Fall Registration Opens August 2, 2022 at 9 a.m.
Term Duration: September 12 – November 24, 2022
Important
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MCLL COVID-19 Classroom Policy
Because the Covid-19 pandemic has not yet ended, the following policy measures have been introduced to protect MCLL members when they are attending study groups in MCLL classrooms.
- Valid proof of full vaccination against Covid-19 will be required to enter the MCLL classroom area.
- Use of hand sanitizer will be required.
- Everyone will wear a mask at all times. Masks may be removed while standing in front of the room making a presentation, although wearing them is strongly encouraged.
Attendance Options
Study Groups: Some study groups will be offered in the classroom only, many will be offered entirely online, and several will be offered as hybrids with members participating from home via Zoom and in the classroom. Please note that enrollment to attend study groups in person will be limited in order to avoid overcrowding.
Hybrid Classrooms – MCLL has upgraded two of its four classrooms by installing the cameras and microphones required for the Zoom broadcasting of study groups. People sitting in a hybrid classroom will see the faces of remote participants on the large TV screen at the front of the room and hear their voices on the loudspeakers in the room; those at home will see and hear the people in the classroom on their laptops, computers or tablets. In other words, in a hybrid study group, everyone will see everyone else and everyone will hear everyone else.
Volunteers will ensure that members have the technical support they need to join hybrid classrooms via Zoom. An MCLL volunteer will be present in each hybrid classroom to ensure smooth running of the Zoom broadcasting equipment.
Since maximum enrollment in hybrid study groups will exceed acceptable room capacity, members will be enrolled in two sections – in-class or online. When enrolling for a hybrid study group, please choose only one of these two options.
- In-class section. Only enroll in this section if you intend to attend most of the sessions in person. Members enrolled in this section do have the option of attending online, via Zoom, on any given day, because of special circumstances, e.g., bad weather conditions, travel, illness.
- Online-only section. This section is for those who will be attending all the sessions online, via Zoom. Members who enroll in this section do not have the right to attend classes in person.
For some hybrid study groups, the moderator will be online. This is clearly specified in the description of the study group.
Zoom Anxiety
Because all of the lectures and many of the study groups will be offered online, some of you who do not feel comfortable working with computers might be concerned about your ability to join online Zoom sessions. If you are experiencing Zoom anxiety, please be reassured that MCLL volunteers will do everything they can to help you learn how to join a Zoom study group or a Zoom lecture. If you would like someone to contact you and help you join a practice Zoom session, please send an email request to caring.mcll [at] gmail.com.
Types of Study Groups:
- Discussion Study Group: Participants look at works of art, read books or magazine articles, watch movies or videos, listen to music, or write journals. The moderator then facilitates discussion among the participants.
- Participant Presentation Study Group: Participants are encouraged to choose themes and make presentations, although these are not mandatory.
- Moderator/Participant Presentation Group: Participants are encouraged to choose themes and make presentations, although these are not essential.
- Moderator Presentation Study Group: The group moderator makes the presentations and facilitates the discussions that follow the presentations.
- Workshops: Our workshops are study groups focused on addressing practical or life-style issues rather than intellectual pursuits.
Study Group Topics
Economics and Society History Literature Music Science and Society Workshops
Fall 2022
YCMS 151 Lives of Great Artists
Moderator: Thelma (Timmy) Cohen | timmylco [at] yahoo.com
Time: Wednesday 12:00-2:00 p.m.
Duration: 10 weeks
Attendance: In-person
Study Group Style: Moderator/Participant Presentation Group
Maximum number of participants: 18
Explore the history of visual art with a combination of drama and spectacular photography! This study group will feature a series of ten, hour-long films, one each week, in chronological sequence, showing the lives and works of some of the world’s great artists, including Bernini, Rembrandt, Caravaggio, David, Turner, Van Gogh, Degas, Matisse, Chagall, Picasso, and Rothko. Discussion and short presentations on other artists of the corresponding period will follow. Presentations will be appreciated but are not mandatory. (Repeat from Fall 2019)
YCMS 396 Artists Tell Their Tales
Moderators: Romano DeSantis | romano.desantis [at] polymtl.ca
Giovanna DeSantis | giodesantis [at] videotron.ca
Time: Wednesday, 9:30-11:30 a.m.
