Music Appreciation and Performance
Rod MacDonald began his career as a singer/songwriter in Greenwich Village, NY in 1973. He has 21 songs in the Smithsonian Folkways collection and has released 12 CDs of his own songs, including 2018’s “Beginning Again” and three CDs with the Palm Beach County band Big Brass Bed. He performs in festivals, clubs and concerts locally and throughout North America and Europe and was named “Best Local Acoustic Performer” in Broward and Palm Beach counties by the New Times and “one of the ten magnificent musicians of Palm Beach County” by the Palm Beach Post. An instructor with Osher LLI at Florida Atlantic University since 2006, his previous series include Music Americana, The Great American Songbook and The Roots of Rock and Roll.
Learn more about Rod at www.rodmacdonald.net.
Music Americana: In Search of Greatness 3
From sheer talent, pioneering a new direction or
outselling all their rivals, a few artists are widely
regarded as foremost practitioners of their art. Their
songs are legendary through the years, their styles
imitated, but never surpassed and their triumphs and
losses are brilliantly conveyed through their music.
From the royal swing of the Duke to the soulful blues
of Van Morrison; from the quiet warmth of Johnny
Mathis to the buoyant pop of Alicia Keys; from the
legendary classicism of Segovia and Horowitz to the
soaring lyricism of Leonard Cohen, great artists
inspire us in our time and set the standard for future
generations of musical performers.
This course will examine the work, biographies and
enduring importance of these musical artists and
attempt to sort myth from reality, using updated
videos and excerpts from feature films, live
performances and a few surprises.
Eight Lectures
- By Request - Duke Ellington, Eddie Cantor, Jimmy Durante
- The Giants - Andrés Segovia, Vladimir Horowitz
- Classic Voices - Sarah Vaughan, Johnny Mathis
- Truth to Power - Peter, Paul and Mary, Harry Chapin
- How Can I Keep From Singing - Barbra Streisand, Carly Simon
- Into the Mystic - George Harrison, Van Morrison
- Religion on Broadway - Fiddler on The Roof, Book of Mormon
- Poets and Muses - Leonard Cohen, Alicia Keys
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| Course # W8T4 — Full 8 Weeks
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| Place: | Auditorium, Lifelong Learning Complex, Jupiter Campus |
| Dates: | Tuesdays, January 9, 16, 23; February 6, 13, 20, 27; March 6 2018 |
| Time: | 3:45 - 5:30 PM |
| Fee: | $80 / member; $110 / non-member |
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The Singer-Songwriters
As singers began recording their own songs in the
1960s, a new breed of artists emerged: singers
who wrote their own songs. Inspired by folk, rock, teen
music and their own lives, John Denver, Judy Collins,
Joni Mitchell, Harry Chapin, Neil Young, Jim Croce,
Jackson Browne, Gordon Lightfoot, Marvin Gaye and
Tracy Chapman set intelligent lyrics to sophisticated
music and ruled the airwaves with songs that have
stood the test of time.
Join Rod MacDonald & The Humdingers for a fun and
low-decibel tour through the lives, music and genius of
these unique artists, as told in their songs.
Rod MacDonald & The Humdingers:
- Rod MacDonald, guitar, has 11 CDs of his songs,
including 2014’s “Later That Night,” as heard on
WLRN’s Folk and Acoustic Music. He performs
frequently in South Florida and throughout North
America and Europe, and is a lifelong devotee of
popular song. He has been an instructor with Osher
Lifelong Learning Institute at FAU since 2006.
- Bill Meredith, drums, is the backbone of several
Palm Beach County rock and roll bands, including
Big Brass Bed and Illumination. He has toured
throughout the U.S. and Canada, and appears on
more than a dozen CDs.
- Brad Keller, keyboards, has performed at the
Montreux Jazz Festival and with Maynard Ferguson
and the Ink Spots, is the jazz piano instructor at Palm
Beach State College and has taught music in Palm
Beach County public schools for 20 years. He is also
the co-author of the “Jazz Cats” books used
internationally to introduce young students to jazz.
- Doug Lindsey, bass and vocals, has been playing in South Florida bands for 30 years.
- John Smotherman, lead guitar, plays with Big Brass
Bed, Illumination and several Palm Beach County
bands. His exquisite solos caused The Palm Beach Post
to label him one of the “Ten Magnificent Musicians
of Palm Beach County.”
Register Early! There is a $5 charge for registering on the day of a one-time lecture or event.
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| Course # W1R1 — One Time Event
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| Place: | Auditorium, Lifelong Learning Complex, Jupiter Campus |
| Dates: | Thursday, January 18 2018 |
| Time: | 7 - 9 PM |
| Fee: | $25 / member; $35 / non-member |
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Register Now
