Distinguished Scholar-Teacher Lecture: James Stern

Integrity, Cognitive Dissonance, Violated Hierarchies: A Violin Recital/Reflection

Cognitive dissonance: Israeli historian Yuval Noah Harari maintains that it’s a feature, not a bug, a driver of human progress in the same way that “two clashing musical notes played together force a piece of music forward.” Inspired by what Harari’s analogy suggests about the significance of musical meaning, and using language addressed to the non-musician, faculty violinist James Stern searches for the reason why fostering a deep appreciation of musical form is such a central priority in his teaching, and explores surprisingly specific ideas that music can represent. With particular reverence for works that create unforgettable moments and a sense of perfect integrity without the need to adhere to any existing model, he discusses and performs works by J. S. Bach, Lily Boulanger, Samuel Coleridge-Taylor and Ernest Chausson. Also featured in the presentation is the School of Music’s new Assistant Professor of Collaborative Piano, Futaba Niekawa.

You may also like the following events from The Clarice:

• This Monday, 6th October, 07:00 pm, ENOUGH! Plays to End Gun Violence in College Park
• This Friday, 10th October, 08:00 pm, UMD Symphony Orchestra with Marc-André Hamelin in College Park
• This Friday, 10th October, 08:00 pm, Kayla Farrish Dance: Put Away the Fire, Dear in College Park

Also check out other Music events in College Park, Entertainment events in College Park.