Duration: 10 weeks
Attendance: Online
Study Group Style: Participant Presentation Group
Maximum number of participants: 12
Intended for participants who pursue visual creative activities and who love to share their passion with similarly inclined others. Relevant visual creative activities include drawing, painting, photography, sculpting, architecture, ceramics, jewelry, wood working, and textile art. Elements of experience to be shared include characterization of the activity, objectives, techniques, personal evolution, physical and social context in which an artwork is developed, outcomes, successes, failures and similar elements. Of interest to both amateur and professional artists, to both new participants and multiple repeaters. Formal presentations are expected. Presentations by invited artists may be envisaged.
YCMS 397 (in-person)/YCMS 398 (online)
Canadian Indigenous Visual Artists
Hybrid Study Group - register for in-person or online attendance
Moderator: Sandra Frisby | sandrafrisby [at] gmail.com
Time: Thursday, 12:00-02:00 p.m.
Duration: 10 weeks, starting September 22
Attendance: Hybrid
Study Group Style: Participant Presentation Group
Moderator Location: Online
Maximum number of participants: 12 in-person, 12 online
One of our richest sources of pride and wealth is our great number of Indigenous visual artists. While some names are familiar to us, others, particularly contemporary artists, are not. In this study group, we will examine a number of these artists. Each participant will choose an artist on whom to make a presentation. The moderator will send out a suggested list before the term begins. It would enrich your presentation if you were to include the context within which the artist lives and creates.
Please register for one section:
YCMS 397 - In-person
YCMS 398 - Online
YCMS 399 Furniture: History, Style and Design
Moderator: Michael Moore | mxm [at] michaelmoore.studio
Time: Monday, 2:30-4:30 p.m
Duration: 10 weeks
Attendance: Online
Study Group Style: Moderator Presentation Group
Maximum number of participants: 20
A comprehensive overview, a journey through the development and design of residential furniture commencing with Jacobean times and progressing through to today. The study group will be based on an educational text with a broad inclusion of photographs, most linked by QR codes to museums, sites, manufacturers, etc. The primary focus on the 18th century will be the English and French styles but later focus will be on the Bauhaus, Art Deco, Scandinavian, and Modern styles.
YCMS 400 (in-person)/YCMS 401 (online)
Blue Moon, Yellow Submarine, Lady in Red….
Hybrid Study Group - register for in-person or online attendance
Moderator: Linda Sidel | lindasidel [at] me.com
Time: Tuesday, 12:00- 2:00 p.m.
Duration: 5 weeks, starting October 18
Attendance: Hybrid
Study Group Style: Participant Presentation Group
Moderator Location: Online
Maximum number of participants: 10 in-person, 10 online
From the history of creating the original pigments to using it as a medium in artwork or photography, to creating imagery in music and song - the blue sky’s the limit for what will be a very colourful show and tell! Here is your chance to explore your favourite colour on the colour wheel. Picasso’s Blue Period, White flower gardens, paintings that are primarily one colour - you will be asked to choose your favourite colour and run with it! Don’t forget the music - what exactly are “The Blues” ? Do you consider yourself Mellow Yellow?
Please register for one section:
YCMS 400 - In-person
YCMS 401 - Online
YCMS 402 Writing: A Creative Challenge
Moderators: Michael Moore | michael [at] michaelXmoore.com
Anni Walsh | AnniWalsh [at] icloud.com
Time: Tuesday, 12:00-2:00 p.m.
Duration: 10 weeks
Attendance: Online
Study Group Style: Participant Presentation Group/Workshop
Maximum number of participants: 14
“Well, you never asked.” Could you write a flash fiction short story with that as an opening line? Would you like to learn how? Would you like to involve yourself with 11 other writing aspirants as they pursue the challenge of creatively constructing writing responses to regularly provided word prompts? Prompts such as, “difficult” or “smelly.” Then join us for 10 challenging weeks of fun and excitement as you are led through this study group - a workshop to help you explore the writer in you. And we will teach you stuff too.
YCMS 249 Creative Writing Workshop
Moderators: Roz Paris | rozparis [at] hotmail.com
Debbie Mercier | debbie.mercier [at] mcgill.ca
Liliane Aberman | liliane.aberman [at] gmail.com
Time: Monday, 9:30-11:30 a.m.
