Hybrid Vigor: How American Music Won Over the World with Suzanne Sanders & Jonathan Williams

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Chesapeake Forum

Sanders, Suzanne

Hybrid Vigor: How American Music Won Over the World with Suzanne Sanders & Jonathan Williams

Chesapeake Forum is glad to welcome Suzann Sanders and Jonathan Williams who will offer a class about the wide variety of American Music. What is it about American music that has made it popular around the world? Learn how the music of different cultures blended here, combining their very different strengths. Influences bounced back and forth as musicians took bits they liked, weaving wonderful new sounds: jazz, blues, country, Latin music, soul, rock, and rap. At times, old history and new technologies directed the flood of creativity in surprising ways. We’ll touch on related issues: who ought to own and control music, and who does? What does it mean to say “music wants to be free” online?

Jonathan Williams will perform songs live to illustrate the genres of music and trace their evolution. You’re sure to hear old favorites and new. We’ll also suggest songs to listen to at home. You won’t need to read music for this class, but feel free to sing along! This 3 session HYBRID class will take place Feb 9, 16, 23 from 10 – 11:30 am, $30. You may attend in-person at the Easton Peachblossom YMCA, by Zoom or Recording.

Suzanne Sanders earned a B.A. in Humanities from Johns Hopkins because, hey, somebody has to balance out all those pre-med students. She has worked as a journalist, bartender, metaphysical manager, poet, full-tilt mom, and Russian translator. She has taught the occasional class at Chesapeake College and volunteers at the library. She and her husband are currently lacking in the kitten department.

Jonathan Williams has taught special education and adaptive music for the last two decades. His approach is less about developing expertise and more about helping ordinary people dance, sing and play common instruments. He has worked out a super-easy way to learn the ukulele that is used by local libraries and a retirement community. His Move2Music dance program has been used in schools and community festivals. He also teaches guitar, banjo, and harmonica. To register for this class visit the website at www.chesapeakeforum.org.