CURRENT COURSES

A course for every curiosity!  Wherever your mind takes you, the Academy offers plenty of choices. You’ll find a wide variety of affordable courses led by scholars, current and retired faculty members, and professional practitioners—all eager to share their passion for their field of expertise. The Academy is pleased to support several local cultural organizations by partnering with them to offer courses in conjunction with their programs and events as well.

Category Title & Description Day Time Dates Course Meets Course Leader
MUSIC BRILLIANTLY BAROQUE! MUSIC FROM RENAISSANCE – 1750
There has always been music. From David dancing and singing before the Lord, to Greeks, Monks, and Medici, and lo! There was the Renaissance and its beautiful music. Over the past 30 years, the ... 		Thur 1:00pm - 3:00pm 10/8, 10/15, 10/22, 10/29, 11/5, 11/12 Sherry, Lorraine
MUSIC MALE JAZZ VOCALISTS: THEIR CAREERS, BANDS & RECORDS
Another in Rychner’s popular series of Jazz classes, this one featuring a selection of male Jazz vocalists: Hear, watch, and learn about crooners and swingers throughout the history of Jazz, from ... 		Thur 10:00am - 12:00pm 9/24, 10/1, 10/8, 11/5, 11/12, 11/19 Rychner, Lorenz
SOCIAL SCIENCES CIVIC IDENTITY: SAVING CULTURE THROUGH HISTORIC PRESERVATION
Explore the successes and challenges of historic preservation in the 21st century. Nine sessions will feature stimulating presentations by leaders in Colorado’s field of historic preservation. Enjoy ... 		Thur 10:00am - 12:00pm 9/24, 10/1, 10/8, 10/15, 10/22, 10/29, 11/5, 11/12, 11/19 Contiguglia, Georgi
HISTORY AMERICAN PRESIDENTS THROUGH THE EYES OF THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE
You will leave this class as a thoroughly historically informed voter. You should come prepared to discuss your favorite presidents, and your least favorite ones. Or if you’d like, sit back and ... 		Wed 10:00am - 12:00pm 9/30, 10/7, 10/14, 10/21, 10/28, 11/4, 11/11 Young, Dick
SKILLS BRIDGE: A BLITZKRIEG REVIEW OF THE BASICS
All bridge players can benefit from a review of the basics and this fast-paced interactive course makes it more fun. In the first hour sample hands are displayed so that everyone can decide which bid ... 		Tues 12:45pm - 3:00pm 10/13, 10/20, 10/27, 11/3, 11/10, 11/17 Kneser, Sally
SKILLS BRIDGE: CEMENTING YOUR 2 OVER 1 BIDDING CONVENTIONS
The 2 Over 1 Game Force system is here to stay. It is not a passing fad. But there are many options on how to play it. Those who have already learned the 2 over 1 system will enjoy this review of the ... 		Wed 12:45pm - 3:00pm 9/30, 10/7, 10/14 Kneser, Sally
SKILLS BRING YOUR OLD PHOTOS INTO THE DIGITAL REALM
You are traveling through another dimension, a dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind. A journey into a wondrous land of imagination. Next stop, the Digital Realm! The computer, television ... 		Wed 1:00pm - 3:00pm 10/7, 10/14, 10/21, 10/28 Wilke, Doug
SKILLS CHATTING IN ESPAÑOL INTERMEDIATE
¡Continuamos la conversación! The class will be conducted primarily in Spanish, with pauses to look at some important grammar. Themed conversations will build vocabulary and the confidence to speak ... 		Wed 1:00pm - 3:00pm 9/30, 10/7, 10/14, 10/21, 10/28, 11/4, 11/11, 11/18 Stolar, Sandy
SKILLS CHATTING IN ESPAÑOL: BEGINNER II
The Beginning/Intermediate class is for those who have taken some Spanish, but want to “brush up” on grammar and vocabulary and keep building conversational skills. Gain greater confidence in this ... 		Wed 1:00pm - 3:00pm 9/30, 10/7, 10/14, 10/21, 10/28, 11/11 Gordon, Linda