Duration: 10 weeks
Attendance: Online
Study Group Style: Participant Presentation Group |Workshop
Maximum number of participants: 8
Whether a novice or experienced writer, you want to refine your work through feedback and coaching in a small group. Every second week, you will submit your fiction or non-fiction writing (up to 1,500 words) via e-mail, at least two days prior to the workshop. You will read your draft aloud, followed by a group discussion with the goal to enhance your writing. All participants must be willing to participate in a positive, supportive exchange and be ready to receive thoughtful, diplomatic feedback from other MCLL writers.
YCMS 403 (in-person)/YCMS 404 (online)
UNESCO World Heritage Sites
Hybrid Study Group - register for in-person or online attendance
Moderator: Rosalie Acutt | racutt [at] hotmail.com
Time: Tuesday, 2:30-4:30 p.m.
Attendance: Hybrid
Duration: 5 weeks, starting October 18
Study Group Style: Participant Presentation Group
Moderator Location: In classroom
Maximum number of participants: 12 in-person, 14 online
There are more than 1,000 UNESCO World Heritage sites - all places of outstanding natural beauty or great historic or artistic interest. Participants will be asked to choose a site which interests them, perhaps one they have visited, to present to the group. Some of the problems associated with these sites will be discussed, such as how sites are chosen and the effects of increased tourism.
Please register for one section:
YCMS 403 - In-person
YCMS 404 - Online
YCMS 188 Textiles
Moderator: Muriel Herrington | murielh [at] bell.net
Time: Thursday, 12:00-2:00 p.m.
Duration: 10 weeks
Attendance: Online
Study Group Style: Moderator/Participant Presentation Group
Maximum number of participants: 23
In this session, we will explore the social, economic and ecological impact of textile production and use. As well, we will study the diverse nature of fibre arts, both past and present. Participants are encouraged to give presentations. These can be videos, PowerPoints or any other computer-friendly format. The moderator will provide a long list of topics.
YCMS 405 (in-person)/YCMS 406 (online)
Invitation to Discuss Global Travel
Hybrid Study Group - register for in-person or online attendance
Moderators: Peter Liontos | liontospeter018 [at] gmail.com
Norm Haslam | nhaslam [at] videotron.ca
Time: Wednesday, 9:30-11:30 a.m.
Duration: 5 weeks, starting September 14
Attendance: Hybrid
Study Group Style: Moderator/Participant Presentation Group
Moderator Location: 1 in classroom, 1 online
Maximum number of participants: 12 in-person, 14 online
The Moderator, Peter Liontos, who has visited over 40 destinations worldwide, invites you to share with the study group your real or imagined travel aspirations. This can include trips planned or already taken, the sharing of maps and itineraries, restaurants, cultural sites and activities. We will also cover travel insurance, accommodation and airline bookings along with group travel versus independent travel. Presentations are encouraged, though not mandatory. We also welcome Norm Haslam as Co-Moderator who has travelled extensively to the UK and other European destinations.
Please register for one section:
YCMS 405 - In-person
YCMS 406 - Online
YCMS 407 The Love of Gardens
Moderators: Clare McFarlane | clare.mc [at] sympatico.ca
Katherine Moore | the.katherinemoore78 [at] gmail.com
Time: Monday, 9:30-11:30 a.m.
Duration: 5 weeks, starting October 3
Attendance: Online
Study Group Style: Participant Presentation Group
Maximum number of participants: 25
This study group will explore: 1) Personal experiences in gardens of every kind - flower, vegetable, container, butterfly, etc. 2) Gardens such as le Jardin des Métis, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the Chelsea Physic Garden, the Montreal Botanical Garden, and any garden you would like to present. 3) The importance of insects, pests, composting and watering that bring continuing life to gardens. Participants are encouraged to share why they love gardens and present a topic.
YCMS 047 (in-person)/YCMS 342 (online)
Inside The New Yorker
Hybrid Study Group - register for in-person or online attendance
Moderator: Kay Palkhivala | kaypalkhivala [at] gmail.com
Time: Thursday, 9:30-11:30 a.m.
Duration: 10 weeks
Attendance: Hybrid
Study Group Style: Discussion Group
Moderator Location: Online
Maximum number of participants: 10 in-person, 10 online
Each study group session will consist of two discussions on topics taken from The New Yorker magazine: a topical issue, usually an article, and a short story. The articles and stories will be chosen by study group members from the current or past issues. To ensure meaningful contributions, study group members are expected to arrive prepared to participate in all discussions. Expect one to two hours’ reading prior to each meeting. Reading assignments and discussion questions will be posted on the online schedule in Google Docs. Note that participants in this study group DO NOT NEED a subscription to The New Yorker magazine. The readings will be linked to the Schedule. For those who want to subscribe, low-cost digital subscriptions are available at: subscribe.condenastdigital.com.
