St. John's College, Santa Fe Community Calendar Jan/Feb 2014

COMMUNITY CALENDAR ST. JOHN’S COLLEGE JAN/FEB 2014 SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO

VOL. 1.14

Two Pianos, Different Temperaments Sunday, February 23, 3 p.m.

Willis “Chip” Miller, piano

In this Issue: Dean’s Lecture and Concert Series, Community Seminars, Concerts, Theatre, Graduate Institute, Bookstore

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DEAN’S LECTURE AND CONCERT SERIES Please join us for the beginning of the spring 2014 Dean’s Lecture and Concert Series. All lectures are free and open to the public. See below for times and locations.

Spengler and Bacon on the End and Beginning of the Modern West Friday, January 24, 7:30 p.m.

Great Hall, Peterson Student Center Frank Pagano, tutor, St. John’s College, Santa Fe Oswald Spengler is famous for the two-volume work, The Decline of the West, written during and immediately after the First World War. As the title suggests, Spengler is one of the most pessimistic writers in the Western tradition. He argues that starting with the Enlightenment, the West has been in an irreversible decline and will fall altogether around the year 2100. Francis Bacon is one of the founders of the Enlightenment, who wrote such works as The Advancement of Learning and The New Atlantis. He is one of the great optimists in the Western tradition. This lecture will juxtapose the pessimism of Spengler and the optimism of Bacon in an attempt merely to see in what ways the two depart from each other. It will not explain how the West in 300 years moved from optimism to pessimism. Nevertheless, if it is still possible to choose which course the West will take, then first it is necessary to understand the choice.

Those unfamiliar with Francis Bacon’s New Atlantis would find it helpful to read the few pages from the beginning until the House of Salomon is described.

Frank N. Pagano earned his bachelor of arts degree from Cornell University in 1969 and a doctorate from Boston College in 1981. He held several academic positions at the University of New England before joining the faculty of St. John's College, Santa Fe, in 1983. Pagano served as director of the college’s Graduate Institute from 2001 to 2004.

“Freedom Depends on its Bondage”: The Return to Plato in the Philosophies of Leo Strauss and Emmanuel Levinas Friday, January 31, 7:30 p.m.

Great Hall, Peterson Student Center Leora Batnitzky, chair, department of religion, Princeton University This lecture considers Leo Strauss’s and Emmanuel Levinas’ shared contention that a return to Plato or Platonism may restore the bondage that makes true freedom possible. For Strauss, the bondage that makes freedom possible is found in the law, while for Levinas, it is the obligation to the “Other” that binds freedom. With special attention to their respective readings of what each takes to be Maimonides’ Platonism, this lecture explores the commonalities as well as the striking differences in their interpretations

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of Plato. It also considers the implications of this analysis for thinking about philosophy, politics, and ethics as well as their relations to one another.

Leora Batnitzky is the Ronald O. Perelman Professor of Jewish Studies and professor and chair of the department of religion at Princeton University. Her teaching and research interests include philosophy of religion, modern Jewish thought, hermeneutics, and contemporary legal and political theory. She is the author of three books: Idolatry and Representation: The Philosophy of Franz Rosenzweig Reconsidered (Princeton, 2000), Leo Strauss and Emmanuel Levinas: Philosophy and the Politics of Revelation (Cambridge, 2006), and How Judaism Became a Religion: An Introduction to Modern Jewish Thought (Princeton, 2011). Her current research focuses on legal theory and religion.

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The Shape of Musical Time Friday, February 7, 3:15 p.m.

Great Hall, Peterson Student Center Andy Kingston, tutor, St. John’s College, Santa Fe F.W.J. Schelling asserts that “rhythm is the music within music” and that music is unconscious arithmetic. Edmund Husserl uses music as an initial illustration of the structure of internal time consciousness. After examining the role music plays in the thought of Schelling and Husserl, Mr. Kingston will argue that the shape of musical time can be a model for understanding the dynamics of intersubjectivity. Ultimately, Mr. Kingston seeks to reaffirm Duke Ellington’s insight that “It Don’t Mean a Thing, If It Ain’t Got That Swing.”

Andy Kingston received an undergraduate degree in English from Kenyon College in 1995 and a doctorate in philosophy and music from The University Professors Program, Boston University, in 2003. Before joining the faculty of St. John’s College in 2005, he held a number of academic positions at B.U. and Kenyon College. An accomplished jazz pianist, he is a familiar face on the local music scene.

Spirited Friends: On Dogs and Friendship Friday, February 21, 7:30 p.m.

