Search results for

In the ongoing saga between Palestine and Israel, the Palestinians are one of the key players. However, many in the Western world know very little about them. Where did they come from? How do they practice their religion? What inspires them or encourages them? What do they hope for? This course will open up the history, culture, and opinions of the Palestinians, attempting to better understand their experiences and struggles. Ultimately, this course’s goal is to give one a more informed understanding of the dynamic between Israel and Palestine, and to aid in the path to peace.

Jason Hensley, PhD (Holocaust and Genocide Studies), Dmin (Biblical Studies), teaches religious studies at a private school in Los Angeles. He is a fellow of the Michael LaPrade Holocaust Education Institute of the Anti-Defamation League, a higher-education ambassador for the Council on Foreign Relations, and the award-winning author of 12 books. His work has been featured in The Huffington Post as well as the BBC, and he has served as the historical advisor for a Holocaust documentary. Connect with him at jasonhensley.net.

The Fifty and Better (FAB) program was designed for people 50 years of age and older, seeking intellectual stimulation through university-level courses — without the pressure of grades — for the sake of learning and social engagement.

Choreography by Ohad Naharin

“There’s no other company that dances quite like this.” Haaretz (Israel)

“MOMO… is breathtaking. It has clarity, precision and economy, simplicity and depth, a secret.” Globes (Israel)

A titan of contemporary dance and creator of the Gaga movement language Ohad Naharin brings his powerhouse Tel Aviv-based company back to Santa Barbara with MOMO. Laurie Anderson and Kronos Quartet’s Landfall and Philip Glass’ Metamorphosis provide the slow-simmering musical backdrop to this daring new work. MOMO has two souls, with separate yet conjoined narratives running alongside one another, hypnotic and intense. Through it all, a shared passion of deep sorrow and beauty unfolds on stage.

“[Yuja Wang’s] combination of technical ease, colouristic range and sheer power has always been remarkable.” Financial Times

“Breathtakingly brilliant pianist…” Gramophone on Víkingur Ólafsson

Yuja Wang and Víkingur Ólafsson join forces for an unforgettable night of four-handed keyboard mastery. Lauded for her charismatic artistry, emotional honesty and captivating stage presence, Wang is a regular with the world’s top symphony orchestras and was named Musical America’s Artist of the Year in 2017. An acclaimed visionary interpreter of such monuments of the piano repertoire as J.S. Bach’s Goldberg Variations, Ólafsson has received Opus Klassik’s Solo Recording Instrumental of the Year twice since his debut with Deutsche Grammophon in 2017.

English, like all other languages, changes over time and varies according to place and social setting. The way a person sounds—such as with the “southern drawl” or dropping their “r”s—immediately conjures up a sense of the place where they come from. But the way we speak is influenced by many factors: not only our geographical roots, but our social and educational background, our working environment, our friends, our own sense of identity, and even our political views all affect how we sound.

In this lecture, we will examine English dialects and accents around the world, and how they changed over time. We will wonder what Shakespeare really sounded like, and how we can know that. We will observe how English speakers can manipulate the way they speak to emphasize their identity. We will contemplate how Bostonians and New Yorkers, posh and working-class Londoners, Scots and Irishmen, Canadians and Australians speak.

Led by an expert on linguistics and history this lecture will open your eyes - and your ears! - to the great diversity of Englishes around the world.

Asya Pereltsvaig received a degree in English and History from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and a PhD in Linguistics from McGill University. She taught at Yale, Cornell, and Stanford universities, and has been teaching in lifelong education programs since 2010. Her expertise is in language, culture, and history, and the relationship between them. Asya has published five scholarly books with Cambridge University Press. Asya is a popular instructor for several lifelong learning institutes around the country.

The Fifty and Better (FAB) program was designed for people 50 years of age and older, seeking intellectual stimulation through university-level courses — without the pressure of grades — for the sake of learning and social engagement.

Christianity is a religion. Nevertheless, with the development of nationalism in the last few centuries, in some circles, Christianity has developed into both a religion and a political movement. This movement is known as Christian nationalism; it seeks to bring Christianity into government, and to lead nations using Christian principles, Christian ideas, and sometimes, is largely supported by a Christian imperialist way of thinking. This set of two lectures will dive deep into the origins of this Christian nationalism, and then also consider how Christian nationalism affects life in the United States today.

Jason Hensley, PhD (Holocaust and Genocide Studies), Dmin (Biblical Studies), teaches religious studies at a private school in Los Angeles. He is a fellow of the Michael LaPrade Holocaust Education Institute of the Anti-Defamation League, a higher-education ambassador for the Council on Foreign Relations, and the award-winning author of 12 books. His work has been featured in The Huffington Post as well as the BBC, and he has served as the historical advisor for a Holocaust documentary. Connect with him at jasonhensley.net.

