How well do you think you know tango? This two-week mini-course is designed for music lovers, musicians, and dancers who are interested in learning more about the Argentine Tango. It will explore the many dimensions of the Argentine Tango music, including its origins, popularization during the Golden Age, dissemination abroad, evolution into an artistic music-dance form, and adoption by Argentine and international art-music composers to date. The goal is to provide learners with an authentic and holistic tango experience by intersecting scholarly studies of the history, theory, and culture of tango with knowledge of instrumental performance practices. Learners can also learn more about basic tango gestures and steps that embody the music, as well as the poetry of tango.

A unique and exciting introduction to the genre and craft of historical fiction, for curious students, aspiring authors--anyone with a passion for the past. Read classics of the genre, encounter bestselling writers of historical fiction, and discover your own historical archive while interacting with a global community of interested readers.

Our relationship to Beethoven is a deep and paradoxical one. For many musicians, he represents a kind of holy grail: His music has an intensity, rigor, and profundity which keep us in its thrall, and it is perhaps unequalled in the interpretive, technical, and even spiritual challenges it poses to performers. At the same time, Beethoven’s music is casually familiar to millions of people who do not attend concerts or consider themselves musically inclined. Two hundred years after his death, he is everywhere in the culture, yet still represents its summit. This course takes an inside-out look at the 32 piano sonatas from the point of view of a performer. Each lecture will focus on one sonata and an aspect of Beethoven’s music exemplified by it. (These might include: the relationship between Beethoven the pianist and Beethoven the composer; the critical role improvisation plays in his highly structured music; his mixing of extremely refined music with rougher elements; and the often surprising ways in which the events of his life influenced his compositional process and the character of the music he was writing.) The course will feature some analysis and historical background, but its perspective is that of a player, not a musicologist. Its main aim is to explore and demystify the work of the performer, even while embracing the eternal mystery of Beethoven’s music itself. This season's Curtis courses are sponsored by Linda Richardson in loving memory of her husband, Dr. Paul Richardson. The Dolfinger-McMahon Foundation supports Curtis's lifelong learning initiatives.

Relativism is an ancient philosophical doctrine which has recurred time and again in the history of philosophy. It has also transcended the boundaries of that discipline, for it has shaped much of the methodology in anthropology and sociology, as well as in critical theory and literary studies. While often advocated for its supposed tolerance of differences, relativism has profound consequences for how we think of reality, for the possibility of knowledge, both in the factual and in the moral domain, and may engender the practice of double standard. If a wind is hot for me and cold for you and none of us is at fault, does this mean that reality is always perspectival, or that it admits of contradictory descriptions? If a belief turns out to be justified when evaluated within a certain epistemic system (such as religion, for instance), while it turns out to be unjustified if assessed from within a different one (science, say), does relativism undermine the very possibility of knowledge? If an action can be morally permissible within an ethical system and not so within a different one, does that challenge the idea that there are moral truths and moral progress? These are some of the questions we will engage in during the course, while considering examples taken from the history of science, such as the Bellarmine-Galileo dispute, and from everyday life. This course is aimed at anyone who is interested in learning more about philosophy, along with those who are looking for strategies to combat extremism in their communities. Using these approaches, no matter what your skill levels in topics you would like to master, you can change your thinking and change your life. In this course, learners will: Explore the concept of Relativism Discuss the role of Relativism in contemporary society Identify common responses to Relativism Compare/Contrast various forms of Relativism Recognize how epistemic relativism can be used to explain important events in the history of science and crucial discoveries in anthropology Create a presentation with your personal perspective on one of the forms of relativism

This course examines the nature of both science and religion and attempts to explore the possible relationships between them. The primary purpose is to dispel the popular myth that science and religion are entrenched in a never-ending conflict. As a result, this course argues that if the limits of both science and religion are respected, then their relationship can be complementary. Topics include: Science and Religion Categories and Foundational Principles, Definitions of Science and Religion, Science-Religion Models and Relationships, Intelligent Design and Natural Revelation, the Galileo Affair, Geology and Noah’s Flood, Evolution and Darwin’s Religious Beliefs, the Modern “Evolution” vs. “Creation” Debate, the Problem of Evil, and Interpretations of the Biblical Accounts of Origins in Genesis 1-11. The course employs a Constructive Teaching Style in order that students can develop their personal views on the relationship between science and religion and on each of the topics listed above. St. Joseph's College is a Catholic, undergraduate, liberal arts college on the University of Alberta campus. It is an independent institution that is affiliated with the University of Alberta. Denis O. Lamoureux is Professor of Science and Religion at St. Joseph's College in the University of Alberta. He is the author of Evolutionary Creation: A Christian Approach to Evolution (2008), Evolution: Scripture and Nature Say Yes! (2016), and The Bible & Ancient Science: Principles of Interpretation (2020). Lamoureux is a Research Associate in Paleontology and has contributed to a dozen scientific papers. He is cited in the Who’s Who of Theology and Science and has delivered over 600 lectures throughout the United States and Canada. Lamoureux holds three earned doctoral degrees—dentistry, theology, and biology.