Please register for one section:
YCMS 047 - In-person
YCMS 342 - Online
YCMS 079 Drama for Fun
Moderator: Freda Segal | fsegal10 [at] gmail.com
Time: Monday, 12:00-2:00 p.m.
Duration: 10 weeks
Attendance: Online
Study Group Style: Workshop
Maximum number of participants: 11
Drama for Fun is a workshop that promotes socialization, improves creativity, and induces laughter — a perfect remedy for our times. Come and witness the creativity that can be unleashed when thespians get together via Zoom to create online drama.
YCMS 043 Global Crises
Moderator: Mireille Coulourides | coulourides123 [at] hotmail.com
Time: Monday, 9:30-11:30 a.m.
Duration: 10 weeks
Attendance: In-person
Study Group Style: Moderator Presentation Group
Maximum number of participants: 18
This study group will examine how international events, conflicts and crises affect us here in Canada. We will look at our own crisis, the COVID pandemic, with its continuing social and economic impact. Sources include mainstream media such as the BBC, PBS, The Economist, The New York Times, and The National Post. Everyone will have an opportunity to express their thoughts.
YCMS 349 (in-person)/350 (online)
World Topics of Interest for Discussion
Hybrid Study Group - register for in-person or online attendance
Moderator: Paul Kuai-Yu Leong| paul.leong1234 [at] gmail.com
Time: Wednesday, 2:30-4:30 p.m.
Duration: 10 weeks
Attendance: Hybrid
Study Group Style: Discussion Group
Moderator Location: In classroom
Maximum number of participants: 12 in-person, 14 remote
Each week we discuss a variety of interesting topics after viewing videos from a variety of sources (e.g., Oxford Union, intelligencesquared.com, munkdebates.com, france24.com/en, dw.com, youtube.com/cnaconnect, etc.). The objective is to expand our horizons on world affairs. So, let's keep calm and carry on with some stimulating afternoon discussions.
Please register for one section:
YCMS 349 - In-person
YCMS 350 - Online
YCMS 408 (in-person)/YCMS 409 (online)
Decision 2022: Democracy Is on the Ballot
Hybrid Study Group - register for in-person or online attendance
Moderator: Jeff Sidel | jsidel [at] videotron.ca
Time: Tuesday, 9:30-11:30 a.m.
Duration: 10 weeks
Attendance: Hybrid
Study Group Style: Moderator Presentation Group
Moderator Location: In classroom
Maximum number of participants: 12 in-person, 14 online
Congress is up for grabs in the upcoming November mid-term elections. Unlike any other period in history, democracy is on the ballot in America. Over a 10-week period, we will examine the impact of two opposing forces. On one side, a Trumpian effort to gain control over the election process at the state level through voter suppression and the nullification of legitimate votes. On the other side, an attempt to hold accountable those who tried to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.
Please register for one section:
YCMS 408 - In-person
YCMS 409 - Online
YCMS 432 Decision 2022: Democracy Is on the Ballot, section 2
Moderator: Jeff Sidel | jsidel [at] videotron.ca
Time: Thursday, 2:30-4:30 p.m.
Duration: 10 weeks
Attendance: Online
Study Group Style: Moderator Presentation Group
Maximum number of participants: 25
Congress is up for grabs in the upcoming November mid-term elections. Unlike any other period in history, democracy is on the ballot in America. Over a 10-week period, we will examine the impact of two opposing forces. On one side, a Trumpian effort to gain control over the election process at the state level through voter suppression and the nullification of legitimate votes. On the other side, an attempt to hold accountable those who tried to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.
YCMS 411 What Would a Fair and Equal Society Actually Look Like?
Moderator: Nadia Alexan | Nadia.alexan [at] videotron.ca
Time: Wednesday, 2:30-4:30 p.m.
Duration: 10 weeks
Attendance: Online
Study Group Style: Moderator Presentation Group
Maximum number of participants: 24
Imagine a world with no banks. No stock market. No tech giants. No billionaires. In his book Another Now, world-famous economist Yanis Varoufakis shows us what such a world would look like. Far from being a fantasy, he describes how it could come about - and might yet. We will explore the book together.
YCMS 410 Alberta and Quebec Through the Looking Glass: Two Solitudes or a Stronger Canada?