SKILLS COLORADO CPR’S HEART SAVER FIRST AID: CERTIFICATION
Get certified in adult, child, and infant CPR, the cardiopulmonary resuscitation technique that has helped save the lives of countless heart attack victims. This one-day, five-hour session teaches you ... 		Thur 10:00am - 3:00pm 10/1, 9/19 CPR, Colorado
SKILLS COLORADO CPR’S HEART SAVER FIRST AID: CERTIFICATION
Get certified in adult, child, and infant CPR, the cardiopulmonary resuscitation technique that has helped save the lives of countless heart attack victims. This one-day, five-hour session teaches you ... 		Wed 10:00am - 3:00pm 11/18, 9/19 CPR, Colorado
HISTORY CONSTANTINE’S SWORD: ANTI-SEMITISM & THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
Anti-Semitism’s long history is laid out in the book Constantine’s Sword by the ex-priest James Carroll. Studying this won’t be an easy journey, as the relationship between Judaism and the ... 		Tues 1:00pm - 3:00pm 9/29, 10/6, 10/13, 10/20, 10/27, 11/3, 11/10, 11/17 Stern, Ralph
LITERATURE & WRITING CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN SHORT STORIES
Explore fascinating stories with participation-friendly discussions. If you love great literature, you will appreciate the artistry that goes into the creation of the short prose found in The Best ... 		Wed 1:00pm - 3:00pm 9/30, 10/7, 10/14, 10/21, 10/28, 11/11 Wasserstein, Paulette
ECONOMICS CRITICAL ECONOMIC ISSUES 201
Since the meltdown of 2008, the Academy’s Critical Economic Issues courses have focused on the new and complex economic challenges caused by the asset bubbles and busts, credit contraction, ... 		Thur 1:00pm - 3:00pm 10/29, 11/5, 11/12, 11/19 Kneser, Jim
SCIENCE / TECHNOLOGY & MEDICINE CUTTING EDGE MEDICAL RESEARCH FROM THE ANSCHUTZ CAMPUS
Here in Colorado, we are fortunate to have a premier medical research institution in our backyard: Anschutz Medical Campus. Join us as researchers from Anschutz present some of the exciting research ... 		Tues 10:00am - 12:00pm 9/29, 10/6, 10/13, 10/20, 10/27, 11/3, 11/10 Emlen, Woody
ART DAM GREAT ART – IN BLOOM
-IN BLOOM, Exhibition visit Oct. 7. This summer the entire Denver Art Museum is In Bloom! Join our expert guides for a tour through In Bloom: Painting Flowers in the Age of Impressionism, presenting ... 		Wed 1:30pm - 3:30pm 10/7 Mendes, Joanne
Corren, Marty
ART DAM GREAT ART – WYETHS: ANDREW AND JAMIE WYETH
-ANDREW AND JAMIE WYETH, Exhibition visit Nov. 11. FULL    As this exhibition will have just opened you’ll be among the first to enjoy a guided tour of Wyeth: Andrew and Jamie in the Studio, ... 		Wed 1:30pm - 3:30pm 11/11 Mendes, Joanne
Corren, Marty
ART DANCE: THE UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE
From earliest times, people have danced as a part of life. Perhaps it was a way to experience one’s aliveness, perhaps it was a way to feel connected to a supreme power when asking for rain, ... 		Tues 1:00pm - 3:00pm 9/22, 9/29, 10/6, 10/13, 10/20, 10/27, 11/3, 11/10 Kubel, Gloria
SOCIAL SCIENCES DON’T MISS WHAT YOU MISSED: ‘GRAZING’ LAST TERM
Opportunity awaits you to ‘graze’ through last term’s offerings and hear a single presentation from different classes representing seven different topics. Did you miss a class you wanted to take ... 		Wed 1:00pm - 3:00pm 9/30, 10/7, 10/14, 10/21, 10/28, 11/4, 11/11, 11/18 Goldman, Rosalie
Porter, Sheila