The Fifty and Better (FAB) program was designed for people 50 years of age and older, seeking intellectual stimulation through university-level courses — without the pressure of grades — for the sake of learning and social engagement.

Camerata Pacifica, the international chamber music collective renowned for its musical versatility and bold programming, launches the New Year with the first of two programs on the Camerata Pacifica Baroque series curated by acclaimed flutist Emi Ferguson. Anchored by Bach’s iconic Two-Part Inventions, the intimate and illuminating program, featuring Ferguson on traverso and celebrated classical and jazz keyboardist Dan Tepfer on amplified clavichord, promises both familiarity and surprise, creating a fascinating dialogue between Baroque traditions and contemporary improvisation.

The performances, spotlighting two of the quietest Baroque instruments – traverso and clavichord – are presented at four Southern California venues: Sunday, January 12, 3:00 pm, at Thousand Oaks’ Janet and Ray Scherr Forum; Tuesday, January 14, 7:30 pm, The Huntington in San Marino; Thursday, January 16, 8:00 pm, Zipper Hall in Downtown Los Angeles; and Friday, January 17, 2025, 7:00 pm, at Santa Barbara’s Music Academy of the West.

Dan Tepfer is celebrated for his innovative performances with artists including Renée Fleming and Lee Konitz and for his award-winning recordings and appearances on NPR’s Tiny Desk Concerts. For this performance, Tepfer is drawing from his acclaimed 2023 solo album J.S. Bach / Dan Tepfer, Inventions / Reinventions on StorySound Records.

For tickets ($75 at The Huntington, Music Academy of the West, and Zipper Hall; $91, including fees, at Janet and Ray Scherr Forum) and information, visit www.cameratapacifica.org.

Join the Santa Barbara Chamber Players under the baton of Emmanuel Fratianni on February 1st at 7:30pm at the First United Methodist Church, 305 E. Anapamu Street, for an amazing concert with Schubert Symphony No. 8, “Unfinished,” and a feature of vocalist April Amante on Canteloube’s Chants d”Auvergne, Puccini’s O mio babbino caro (from Gianni Schicchi), Quando m’en vo (from La Boheme), and Schönberg’s I Dreamed a Dream (from Les Miserable). Tickets are $20 with K-12 free at https://sbchamberplayers.org/.

A community celebration for our love of all things plants!​ Native plants, succulents, house plants + more!

Native Plant Fest brings together our community to celebrate and showcase local plant-inspired culture, food, traditions, and creativity! This festival is community-led by plant enthusiasts of diverse backgrounds who will share their plants, services, artwork, culinary creations, products, educational resources, and much more!

November through the Spring is prime planting season in California and OPAC wants to bring together seasoned and newbie plant aficionados for this special event.

Guests will enjoy:

An Opening Blessing and Land Acknowledgment
Vendors selling art, crafts, plants, garden accessories, food, and more!
Interactive activities and art-making
Food Trucks
Educational speakers and workshops
Nonprofit exhibitors offering free plants, information and resources
Special musical performances

There’s plenty for kids to do too, such as making seed bombs, flower crowns and much, much more!

Free Event! NO ticket needed!

Saturday, January 25th, 2025 | 11am-4pm
Location: Community Center Park East (located next to OPAC)
800 Hobson Way, Oxnard, CA 93030
https://www.theopac.org/

Camerata Pacifica, the international chamber music collective renowned for its musical versatility and bold programming, launches the New Year with the first of two programs on the Camerata Pacifica Baroque series curated by acclaimed flutist Emi Ferguson. Anchored by Bach’s iconic Two-Part Inventions, the intimate and illuminating program, featuring Ferguson on traverso and celebrated classical and jazz keyboardist Dan Tepfer on amplified clavichord, promises both familiarity and surprise, creating a fascinating dialogue between Baroque traditions and contemporary improvisation.

The performances, spotlighting two of the quietest Baroque instruments – traverso and clavichord – are presented at four Southern California venues: Sunday, January 12, 3:00 pm, at Thousand Oaks’ Janet and Ray Scherr Forum; Tuesday, January 14, 7:30 pm, The Huntington in San Marino; Thursday, January 16, 8:00 pm, Zipper Hall in Downtown Los Angeles; and Friday, January 17, 2025, 7:00 pm, at Santa Barbara’s Music Academy of the West.

Dan Tepfer is celebrated for his innovative performances with artists including Renée Fleming and Lee Konitz and for his award-winning recordings and appearances on NPR’s Tiny Desk Concerts. For this performance, Tepfer is drawing from his acclaimed 2023 solo album J.S. Bach / Dan Tepfer, Inventions / Reinventions on StorySound Records.

For tickets ($75 at The Huntington, Music Academy of the West, and Zipper Hall; $91, including fees, at Janet and Ray Scherr Forum) and information, visit www.cameratapacifica.org.