Moderators: Brian Webber (MCLL) | saican [at] icloud.com
Ron Foyer (CALL) | ron-foyer [at] shaw.ca
Time: Tuesday, 12:00-2:00 p.m.
Duration: 5 weeks, every other week, starting September 20
Attendance: Online
Study Group Style: Moderator/Participant Presentation Group
Maximum number of participants: 10 from MCLL, 10 from CALL
We can all learn from how other parts of Canada do things. Quebec and Alberta probably do their “things” more differently than any other pair of Canadian provinces. These contrasts can lead to engaging and stimulating discussion as well as enhanced understanding. Participants from the Calgary Association for Lifelong Learning (CALL) and from MCLL will compare their societies and look for alternative approaches to issues. We will also discuss "hidden gems" in art, travel, food and music. The more we learn about each other, the better for all of Canada. Participants will be encouraged to research materials for discussion.
YCMS 032 A History of Ireland
Moderator: Peter Berry | dukemorrill2004 [at] yahoo.ca
Time: Monday, 12:00-2:00 p.m.
Duration: 10 weeks
Attendance: Online
Study Group Style: Moderator Presentation Group
Maximum number of participants: 22
From pre-historic hunters and gatherers to modern man, people have inhabited this island on the fringe of Europe. It attracted the Vikings and its monasteries provided wisdom to Europe during the Dark Ages. The Normans and English turned it into a colony where they could flourish at the expense of the natives. The 19th century saw the terrible famine and massive emigration, but also great literary works and architecture. Early in the 20th century, Ireland broke free from the British Empire with the nationalist and religious legacies of the past.
YCMS 166 A History of Mexico
Moderator: Peter Berry | dukemorrill2004 [at] yahoo.ca
Time: Thursday, 12:00-2:00 p.m.
Duration: 10 weeks
Attendance: Online
Study Group Style: Moderator Presentation Group
Maximum number of participants: 22
Why is Mexico - geographically a part of North America - so different from Canada and the United States? Answers may lie in the indigenous civilizations of pre-Colombian Mexico, in the three hundred years of Spanish colonial rule, or in the turbulent struggle following independence to create a united and modern nation. The proud mestizo Mexico of today still carries, for better or for worse, the legacies of the past.
YCMS 412 The Progressive Era
Moderator: John Felvinci | jfelvinci [at] sympatico.ca
Time: Tuesday, 2:30-4:30 p.m.
Duration: 10 weeks
Attendance: Online
Study Group Style: Participant Presentation Group
Maximum number of participants: 30
This is the last of the study groups examining the politics and culture in major countries in the pre-First War period. Our period for the USA, the Progressive Era, starts in 1890 and ends with the USA entering the First World War, in 1917. We will follow the external and domestic politics during this period and survey the vibrant culture, encompassing literature, music, the arts, theatre, architecture, and science.
YCMS 413 A Selective History Walk Through the Interwar Years (1919- 1939)
Moderator: Colin Hudson | colin.hudson [at] sympatico.ca
Time: Tuesday, 9:30-11:30 a.m.
Duration: 10 weeks, starting September 20
Attendance: Online
Study Group Style: Participant Presentation Group
Maximum number of participants: 20
Following on from our study of The Age of Empire, we will look at events in the years 1919-1939, from the Versailles Peace Treaty and League of Nations to the outbreak of WWII. Emphasis will be on Eastern Europe, the Baltics and the Balkan countries, as well as the Weimar Republic, the rise of Fascism, Mussolini and Hitler, Russia and Ukraine.
YCMS 414 (in-person)/YCMS 415 (online)
The Renaissance in Italy to 1527
Hybrid Study Group - register for in-person or online attendance
Moderator: Roger Humphrey | rth201002 [at] yahoo.ca
Wendela Stier | wen.la.stier [at] gmail.com
Time: Thursday, 12:00-2:00 p.m.
Duration: 10 weeks
Attendance: Hybrid
Study Group Style: Moderator/Participant Presentation Group
Moderator Location: In classroom
Maximum number of participants: 12 in-person, 14 online
Together we will examine Italian civilization and culture from around 1300 to the Sack of Rome. We will be discussing the revival of classical humanism, some leading personalities, the rise of the polymath, and how it all affected and altered the arts and sciences, as well as the politics and economy of the period. This was a period when the Medieval group identity gave way for the modern individual. Moderators and members will contribute with presentations.
