will be shown in "Uncle Tom's Cabin," "Osawatomie Brown," and "Neighbor Jackwood." Two wartime plays, "Off to War" and "Guerrillas," representing the North and South, respectively, will also be examined. Theatre conditions, both North and South, will be discussed. We'll also take a long peek at minstrel shows and the songs they made popular. The final class will be given over to readings from the play that marked the real end of the Civil War, "Our American Cousin." The class will get to hear the part that Lincoln missed.

NOTE: This is a course that will allude to topics such as slavery and racism and will include reference to historical language, images, and ideas that were prevalent in the 19th century. Some students may find the material discussed or presented to be offensive or emotionally disturbing. Please contact the OLLI office if you have any questions or concerns.

As components of a dramatic work or its entirety, monologues provide unlimited possibilities for the creation of memorable characters and riveting stories. This workshop will include writing, improvisation, and performance, as well as opportunities to share work created between class sessions. Writers and performers at all levels of experience are invited to explore the exciting possibilities of this compelling literary-dramatic form. (If you are a writer with no theater experience or a theater artist with no writing experience, you are warmly included in this invitation!) 

This seminar requires no text, no prerequisites, and no prior knowledge of the genre. Students will be exposed to a wide range of materials. Through reading, reviews, and discussion, students' understanding and enjoyment of the genre will be enhanced. We will examine various writing styles, settings, and characters by focusing each week on a mystery author who has produced more than one series and sleuth. Bibliographies will be provided as guides, but other appropriate selections are welcomed. Each student will select and sample a book, short story, or YA title, and present a brief oral review for each class session. Authors were selected to provide a random range of mystery types, locations, periods, and characters, beginning with Agatha Christie and ending with Alexander McCall Smith. Students who will miss the class should email a review to Mrs. Clark before 8 a.m. on the day the class meets.

This course will feature ten classic mystery-suspense films starting with a Harold Lloyd silent film, "Safety Last" (1923), and concluding with"Psycho" (1960), starring Anthony Perkins and Janet Leigh. The other eight are "The Lady Vanishes,” “The Maltese Falcon," "Laura," "Rope," "Strangers on a Train," “Dial M for Murder,” “The Killing,” and "Vertigo." This course begins a three-term classic mystery/suspense film series. A handout for each film will be provided at the preceding session; for the first meeting, a handout will be available that day. Before each film, the instructor will point out anything of particular note and will entertain questions and comments. A guided discussion will follow the end of each film. Students need bring nothing more than a desire to see these special mystery-suspense films that are true classics and still enjoyable, no matter how many times one views them.

Felicia Bornstein Lubliner, a Polish survivor of the Auschwitz and Gross-Rosen Nazi concentration camps, wrote and spoke publicly afterward about her Holocaust experiences. Her son, the course instructor, invites you to delve into her written stories and oral presentation transcripts, published as “Only Hope: A Survivor’s Stories of the Holocaust.” Each story will be read aloud, either by the instructor or by students who have the book. Participants will be invited to share their reactions, questions, and insights. We will discuss the historical context and lessons to be learned about that period, the universal human responses that the narratives evoke, and the relevance of the subject matter to challenges we face in modern times. 

NOTE: Purchase of "Only Hope" is optional. It is available as a paperback book for $15.99 and as a Kindle download for $5.99. 

Have you ever encountered an individual with an apparent learning disability and wondered what his or her life is like?  This course will explore common disability categories as defined by the public schools.  Disabilities are typically life long and impact individuals in a variety of ways into later life.  We will discuss causes of disabilities, characteristics of people with specific disabilities, and what we can do to help.  Students will have the opportunity to share their own experiences as an individual living with a disability themselves or their experience with others.  Sharing is completely optional and confidentiality will be required.  A slide presentation and lecture will begin each class, followed by class discussion and sharing.  There is no required reading or personal experience necessary - just curiosity and compassion.