Culture at a Click
"Listening to music," Pico Iyer writes, "we close our eyes and shake our heads. Our fingers, legs start to move in spite of us; we speak in the language that begins when words run out."
Dance is also language without words, and as Pico Iyer points out, music and movement go hand in hand. Celebrate Beethoven's 250th birthday with France's extraordinary Lyon Opera Ballet and an exclusive lesson from UCSB Professor of Musicology Derek Katz. Then, enjoy a special project featuring two masterful musicians near and dear to A&L, Wynton Marsalis and Yo-Yo Ma. If that leaves you hungry for more, visit the A&L archives for author Michael Pollan's lecture on his beloved book In Defense of Food.
With deepest appreciation,
Celesta M. Billeci
Miller McCune Executive Director
Please consider a gift to help us through this challenging time.
How are you celebrating Beethoven's birthday? This past April, Lyon Opera Ballet was scheduled to perform Trois Grandes Fugues, a triptych of interpretations of Ludwig van Beethoven's "Grosse Fuge" by three female choreographers – France’s rebellious Maguy Marin, America’s meticulous Lucinda Childs and Belgium’s hypnotic Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker, the choreographer behind the recent, critically-acclaimed restaging of West Side Story on Broadway.
photo: Bertrand Stofleth
In the video above, watch excerpts of each interpretation performed by the company heralded as one of France's national treasures.
Why the Great Fugue?
UCSB Associate Professor of Musicology Derek Katz digs deeper into the music in this lecture "Beethoven's Great Fugue: From Incomprehensible to Profound," recorded exclusively for A&L patrons.
We need each other now more than ever, and we can connect through stirring musical performances. Two artists who are close friends of the A&L family are participating in Lincoln Center's Memorial For Us All, a weekly community remembrance welcoming all to celebrate the lives of those who have left us too soon through small gestures of music. Watch the inaugural memorial led by jazz master Wynton Marsalis in the New Orleans tradition, as well as the second performance featuring cellist Yo-Yo Ma.
We miss going to the theater. We are grateful that so many of our beloved artists are keeping us entertained and connected, but there's just no substitute for a night on the town, grabbing a delicious meal or cocktail before a show. Luckily, many fabulous local establishments are still serving, and ready to up your night-in game.
Invite your go-to pal (whether your life partner, your furry friend, your mom or your houseplant) to grab take-out and – together or apart – watch one of the concerts, films or lectures we've recommended in these emails. Maybe even start with the video below, a Michael Pollan talk from the A&L archives. Because while we can't see each other at the theater, we are still able to access much of what makes Santa Barbara such a rich place to live... and to eat!
Use password "Pollan2008" to watch now. Video available through Friday, May 22, 2020.
"Eat Food. Not too much. Mostly plants." These words to live by from the award-winning author Michael Pollan resonate at the heart of his bestselling book In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto. In Pollan's 2008 lecture on the subject, he considers what science does and does not know about diet and health, proposing a new way of thinking about food that is informed by ecology and tradition.
A special note to all you foodies out there: the delectable conversation with world-renowned chefs Samin Nosrat – AKA the chef who taught Michael Pollan to cook – and Yotam Ottolenghi has been rescheduled for March 5, 2021! Stay tuned for our 2020-2021 season announcement next month.
As A&L's Online Student Ambassador program prepares to go live, students are putting the finishing touches on their work. With a perspective on life in Isla Vista right now, this preview of OSA Tilia Chu's blog post offers “Food for Thought” about how students can help keep IV thriving.
Get to Know Loribeth Gregory-Beck,
A&L Director of Education & Community Engagement
Thanks to Loribeth and the extensive outreach program she oversees, UCSB students and members of the community can get up close and personal with artists and speakers – not only by what they see onstage, but through interaction in their classrooms, libraries and throughout Santa Barbara.
What energizes you about your career?
I love community-building. Whether it's to learn, perform, or experience, projects that bring people together make the difference.
Are you involved in the arts on a personal level?
I'm active in the symphony orchestra world. I serve on the board for the Association of California Symphony Orchestras and participate in the League of American Orchestras. Prior to working at Arts & Lectures, I worked for the LA Phil and Santa Barbara Symphony. Plus, I've played violin since I was in 4th grade and continue to play when time permits. Orchestras and classical music are near and dear to my heart.
Are you into podcasts or do you only listen to music?
Both! I also love audiobooks, especially when they're read by the author. I just finished Simon Sinek's The Infinite Game.
What was the last show you binge-watched?
Westworld - nothing like a good sci-fi thriller.
What’s your favorite family tradition?
Making dumplings and egg rolls at Christmas. My mom taught me to make them when I was little, and now I'm teaching my 5-year-old daughter.