ART DUTCH MASTERS III: AGE OF REMBRANDT
Naturalistic landscape painting was a Dutch specialty that was influential throughout Europe, leading to realistic landscapes later. These paintings will come alive with a DVD lecture series that will ... 		Tues 1:00pm - 3:00pm 9/29, 10/6, 10/13, 10/20, 10/27, 11/3, 11/10 Day, Billie
MUSIC FEMALE SONGWRITERS OF A GENERATION: JONI MITCHELL TO BONNIE RAITT
More often than not, most people think of Lennon, McCartney or Bob Dylan as the great singer-songwriters of our era. But learn about the vast array of great female songwriters: Joni Mitchell emerged ... 		Wed 1:00pm - 3:00pm 9/30, 10/7, 10/14, 10/21, 10/28, 11/4, 11/11, 11/18 Turelli, Paul
SOCIAL SCIENCES GOOD WORK! PEOPLE SOLVING PROBLEMS
Good Work! will emphasize effective programs that are less like a charity and more like a movement. Representatives from selected organizations such as Project Cure, Global Volunteers and the Posner ... 		Wed 10:00am - 12:00pm 9/30, 10/7, 10/14, 10/21, 10/28, 11/4, 11/11, 11/18 Marsden , Sara
MUSIC GREAT VOICES IN OPERA: CARUSO TO CALLAS
We’ll examine six opera stars: Enrico Caruso, Feodor Chaliapin, Lawrence Tibbett, Rosa Ponselle, Jussi Bjorling, and Maria Callas, whose singing style and distinctive personalities developed and ... 		Wed 1:00pm - 3:00pm 10/21, 10/28, 11/4, 11/11, 11/18 Culp, Don
HISTORY HIDDEN HEROES OF THE HOLOCAUST
Many of us have heard of Oscar Schindler and “Kindertransport.” These celebrated people and movements are heroes of the Holocaust for the special work they did to save many Jews from destruction. ... 		Tues 10:00am - 12:00pm 9/29, 10/6, 10/13, 10/20, 10/27, 11/3 Fricklas, Anita
Schwartz, Judy
ART INDIE FILM INSPIRATION
Hollywood is becoming less likely the place where the movie you are watching was made. International and foreign films and independent film companies are winning more awards and capturing larger ... 		Tues 10:00am - 12:00pm 9/22, 9/29, 10/6, 10/13, 10/20, 10/27, 11/3, 11/10, 11/17 Turelli, Paul
ART INTRO TO JAPANESE CLASSICAL MOVIES
First-time visitors to the U.S. often expect Americans to be cowboys riding horses. Movies have always reflected culture as well as provided a view from the inside. Take an insider’s look at ... 		Wed 10:00am - 12:00pm 9/30, 10/7, 10/14, 10/21, 10/28, 11/4, 11/11 Johnson, Hiroko
SCIENCE / TECHNOLOGY & MEDICINE MASS EXTINCTIONS: CAUSES AND EFFECTS
Extinction is a part of the normal history of life on Earth. However, there are a number of distinct events that have led to extraordinary losses of life, as much as 95 percent of all species dying ... 		Tues 1:00pm - 3:00pm 9/22, 9/29, 10/6, 10/13, 10/20, 10/27, 11/3, 11/10, 11/17 Matten, Larry
SCIENCE / TECHNOLOGY & MEDICINE MIND MATTERS: MENTAL HEALTH FOR THIS TIME OF LIFE
Mature adults experience significant life changes: retirement, health issues and loss to name a few. Many of these changes have emotional and mental health components which can at times disrupt ... 		Thur 10:00am - 12:00pm 9/24, 10/1, 10/8, 10/15, 10/22, 10/29, 11/5, 11/12 Doran, Kip
MUSIC MUSIC OF THE AVANT-GARDE
The avant-garde means NOW. So, when did the avant-garde period begin? What did Arnold Schoenberg do that sets him forever in a special category? Who are the composers that followed him into the modern ... 		Wed 10:00am - 12:00pm 9/30, 10/7, 9/19, 10/21, 10/28, 11/4, 11/11, 11/18 McNeil, Robin
MUSIC MUSIC THEORY AND LITERACY
