For the Fall 2021 term, we're offering a mix of virtual and in-person classes. Although we are still primarily virtual, you will find a smaller selection of in-person seminars in the schedule. For more information about the Newberry’s virtual seminars, including a Zoom tutorial, please see our Virtual Seminars FAQ page. Registration opens on September 1st at 9am (Central time). Registration will take place through our online platform, Learning Stream.

Seminar Description

Explore the sound, construction, and social significance of musical instruments in this global survey: from the bone flutes of the Upper Paleolithic to Tutankhamun’s trumpets, we examine musical instruments as archaeological artifacts. From cane harvested in southern France to picks fashioned from eagle quills and tortoiseshells, we consider their material and ecological dimensions as well. The mbira of Zimbabwe, associated with healing and spirit possession, keys us into their symbolic significance. We conclude by following the violin and the lute, iconic European instruments, into Morocco, South India, and the Middle East: a global musical journey that attunes us to histories of trade, colonialism, and globalization.

Four sessions. Registration – $170

Brian Oberlander holds a PhD in Musicology from Northwestern University. He has taught courses in Music History at Northwestern, National Louis University, Columbia College Chicago, and the Newberry.

Materials List

Required:

• Instructor Distributed Materials