In this 1-hour long project-based course, you will learn how to - use SketchUp for Web to create simple 3D models - explore 3D modeling - create a simple mockup scene for your artworks By the end of this project, you will learn how to use Sketch Up to create a mockup scene in 3d model for your art works or illustrations. In graphic design and visual arts, mockup is defined as a rough draft of a finished product or visually rendered representation of a finished product. In this guided project we are going to create a mockup scene to simulate the showcasing of print and artworks. SketchUp for Web is a free version of SketchUp that runs in a web browser. It shows a simple interface where anyone can simply draw and create 3D models. This makes 3D modeling accessible and easy to use to anyone interested in exploring this field. This guided project is for graphic designers, illustrators, or artists who want to create visual representations of their prints, illustrations or paintings through 3D modeling. However, anyone interested in exploring 3D modeling is welcome to this course. Note: This course works best for learners who are based in the North America region. We’re currently working on providing the same experience in other regions.

On Being a Scientist will provide you with an overview of scientific conduct & ethics, what it means to be a scientist and allows you to become acquainted with academic practice, thus meeting a demand for increased awareness in scientific integrity. This course is designed to inform you on topics as scientific integrity and social responsibilities of scientists. Broad questions, which are inseparably linked to these topics are discussed: namely regarding the nature of science and the societal role it fulfills. Course objectives: After this course you will: 1) Understand the basic principles of science, and know what is "not done". 2) Have a realistic image of science and scientists. 3) Recognize integrity dilemmas, know how to respond in clear cases, and have the skills to respond prudently in unclear cases. 4) Know and understand the differences and similarities of various disciplines. 5) Have a basic understanding of the role of science in society, realise your own societal responsibilities, and are able to take a position in societal issues where science plays a role. The course consists of a feature film, supported by short lectures, set to serve as a starting point for the discussions and assignments.

What you’ll achieve: In this project-centered course*, you will create an original four page minicomic designed around a short story of your choosing. What you’ll need to get started: This project-centered course is designed for all-age learners (high school age and above, at least 13 years of age) who are interested in learning how to make a comic book, but have never completed one before. While comic books can be created with any kinds of materials, we recommend that learners have the following materials available to complete the project: at least one ream of 8.5x11 copy paper, #2 pencils and eraser, Sharpie-type fine point pens, ruler with inch measurements, and adjustable binding stapler. Learners should also have access to a printer and scanner (to facilitate digitizing work to be shared with peers on Coursera). *About Project-Centered Courses: Project-Centered Courses are designed to help you complete a personally meaningful real-world project, with your instructor and a community of learners with similar goals providing guidance and suggestions along the way. By actively applying new concepts as you learn, you’ll master the course content more efficiently; you’ll also get a head start on using the skills you gain to make positive changes in your life and career. When you complete the course, you’ll have a finished project that you’ll be proud to use and share.

This course is for anyone who would like to apply their technical skills to creative work ranging from video games to art installations to interactive music, and also for artists who would like to use programming in their artistic practice. This course will teach you how to develop and apply programming skills to creative work. This is an important skill within the development of creative mobile applications, digital music and video games. It will teach the technical skills needed to write software that make use of images, audio and graphics, and will concentrate on the application of these skills to creative projects. Additional resources will be provided for students with no programming background. At the end of this course, you will be able to: * Write creative, audiovisual programs in the Processing environment that run on desktop and mobile * Programatically manipulate sound in creative ways * Display images and image sequences * Generate interactive, algorithmic graphics * Work with a 2D physics engine to create a basic game

In this course, Peter Kenez and Murray Baumgarten, both emeritus professors at UC Santa Cruz, tell the story of the Jews of the Black Sea port of Odesa. Kenez and Baumgarten include music, literature, and history in their analysis of a city like no other. The course is for anyone with an interest in the history and culture of the Jewish people.