Please register for one section:
YCMS 414 - In-person
YCMS 415 - Online
YCMS 416 Tales of Two Cities: Montreal and Toronto
Moderator: Lorne Huston (MCLL) | Lhuston137 [at] gmail.com
Andris Rubenis (ALLTO) | andrisrubenis1 [at] gmail.com
Time: Tuesday, 9:30-11:30 a.m.
Duration: 6 weeks, every other week, starting September 13
Attendance: Online
Study Group Style: Participant Presentation Group
Maximum number of participants: 12 MCLL, 12 ALLTO
This study group, offered in conjunction with the Academy of Lifelong Learning in Toronto (ALLTO), offers participants a chance to explore a comparative approach to the history of the two cities – Montreal and Toronto. Zoom meetings will be held every two weeks for the fall and winter semesters. The six meetings of the fall term will explore the histories of the two areas from the indigenous era up until Confederation (1867). Each meeting will feature a presentation about Montreal by someone from MCLL followed by a presentation about Toronto for the same time period, made by someone from ALLTO.
YCMS 308 Rogues’ Gallery
Moderators: Howard King | Hrk2thyme [at] gmail.com
Ginette Bazergui | ginettebazergui [at] gmail.com
Time: Tuesday, 12:00-2:00 p.m.
Duration: 5 weeks, starting October 18
Attendance: Online
Study Group Style: Participant Presentation Group
Maximum number of participants: 20
A Rogues’ Gallery is defined as a police collection of mug shots. Participants will be given a list of rogues throughout history. They may be super criminals, spies, crooked politicians, etc. Participants will be asked to do presentations on either someone from the list or on their own favourite scoundrel. Maybe there is a figure in history who may be either a bad or good person, depending upon who wrote the book. You will be challenged to find something positive or good in your rogue. This year we will also discuss white-collar crime and introduce a few surprises.
YCMS 417 The French Revolution
Moderators: Frank Nicholson | fnicholson [at] rogers.com
Nadine Ozkan | nadine.ozkan [at] gmail.com
Ronald Vexler | ronvexler [at] gmail.com
Time: Tuesday, 2:30-4:30 p.m
Duration: 10 weeks
Attendance: Online
Study Group Style: Discussion Group
Maximum number of participants: 22
Calling all history buffs! Join us in delving into the ten-year period from the fall of the Bastille in July 1789 to Napoleon Bonaparte’s coup d'état in November 1799 that transformed France and the world. The course will start with an in-depth review of the causes of the revolution and end with a look at its repercussions during the last two centuries. Meetings will be divided into two segments, each featuring a 30-minute video lecture followed by a round-the-table discussion.
YCMS 418 (in-person)/YCMS 419 (online)
The History and Science of Food. The Sequel
Hybrid Study Group - register for in-person or online attendance
Moderators: Wolfgang Schneider | wolfgangschneider [at] videotron.ca
Catherine Main-Oster | catherinemainoster [at] gmail.com
Time: Thursday, 2:30-4:30 p.m.
Duration: 10 weeks
Attendance: Hybrid
Study Group Style: Participant Presentation Group
Moderator Location: In classroom
Maximum number of participants: 12 in-person, 14 online
This study group will take off where we left last winter and look at a new selection of foods that have great social, commercial, historical, political, or cultural significance. We may look at staples that shaped history like sugar and tea, but also at foods that are less popular here but are of great importance elsewhere, like cassava. We may also look at meat, either coming from traditional animal sources or from replacements like microbes or even insects and finish off with a glass of wine. The moderators will do some of the presentations, but presentations by participants are expected.
Please register for one section:
YCMS 418 - In-person
YCMS 419 - Online
YCMS 389 (in-person)/YCMS 390 (online)
Ancient Worlds: Uncovering the Past
Hybrid Study Group - register for in-person or online attendance
Moderator: Robert Winters | robertwinters [at] videotron.ca
Time: Monday, 2:30-4:30 p.m.
Duration: 10 weeks
Attendance: Hybrid
Study Group Style: Moderator/Participant Presentation Group
Maximum number of participants: 12 in-person, 14 online
What can we learn from exploring ancient civilizations and discovering how people lived in the past? Recent research into the DNA of ancient people, how they thought and what they believed can challenge our views about the past. Discussion will be stimulated by presentations and videos that explore major events and people that changed history. We will look at civilizations of the Mediterranean, Asia and the Americas, including in Rome, Egypt and Greece. We will also explore the colourful lives of ancient leaders and learn what motivated them. Participants are encouraged to do presentations.
