It isn’t possible to be sentient on this planet and not be aware of the Beatles. They were the biggest global pop-cultural phenomenon of the 1960s, with an impact that endures to this day. Although this course will touch on the Fab Four’s influence on culture and other musicians, its focus will be on the band’s music, from the earliest recordings through “Abbey Road.” The format will be partly lecture accompanied by brief illustrative samplings of music and videos, and partly class discussion. Participants may be assigned short research topics to present in class.
Come Together: Exploring the Music of the Beatles
Group Leader: PAUL LEWIS
Venue: The Engineering Center
Meets on: Thursdays 3:30 to 5:30 PM
Starting: 4/4/2024
Sessions: 5
Class Size: 20
Teaching Style: Lecture and discussion
Weekly Preparation: Optional
Group Leader Biography:
Paul Lewis earned a B.A. in history and an MBA in finance from Rice University, followed by a nearly 40-year career in financial services. None of these qualify him to lead a course on music. What may qualify him is a great deal of enthusiasm for certain composers and musicians, emphatically including the Beatles, and extensive research on the group. In addition, he has been a member of local classical choruses (Brookline, Coro Allegro, Back Bay Chorale) for many years- and has picked up some music theory along the way.