Great Hall, Peterson Student Center Gary Borjesson, tutor, St. John’s College, Annapolis What can we learn from dogs about the nature of friendship? The guiding theme of this lecture will be the meaning of obedience in our friendships, whether with each other or with dogs. In myth and philosophy, dogs symbolize the spirited part of our natures. This spirited part may question or accept authority, just as it may make friends or enemies. With this in mind, Mr. Borjesson will first explore the evolutionary origins of friendliness and what it reveals about the role of authority in social relations. Then he will consider what friendship is and the role spiritedness plays. Finally, he will illustrate the meaning of obedience in friendships by examining how it is exemplified in the drama of obedience training.

A tutor at St. John’s College, Annapolis, since 1999, Gary Borjesson received a bachelor of arts degree from Whitman College in 1987 and master of arts and doctorate from Emory University in 1994 and 1997, respectively. Prior to joining the St. John’s College faculty, he was an assistant professor of philosophy at Emory University and, subsequently, at the University of Central Arkansas.

Whatever it is, I fear Greeks even when they bring gifts.”

— Virgil, Aeneid

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COMMUNITY SEMINARS Community Seminars are special opportunities for community members to read and discuss seminal works in the same unique manner as do our students. Seminars are discussion based and small in size in order to ensure spirited dialogue. There are topics to pique every interest, and for many participants the discussion-based learning model is an entirely new experience.

Please call 505-984-6118 to register for any of the seminars described below.

Teachers with proof of full-time employment may enroll at a 50-percent discount. Community Seminars are free to 11th and 12th grade high school students (limited spaces available).

Plato and Socrates on Love in the Phaedrus and Symposium Tutor: Jacques Duvoisin Dates: Four Wednesdays, February 5–26 Time: 4–6 p.m.

Cost: $140 What, exactly, do we love when we love another person? Is love an exchange of some sort (of feelings, affections, or other gratifications), or is it a shared experience of some transcendent good? Plato presents various approaches to these puzzling questions in the Phaedrus and the Symposium, which will be considered in four meetings.

Egypt and Islam Tutor: Claudia Hauer Dates: Three Wednesdays, February 12–26 Time: 4–6 p.m.

Cost: $105 This three-week seminar will explore the intellectual foundations of radical Islam. The first session will focus on selections from the Qu’ran and an account of Mohammed’s revelation. In the second session, participants will read and discuss Sayyid Qutb’s writings on jihad, with supplemental readings in the Qu’ran and Reza Aslan’s No god But God. In the final session, we will study the recent history of Egypt and ask about the future of Islam.

Three Movies from the Golden Age of Hollywood: Casablanca, The Big Sleep, and Sunset Blvd.

Tutor: David Carl Dates: Friday, February 7–Sunday, February 9 Times: 5–7 p.m. (Friday) and 10 a.m.–noon (Saturday and Sunday) Cost: $105 This seminar will examine three classic examples from Hollywood’s “Golden Age” of cinema, focusing on the intersection of technical devices such as mise-en-scène, camera angle, and lighting with narrative, acting, and dramatic development to discuss these great films as examples of both works of art and successful entertainment. Emphasis in the discussions will be placed

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on how visual information provided in the film advances the plot, helps develop the characters, and gives the audience a richer sense of what the filmic experience entails. Although the classroom will be equipped with a TV and DVD player to aid the discussion, participants are asked to watch each film in its entirely (preferably more than once) in preparation for the conversations. Films to be discussed over the three days sequentially are Michael Curtiz’s Casablanca (1942), Howard Hawks’s The Big Sleep (1946), and Billy Wilder’s Sunset Blvd (1950).

Three Films by Akira Kurosawa: Seven Samurai, Throne of Blood, and Ran Tutor: David Carl Dates: Friday, April 11–Sunday, April 13 Times: 5–7 p.m. (Friday) and 10 a.m.–noon (Saturday and Sunday) Cost: $105 Kurosawa was one of the most important Japanese filmmakers, hailed by international directors like Ingmar Bergman and Frederico Fellini as one of the most influential filmmakers of all time. George Lucas borrowed from Kurosawa’s Hidden Fortress when he made Star Wars, and Sergio Leone borrowed from him when he made his Fist Full of Dollars movies with Clint Eastwood.

Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai consistently shows up on directors’, critics’, and audiences’ lists of “Top 10 Movies of all Time.” Participants will watch three of Kurosawa’s most important films, made over a 30-year period, from the monumental Seven Samurai (1954) to his Japanese re-envisioning of Shakespeare’s great tragedies, Throne of Blood (1957, based on Macbeth) and Ran (1985, based on King Lear). In addition to discussing his films, participants also will read his autobiography as a support and supplement to the consideration of his movies. Although the classroom will be equipped with a TV and DVD player to aid the discussion, participants are asked to watch each film in its entirely (preferably more than once) in preparation for the conversations.