Please register for one section:
YCMS 389 - In-person
YCMS 390 - Online
YCMS 420 Short Stories
Moderator: Maggie Benfield | mbenfield6 [at] gmail.com
Time: Monday, 12:00-2:00 p.m.
Duration: 10 weeks
Attendance: Online
Study Group Style: Discussion Group
Maximum number of participants: 20
The focus of the course is on short stories, mostly from the 20th Century, with authors from various cultures. We will read one story per week, with a possible quiz in Week 10!
YCMS 421 Reading Molière’s Plays Aloud
Moderator: Jean E. Carrière | jean.e.carriere [at] outlook.com
Time: Tuesday, 9:30-11:30 a.m.
Duration: 10 weeks
Attendance: Online
Study Group Style: Discussion Group
Maximum number of participants: 24
In celebration of the 400th anniversary of Molière’s birth, the study group will read aloud scenes from Molière’s plays, including Le Misanthrope, Tartuffe, Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme, and Le Malade Imaginaire. The same scene will be read in French and in English with different participants reading each role. The format of reading aloud will be familiar to those who have participated in reading Shakespeare plays. These plays have been translated into English by the poet laureate Richard Wilbur and can be found online.
YCMS 290 The Prairies and Quebec Through Their Literature
Moderators: Andrew Macdougall (MCLL) | andrewmac [at] videotron.ca
Sandra Ens (CALL) | sandraens22 [at] gmail.com
Time: Tuesday, 12:00-2:00 p.m.
Duration: 5 weeks, every other week, starting September 13
Attendance: Online
Study Group Style: Discussion Group
Maximum number of participants: 10 from MCLL, 10 from CALL
A collaborative effort between the Calgary Association of Lifelong Learners (CALL) and MCLL, this discussion group will provide participants an opportunity to increase, through reading novels, their appreciation of two distinctive places—the Canadian Prairies and Quebec. The four novels offer insight into similarities and differences in history and culture between the two regions. The four titles and authors selected will be emailed to registered participants shortly after they register.
YCMS 422 The Lesser Known Shakespeare
Moderator: Clifford Parr | clifford.parr [at] sympatico.ca
Time: Monday, 12:00-2:00 p.m.
Duration: 10 weeks
Attendance: In-person
Study Group Style: Discussion Group
Maximum number of participants: 18
In this session, we will be watching together and discussing a selection of Shakespeare’s plays that are not that well known and may not be familiar to most. Scheduled productions include: The Two Noble Kinsmen, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, King John, and Henry VIII.
YCMS 423 The World of Anton Chekhov
Moderator: Clifford Parr | clifford.parr [at] sympatico.ca
Time: Monday, 2:30-4:30 p.m.
Duration: 10 weeks
Attendance: In-person
Study Group Style: Discussion Group
Maximum number of participants: 18
In this session we will watch together and discuss a selection of plays by Anton Chekhov, the famous Russian author who is considered to be one of the most important figures in the birth of early modernism in the theater. We will look at Chekhov's life and times and, if time permits, read some of his short stories as well.
YCMS 424 Revisiting Joyce’s Ulysses after 100 Years
Moderator: David Schurman | schurman [at] videotron.ca
Time: Thursday, 2:30-4:30 p.m.
Duration: 10 weeks
Attendance: Online
Study Group Style: Discussion Group
Maximum number of participants: 25
James Joyce’s pivotal novel, Ulysses, was published 100 years ago in 1922 and has had a controversial reputation since then. We will begin with a brief history and an overview of the novel. The book has 18 episodes and although we will touch on all of them, we will delve into some of the major ones in greater detail. Participants should have a good edition of the book (recommendation: Penguin ed. 1992).
YCMS 426 Verdi’s Operas 1: Rocky Start Through Mid-Career Masterpieces
Moderators: Rick Jones | rickjones205 [at] yahoo.com
Philip Ehrensaft | metro845 [at] philipehrensaft.com
Time: Wednesday, 9:30-11:30 a.m.
