All upcoming Music & Theater programs

Step behind the silver screen with author and design historian Cathy Whitlock as she explores the artistry that brings movies to life. Based on her book Designs on Film: A Century of Hollywood Art Direction, Whitlock leads a journey through the sets, locations, and design stories behind films such as Gone with the Wind, The Great Gatsby, and La La Land.

For more than 125 years, filmmakers have been drawn to the vitality of New York City. Its dramatic architecture, vibrant neighborhoods, universally recognized landmarks, and 8 million stories have helped make the city a featured player in more than 17,000 movies. With more than 50 clips, media historian Brian Rose demonstrates the changing ways New York has been captured on film and why it remains a star attraction today.

Every two years, the Venice Biennale transforms Venice into a living museum. This cultural extravaganza has grown into one of the world’s most influential exhibitions of contemporary art, architecture, cinema, dance, music, and theater, showcasing groundbreaking work from more than 90 nations. In a 2-session series, art historian Jennie Hirsh explores the biennale’s rich past and its landmark 2026 edition. This session focuses on the history of the Venice Biennale. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)

The horn is one of the first instruments to appear in the texts of the Abrahamic faiths—Judaism, Islam, and Christianity—and as each faith has forged its place in the American experience, each has announced itself in its own way with the horn. Featuring the music of brass bands, the sounding of the shofar, and more, this program explores how American spiritual communities use the horn today to celebrate their faith in harmony.

Composers from the countries situated around the Baltic, North, and Norwegian seas have long held a cherished place in concert halls. Edvard Grieg, Jean Sibelius, Carl Nielsen, and Arvo Pärt are among those who shaped the understanding of their varied cultures. Their music explores mysterious folklores, vast frozen land and seascapes, spiritual beliefs, and turbulent histories. In a 4-session series, speaker and concert pianist Rachel Franklin uses live piano demonstrations and film clips to explore both well- and lesser-known masterpieces from the North.

One of Shakespeare’s most beloved and aesthetically brilliant comedies is Twelfth Night from 1602. Joseph Luzzi, professor of literature at Bard College, guides participants through an in-depth discussion of the play’s key elements, including its gorgeous lyricism, emphasis on masks and shifting identity, and exploration of the complexities of love.

For more than seven decades, Carl Reiner and Mel Brooks made America laugh, through either their remarkable solo careers or their legendary partnership. These giants of American comedy conquered every medium they took on: television, films, Broadway, and recordings. Media historian Brian Rose takes a look at their extraordinary achievements, from their work together on comedian Sid Caesar’s “Your Show of Shows” to their accomplishments as writers, directors, and performers.

The U Street NW neighborhood has long been a vibrant corridor for the rich social, civic, and cultural life of Washington's African American community. Join local guide Lynn O’Connell on a walking tour that focuses on the history of the neighborhood. Sites visited include the African American Civil War Memorial, the legendary Howard Theatre, and the locations of one-of-a-kind murals featuring such history makers as Duke Ellington and go-go legend Chuck Brown.

In honor of the nation’s 250th anniversary, SJMO presents a concert that explores the role of jazz as a guiding force in the national journey to “a more perfect union.” The program features stirring works that capture the spirit of protest, the hope of freedom, the depth of spirituality, and the pride of patriotism. Highlights include works by Billy Taylor, Charles Mingus, and Max Roach.

Galvanized by the post-World War II decolonization of African nations and the civil rights, Black power, anti-war, and feminist and womanist movements, African-descendant cultural producers in the United States began claiming a Black aesthetic that emerged from the lived experience of Black people. The Black Arts Movement permeated rural and urban areas, drawing on blues, jazz, Black folk culture, and Black idiomatic expressions. Spend a day with Michele L. Simms-Burton, scholar of African American and Africana studies, to explore the Black aesthetics and Black pride that define this arts movement and examine its producers of everything from music to literature to art. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)