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LUNCHTIME CONCERTS Debussy Friday, January 24, 12:10–1:15 p.m.

Junior Common Room, Peterson Student Center Peter Pesic, piano There is no charge for admission Musician-in-residence and tutor Peter Pesic continues his tour of music of the 20th century with a program that features Debussy: Préludes Book I (1910).

Chopin and Debussy Friday, February 14, 12:10–1:15 p.m.

Junior Common Room, Peterson Student Center Peter Pesic, piano There is no charge for admission This concert features, in order of performance, Debussy: Réverie; Danse; Ballade (1890); Chopin: Études op. 10, no. 5–8; Debussy: Pour le piano (1896–1901); and Chopin: Ballade in F major, op. 38.

Peter Pesic is a tutor and musician in residence at St. John’s College, Santa Fe. He attended Harvard and Stanford, obtaining a doctorate in physics. He has been named a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Physical Society, and the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation. Mr. Pesic is also a visiting scholar at Harvard University.

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EVENING CONCERT Two Pianos, Different Temperaments Sunday, February 23, 3 p.m.

Great Hall, Peterson Student Center Willis “Chip” Miller, piano There is no charge for admission Pianist Willis “Chip” Miller will returning to St. John’s College in a program that features him playing on two different pianos—one tuned according to the modern equal temperament and one to an older temperament, such as was used in the time of Bach and in which the different key signatures possess audibly different characters. His program will illustrate Bach’s sensitivity to key color and personality by coupling each of a number of romantic pieces with a selection from Bach’s Well Tempered Clavier in the same key.

The romantic pieces will consist of Book IV of Mendelssohn’s “Songs Without Words” (in A-flat, E-flat, G Minor, F, A Minor, and A), two Preludes by Rachmaninov (in D and G-sharp Minor), and a Prelude (in E) and two Etudes (in C-sharp minor and E) by Chopin.

Dr. Miller began piano studies at age four and had his professional debut at age 11. He has received international recognition at the Young Keyboard Artists Association, Music Teacher's National Association Competition, and the Stravinsky International Piano Competition. He received his bachelor’s degree from Virginia Commonwealth University, his master’s from Eastman, and his doctorate from the Moores School of Music at the University of Houston. Dr. Miller has held a private studio for more than 10 years and has been a guest artist and faculty member at the Austin Waldorf School, the University of Houston, Virginia Commonwealth University, the Interlochen Pathfinder School, and the Interlochen Arts Academy. Since 2003, he has specialized in the music of J. S. Bach.

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January 25, February 22, March 15, and March 29 7:30–9:30 p.m.

Great Hall, Peterson Student Center $25 per concert, advance ticket purchase recommended (on sale January 7, 2014) Back by popular demand and expanded, Elevated features nationally known jazz musicians in an intimate club-like setting. Doors open at 7 p.m.; small plates and wine and beer available for purchase.

ASCAP award-winning vocalist Kathy Kosins kicks off the second season on Saturday, January 25. Kosins has won the hearts of critics and fans around the globe with her eclectic musical palette that expands the rich history of jazz, and her continuing commitment to rhythm and blues is reflected in her musical creations. She has had stints with the JC Heard and Nelson Riddle Orchestras, recorded with many well-known jazz and R&B artists, and shared the stage with jazz notables.

Jazz saxophonist Chase Baird performs on Saturday, February 22. An ever-surprising and evocative contributor to New York’s cutting-edge creative music scene, Baird starting touring as a high-school student, performing in the United States and Japan with the Monterey Jazz Festival’s Next Generation Jazz Orchestra. Now completing his final year at Juilliard School, Baird is exploring spontaneous inspiration that draws on elements of classical and folk music.

The season continues on March 15, with Larry Ham and Woody Witt, and concludes on March 29, with Alan Pasqua.

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Jekyll & Hyde Friday, February 28, and Saturday, March 1, 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, March 2, 3 p.m.

Great Hall, Peterson Student Center There is no charge for admission With book and lyrics by Leslie Bricusse and music by Frank Wildhorn, the musical’s story is as timeless as it is irresistible. A devoted man of science, Dr. Henry Jekyll is driven to find a chemical breakthrough that can solve some of mankind’s most challenging medical dilemmas. Rebuffed by the powers that be, he decides to make himself the subject of his own experimental treatments, accidentally unleashing his inner demons along with the man the world would come to know as Mr. Hyde. Directed by artistin-residence Roy Rogosin, Jekyll & Hyde will be fully staged production.