Duration: 10 weeks
Attendance: Online
Study Group Style: Moderator Presentation Group
Maximum number of participants: 75
When Milan’s Conservatory rejected Verdi, nobody imagined that he would transform opera. A decade later, after Nabucco’s La Scala premier, the audience carried Verdi on their shoulders through Milan while singing Va Pensiero, the Egyptian slaves’ chorus, now Italy’s reunification movement anthem. Pre-Verdi, Bel Canto opera stood and delivered supremely beautiful singing rather than coherent drama. Then Macbeth, uniting mastery of Shakespeare with music tightly composed to propel drama, revealed Verdi’s true genius. Verdi controlled every dimension of opera: singers, orchestra, stage direction, and theater management. This was similar to Shakespeare’s multiple roles. Part 2 follows in Winter 2023.
YCMS 427 How to More Deeply Appreciate Popular Music of the 50s, 60s and 70s
Moderator: Bruce Macleod | bruce.macleod [at] mac.com
Time: Thursday, 9:30-11:30 a.m.
Duration: 5 weeks, starting October 27
Attendance: Online
Study Group Style: Participant Presentation Group
Maximum number of participants: 12
To better appreciate popular music, participants will choose a popular song to present. With moderator support, the presentation could include such features as: the story of the musical work, cultural association or personal significance; meaning of the lyrics; overall emotional feel and impact; musical analysis; vocal and instrumental arrangements; notable musical passages within the recording. Various audio and video tools will be used to illustrate points made in the discussion.
YCMS 428 The Unique Masterpieces of Prokofiev and Stravinsky
Moderator: Nina Spiegel | muffreck [at] sympatico.ca
Time: Thursday, 2:30-4:30 p.m.
Duration: 10 weeks
Attendance: Online
Study Group Style: Moderator Presentation Group
Maximum number of participants: 50
Magnificent selections from the masterpieces of Prokofiev and Stravinsky will be explored in this course. We will savour the magnificence of Stravinsky's ballets, the overwhelming virtuosity of Prokofiev's piano and violin concertos, as well as delightful and stirring folkloric suites from their contemporaries. Every session will be a celebration of incomparable performances as we focus on the style of the era.
YCMS 429 Jazz from New Orleans Brothels to Carnegie Hall and Beyond
Moderator: Tony Wait | pawait [at] sympatico.ca
Time: Wednesday, 2:30-4:30 p.m.
Duration: 10 weeks
Attendance: In-person
Study Group Style: Moderator Presentation Group
Maximum number of participants: 18
Come to listen and explore the triumphant journey of New Orleans Jazz. From the brothels of New Orleans up the Mississippi to Kansas City, to Chicago, to Carnegie Hall and beyond, achieving universal recognition in the 1920s and 1930s and sparking the cool jazz revolution.
YCMS 431 Science Salon – Current and Curious Topics in Science
Moderator: Katherine Moore | the.katherinemoore78 [at] gmail.com
Co-Moderators: Tim Skene | tim [at] skene.org
Rick Jones | rickjones205 [at] yahoo.com
David Schurman | schurman [at] videotron.ca
Clare McFarlane | clare.mc [at] sympatico.ca
Philip Ehrensaft | metro845 [at] philipehrensaft.com
Robert Winters | robertwinters [at] videotron.ca
Time: Wednesday, 12:00-2:00 p.m.
Duration: 5 weeks, every other week, starting September 21
Attendance: Online
Study Group Style: Discussion Group
Maximum number of participants: 50
From ancient science to current advances that can affect our daily lives, each of the five sessions will be led by a different informed moderator. Subjects could include: artificial intelligence, the workings of our brain, studying ancient DNA, CRISPR technology or the complexities of climate. To stimulate the discussion, participants will see an opening presentation or receive reference material or links to articles and videos on each topic. Here is a chance to be enlightened and stimulated on different topics with five moderators and fellow MCLLers.
YCMS 337 Parlons français – For the Joy of It
Moderator: Michèle Dupont | mdupont2013 [at] gmail.com
Time: Monday, 2:30-4:30 p.m.
Duration: 10 weeks
Attendance: Online
Study Group Style: Discussion Group
Maximum number of participants: 12 from MCLL
This workshop is for people who want to improve their conversational French. It is meant for advanced beginners or intermediate speakers of French, but it is not a French course, per se. The moderator will provide a basic structure for discussions in French about life and culture in Quebec. There will be a maximum of 12 participants in this workshop. Michèle Dupont comes to us from Projet Changement, our partner organization. In return, an MCLL member is leading an English-language workshop there. We hope that the two groups may be able to organize an outing together during the semester.
