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Message from the President

Dear <<First Name>>,

Is This Seat Taken?

One of the comments we received from members at the end of last semester was how they were frustrated that they could not register for a seat in a course they wanted. I explained in our December issue of the Newsletter that LLI is limited by the number and size of the rooms made available to us by Bard. We are truly fortunate to be welcome on campus and should keep in mind that the college is also running classes at the same time we do.

I was also made aware of instances where members were getting into courses in which they were not enrolled. Yes, you read that correctly. Some people think they registered for a course but didn’t complete the process and/or some people are sneaking into a classroom and taking an open seat. Frankly, this is contrary to my professional experience as a school teacher. I have seen a student here and there sneak into class after the opening bell. But I have more experience with students cutting class. 

If a course has registered the maximum number of members, one would think finding an open seat would be rare. This may be true in a few courses, but it is more widespread. There are also classes that appear full on ProClass but have open seats that could have been filled because the members did not officially drop the course. 

When considered together—one cannot register because the course is full, and we have open seats, but members do not attend (or drop) and do not notify the Class Manager—there is an easy solution.  

If you do not like the class or it is inconvenient for you to attend: Drop it. 

Let the Class Manager know once you have made the decision. You do not need to log on to ProClass if you find that too complicated. We will do that for you. And that seat will be made available to another member. 

Moreover, if you plan not to attend a session or two, please let the Class Manager know beforehand. It is likely there is a member waiting for an open seat, even for a couple of classes.  

I ask that we all work together to improve the experience of our members. 

Best, 

Robert Beaury 
president@lli.bard.edu

Good News About Spring Courses

by Deborah Lanser

The wide variety of course offerings this spring will once again remind us why we joined Bard LLI. And the Curriculum Committee has ensured that there are more courses, more large courses, and more course periods than there were in the fall. These changes should expand the opportunities that we have for taking courses as well as help alleviate the parking issues. As in previous semesters, Zoom classes will be held on Thursdays, starting March 9, and in-person classes on Fridays, starting March 10. The catalog will be released on February 16 and registration starts February 23.

Here’s a brief overview of the course offerings. 

Class Managers Needed for Spring Semester

by Carmela Gersbeck

While it is only early February, the Class Support Team is working hard to find class managers for the spring semester.

Being a class manager is a great way to get to know LLI members as you welcome them into class. The responsibilities of being a class manager are varied depending upon the needs of the presenter, but may include sending emails to the class, coordinating with the presenters for any needs they may have, and taking attendance. Being a class manager is not a difficult job, and it is vital to the smooth functioning of LLI. Training will be provided online. And—you are guaranteed a seat in the class you support!

If you would like to be a class manager for the spring semester, please email Vicki Hoener (vhoener@lli.bard.edu) and/or Joanne Goodman (jgoodman@lli.bard.edu). They will send you a list of classes for the spring semester so you can whet your appetite and see what classes you would like to support.

We look forward to hearing from you!

by Robert Inglish

Gary Miller: Always Learning, Always Loving It

by Felice Gelman

Most LLI members know Gary Miller as a very popular serial presenter. Since 2018 he has taught classes every year centered around photography and filmmaking. Many of us know him as a willing volunteer when his skills are needed. He was part of the online class team that developed the Zoom class technology that carried us through the worst of the pandemic. He helped create the Communications Team’s photo library. He has photographed LLI events. It turns out Gary’s entire career mirrored the adaptability, ingenuity, and ease with which he has undertaken numerous volunteer tasks at LLI.

Bard Symphonic Chorus: A Local Gem for Those Who Love to Sing

by Susan Phillips

The Bard Symphonic Chorus is back after a rocky off-and-on hiatus due to COVID’s halt on everything, especially activities that involve singing out and breathing deeply in close proximity to others. The chorus of about 50 to 60 singers, including several LLI members, has a long history at Bard. Currently, it is exceedingly fortunate to be directed by renowned choral conductor James Bagwell. This past December, after a two-and-a-half-year hiatus,  BSC performed Mozart’s Vesperae Solennes de Confessore in a concert celebrating the music of Mozart in Olin Auditorium. The chorus was joined by the Bard College Chamber Singers and singers from the Vocal Arts Program. BSC rehearsals start up again in person after the Bard winter break.

It’s Movie Time at Bard

by Cathy Reinis

The Jim Ottoway Jr. Film Center at Bard is a most interesting place. It houses a 110-seat theater equipped with 16-mm, 35-mm, and 4K digital projection; a performance space with digital projection capabilities; a shooting studio with a control room; a computer lab with current Adobe editing software; a darkroom; two seminar/screening rooms; editing suites for sound and video; studios for Bard seniors; and a film archive. 

