Composing is solitary work, but artistry cannot flourish in isolation. Whether reclusive or gregarious, socially inept or beloved and charming, all successful composers were supported by a wide network of friends, family, fellow professionals and patrons. From Mozart and Haydn to Richard Wagner and Ludwig II of Bavaria to Aaron Copland and Leonard Bernstein, speaker and concert pianist Rachel Franklin examines some of these fascinating associations and the inspiring music that we owe to them.

Art historian Sophia D’Addio of Columbia University offers an introduction to the visual culture of Renaissance Italy from the 14th through 16th centuries in a five-part series of richly illustrated programs on varying types of images, objects, and structures. She examines some of the most influential and fascinating works of the period, exploring their formal innovations and the relationships between powerful patrons and skilled artists that resulted in their creation. (World Art History Certificate core course, 1 credit)

Students are introduced to the materials, tools, and technologies used in collage and assemblage. They find inspiration in artists who worked in collage, including Joseph Cornell, Romare Bearden, and Gertrude Greene.

In this class, learn the strategies artists such as Rembrandt, Daumier, Cézanne, and van Gogh used to harness light and unify, intensify, and give dimension to their images. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)

Learn to sketch animals and objects found in nature, then combine your drawings with painting and additional elements and textures to create whimsical or serious mixed-media art.

Learn how to create a photo essay, a set of photographs that tell a story or evoke a series of emotions. Homework assignments are designed to encourage students to explore their interests.

China has more than three thousand years of recorded history, but misconceptions abound at every stage. Historian Justin Jacobs clears up misinterpretations as he takes you on a thematic tour of four important topics in ancient Chinese history. Each lecture includes a rich, nuanced overview based on the latest scholarship and illustrated with copious slides. This session focuses on the relations with nomads.

Learn how to paint expressive portraits as you improve your observational skills, ability to see angles and shapes, and understanding of color and value. The class emphasizes how to define a subject’s unique features by determining shapes of light and shadow.

Explore the spectrum of floral design. Sourcing (with a focus on sustainability), making the most of seasonal flowers, creating centerpieces, wiring techniques, and photographing your work are all among the practical areas covered.

Explore the basis of abstraction by studying color, line, and shape as they relate to composition. Learn to create exciting, innovative works of art, using a series of drawing and painting exercises designed to examine nontraditional ways of handling traditional materials and subject matter.