The performances are free and open to the public.

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Coming Soon!

Grammy Award-Winning Guitarist David Russell Friday, March 7, 7:30 p.m.

Great Hall, Peterson Student Center $40 at the door

Jointly sponsored by St. John’s College and the Santa Fe Concert Association. Limited free admission for students, tutors, and college staff.

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JUNE 15 – AUGUST 8, 2014 | SANTA FE The Graduate Institute in Santa Fe would like to call your attention to an exciting new summer opportunity:

GREAT BOOKS…AND GREAT FILMS. 2014 will be the inaugural summer of the St. John’s College Film Institute, an eight-week program approaching great works of cinema as visual poetry.

Each week focuses on a great director, spanning from the 1920s to the 1970s.

The program also will feature lectures and workshops by film industry professionals to help students develop a deeper understanding of the technical aspects of filmmaking. With nightly classes, film showings at local cinemas, and tutorials on works of film analysis (frequently written by the directors themselves), this program will attempt to approach all sides of film as a liberal art, exploring its unique status as visual communication in time and its contribution to the ideas of our culture.

The Film Institute is taught by David Carl and Krishnan Venkatesh, among other tutors. Classes are small, allowing each individual more time to learn.

The cost of tuition for summer 2014 will be $4,900.

THE DATES FOR THE FILM INSTITUTE ARE JUNE 15 THROUGH AUGUST 8.

On-campus room and board are available for Film Institute participants at reasonable rates.

Applications are accepted until December 14. Applications can be found at www.sjcsf.edu/gradprograms/sf_film.shtml. For further information, please contact Zoe Haskell at 505-984-6050 or filminstitute@sjcsf.edu.

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June 9 – August 7, 2014

NEW THIS YEAR…AN EXTRA WEEK OF HOMERIC GREEK! The Graduate Institute in Santa Fe hosts the Summer Greek Institute, a nine-week accelerated course in ancient Greek. This summer we have changed the pacing to an “accelerated” course. Intensive language programs across the country are known for their high attrition rate (often around 50%) and extreme stress: this is why the Greek Institute is not an “intensive.” While our program still requires an enormous amount of work and dedication, and necessarily entails memorization, drills, quizzes, and tests, it also leaves space to appreciate the unique opportunities of a Santa Fe summer, from afternoon lectures at St. John’s to evenings at the Santa Fe Opera. In short, the extra week in this summer’s program is meant to facilitate a more humane, healthier pace, as well as an even deeper immersion in this beautiful language.

This course prepares participants to read in Homeric Greek works such as the Iliad and the Odyssey. It will also prepares graduate students at other institutions to pass a language exam in Ancient Greek. The course’s grammar text is Homeric Greek, 4th edition, by Pharr, Wright and Debnar. (Note that earlier editions will not suffice.) Following the completion of the grammar component, participants immerse themselves in a careful reading of selections from the Iliad and the Odyssey. This year’s tutors will be Llyd Wells and Alan Zeitlin, veterans of last year’s inaugural program. Returning as well will be popular assistant Thomas Conroy.

Classes are small, allowing each individual more time to learn. No previous experience in Greek is necessary to apply. The cost of tuition for summer 2014 is $2,900, considerably lower than tuition for comparable study at other institutions.

THE DATES FOR THE GREEK INSTITUTE ARE JUNE 9 THROUGH AUGUST 7.

On-campus room and board are available for Greek Institute participants at very reasonable rates. For further information, please contact Zoe Haskell at 505-984-6050 or GreekInstitute@sjcsf.edu.

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VISIT THE ST. JOHN’S COLLEGE BOOKSTORE

> Meditating Selflessly

by James H. Austin, M.D. The Poems of Jesus Christ translated by Willis Barnstone The Resurrectionist: The Lost Work of Dr. Spencer Black

by E. B. Hudspeth Morrissey Autobiography Avedon: Women

by Peter Avedon

WINTER HOURS We will be closed from December 21-January 15 for remodeling.

STARTING JANUARY 16 Monday 8:45 a.m.-7:30 p.m.

Tuesday 8:45 a.m.-6:30 p.m.

Wednesday 8:45 a.m.-6:30 p.m.

Thursday 8:45 a.m.-7:30 p.m.

Friday 8:45 a.m.-5:30 p.m.

Closed Saturday Sunday 12-6 p.m.

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