Each semester, there are frequent screenings in the theater of a wide variety of movies — and the public is invited to come. The films are chosen by the director of the Center for Moving Image Arts, which is housed in the Film Center. CMIA exists to facilitate the study of cinema’s history and future in an interdisciplinary environment. 

Screenings begin at 7:30 pm on Tuesday or Wednesday (or both). Last spring, the first program combined Max Ophul’s 1953 French film The Earrings of Madame de… with Stanley Kubrik’s 1956 The Killing. The semester also considered Chinese and Japanese cinema.

For a listing of this semester's movies, go to their website.

Another Free Event

Led by Bard Farm Coordinator and Educator Rebecca Yoshino, this workshop will introduce participants to the historical and cultural significance of maple sugaring, tree identification, sustainable tapping and boiling techniques.

Where: Montgomery Place
When: March, 1, 2023, 2-3:30 pm (Rain date March 8th)

Please come in warm clothes and walking shoes. This event is free. if you would like to make a donation to the Stockbridge-Munsee Community, please click here. Please note "New Cultural Center" when making your donation.

Click here to register for the event!

Upcoming Walks in February

by Carmela Gersbeck

The Bard LLI Walking Group meets every Thursday at 11:00 a.m., weather permitting. The meeting locations are also posted on the website at lli.bard.edu. The walks are open to all LLI members, and will meet at the parking lots at the following locations:

Feb 2: Walkway over the Hudson (61 Parker Ave., Poughkeepsie)
Feb 9: Vlei Marsh Preserve (186 Vlei Road, Rhinebeck, which can be accessed off 9G or via Burger Hill Road in Rhinebeck)
Feb 16: Bard College to Tivoli Bays (meet at the second far parking lot next to Fisher Center)
Feb 23: Montgomery Place (Meet at the Visitor Center Parking Lot, to the right as you drive in, not at the Mansion -- please note no dogs are allowed)
Mar 3: Val-Kill Farm Lane Trail (Meet at the parking lot on Route 9G opposite the main entrance to Val-Kill)

Thank You Letter from
The Center for Curatorial Studies

Council Notes for January

by Deborah Lanser

• Candidates have come forward for the open positions of secretary and member at large. No one has yet volunteered to run for second vice president. 

by Felice Gelman

Monday, February 13, from 5:30 to 7:00 pm, at the Weis Cinema in the Campus Center, Maxim Osipov will read from and discuss his collected stories and essays in his book Kilometer 101. With echoes of Chekhov, Osipov is a doctor who practiced medicine in a provincial town near Moscow. His writings deal with deceit, political pressure, ethnic discrimination, the urge to emigrate, and the fear of abandoning home. When Russia invaded Ukraine, Osipov went into exile. 

Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, February 24 through 26. The Bard Conservatory will hold a music festival called Signs, Games & Messages, which will explore the music of Hungarian composer Győrgy Kurtág over three days. On Friday, February 24, from 8 to 9:30 pm in Olin Hall, a concert will feature short solo piano works by Schubert and Kurtág, and Kurtág’s concerto for soprano and piano The Sayings of Peter Bornemisza. On Saturday, February 25, from 1 to 2:30 pm at the Bitó Conservatory, the program revolves around Bartók’s Mikrokosmos and gamelike compositions of other composers. On Sunday, February 26, from 2 to 4 pm at the Bitó Conservatory, the concert features Kurtág and Schumann pieces for voice and piano. 

Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, February 24 through 26, at the Fisher Center LUMA Theater, The Bard Theater and Performance Program will present Euripides’ play Hippolytus. All the themes of Greek tragedy—desire, betrayal, vengeance, hubris, blindness— will unfold.  Tickets are free to the Bard Community with your Bard ID. Call the Fisher Center box office to reserve. 845-758-7900. 

Important Dates for LLI Members

Wednesday, February 8: Membership Development Committee meeting at 9:00 am on Zoom. Any member interested in observing a Membership Development meeting should email Robert Inglish at ringlish@lli.bard.edu.

Tuesday, February 14: Curriculum Committee meeting at 10:00 am. on Zoom.  Anyone interested in joining a meeting can email Anne Brueckner at abrueckner@lli.bard.edu.

The opinions and views expressed in the LLI Newsletter are those of the author(s). They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of LLI or its members. In addition, any link to a website or content belonging to or originating from third parties are not investigated, monitored or checked for accuracy, adequacy, validity, reliability or completeness by LLI, nor does LLI accept any responsibility for such content.