Beethoven once said, “Tones sound, and roar and storm about me until I have set them down in notes.” Learn why music sounds the way it does. Why are there scales, cord functions, harmonic forms, ... 		Tues 10:00am - 12:00pm 9/22, 9/29, 10/13, 10/20, 10/27, 11/3, 11/10, 11/17 McNeil, Robin
HISTORY RUSSIA 2015: IN SEARCH OF A USABLE PAST
“Usable past” is a term coined by western historians of Russia to explain contemporary Russians’ preoccupation–nay obsession–with finding out the truth about their past. For ... 		Thur 10:00am - 12:00pm 10/22, 10/29, 11/5, 11/12, 11/19 Conroy, Mary
SKILLS TAKE BETTER PHOTOS: A WORKSHOP FOR ALL WHO TAKE PICTURES
Had a Kodak (or iPhone) moment lately? Take good pictures, from your first look through a viewfinder to the final printed image. Discuss basic theory and technical aspects of photography, and learn ... 		Thur 10:00am - 12:00pm 9/24, 10/1, 10/8, 10/15, 10/22, 10/29 Adelstein, Bob
SKILLS TECH TIPS
Oct 7-Basic Computer Terms and Troubleshooting (FREE CLASS) This is a free class even if you are not signed up for the entire Tech Series. Get the basics of computer terminology and troubleshooting ... 		Wed 10:00am - 12:00pm 10/7, 10/14, 10/21, 11/4, 11/11, 11/18 Henke, Scott
ECONOMICS THE AMERICAN DREAM: RUMORS OF ITS DEATH ARE GREATLY EXAGGERATED
Since the country’s founding, we have believed in American economic exceptionalism. Each new generation of Americans is expected to enjoy living standards above and beyond those enjoyed by their ... 		Thur 10:00am - 12:00pm 10/8, 10/15, 10/22, 10/29, 11/5, 11/12, 11/19 Kneser, Jim
HISTORY THE CONSTITUTION, THE BILL OF RIGHTS, AND THE CIVIL WAR AMENDMENTS
Learn about and discuss our founding documents and historical contexts of the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the Civil War Amendments. Discover how courts have looked at the way in which they ... 		Thur 1:00pm - 3:00pm 9/24, 10/1, 10/15, 10/22, 10/29, 11/5 Bernard, Steve
HISTORY THE INQUISITIONS: YES, MORE THAN ONE!
While the Spanish Inquisition may be the best known, there have been plenty of other persecutions of heretics and naysayers since Medieval times. We’ll probe this complex and troubling history with ... 		Thur 1:00pm - 3:00pm 10/8, 10/15, 10/22, 10/29, 11/5 Meyer, Walt
HISTORY THE ROMAN EMPIRE: 900 YEARS THAT CHANGED THE WORLD
FULL!  FULL! Over 900 years, from Republic through Imperial Rome, Roman history shaped Western culture as we know it, but how? This story contains military genius, democratic failure, economic power, ... 		Wed 10:00am - 12:00pm 10/28, 11/4, 11/11, 11/18 Hochstadt, Shellie
SKILLS WATERCOLORS: FURTHUR EXPLORE YOUR ART ESCAPE
Novices and seasoned artists alike will enjoy using their growing creativity and watercolor skills. As we further explore concepts, techniques, color and application techniques, we will have the tools ... 		Tues 9:30am - 12:30pm 9/29, 10/6, 10/13, 10/20, 10/27 Rouse, Sharon
LITERATURE & WRITING WRITE TO SAVE YOUR LIFE
“Anyone who physically and emotionally outlasts childhood has something to write about forever,” offers author Lou Willett Stanek. You’ll agree once you discover the rich vein of topics in your ... 		Tues 10:00am - 12:00pm 9/22, 9/29, 10/6, 10/13, 10/20, 10/27 Cox, Patricia
LITERATURE & WRITING WRITING YOUR LIFE STORIES
Whether you’re 19 or 90, you have stories to tell and wisdom to share. Learn how to begin compiling a collection of your life experiences to share with friends and family—or simply to read later ... 		Thur 10:00am - 12:00pm 9/24, 10/1, 10/8, 10/15, 10/22, 10/29 Boyer, Kathy