No Registration Required
Open to members only, except for September 12th Open House
All Programs are In-Person
East Campus Forum Auditorium
12:15 pm – Cookies, tea and coffee
1:00 pm – Presentation
Sept. 12 – From Sea to Shining Sea: A Musical Journey Across America
OPEN HOUSE! Bring a friend, or two!
Enjoy a virtual journey across America, with a selection of songs to highlight each state.
Jim Clark is a world-class saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist. He studied at The Juilliard School of Music, and is an associate Fellow at Yale University Davenport College. He is an award-winning composer, having scored soundtracks and string and brass orchestrations. He has appeared with notable performers including The Temptations, The Four Tops, Stephen Van Zandt, Mickey Dolenz (The Monkees), James “J.T.” Taylor (Kool & the Gang), Bobby Rydell, Lou Christie and CeCe Winans. Whether in the recording studio, performing in a local venue or on stage at Carnegie Hall, his goal is the same – play from the heart with the highest level of musical excellence.
Sept. 19 – French Films—Why You Should Watch Them
Since Hollywood appears focused these days on action and horror movies designed for teenagers, now is a perfect time to dive into French cinema. The French still make movies aimed at mature audiences who want stories drawn from real life rather than comic books. The French also avoid the youth obsession of Hollywood filmmakers—tossing aside actresses over the age of 40. In France, ‘women of a certain age’—such as Catherine Deneuve and Isabelle Huppert—are still major movie stars.
Joe Meyers earned his BA from Penn State, with a major in journalism and a minor in film. He is Director of Programming for the Focus on French Cinema film festival in Connecticut and co-host of the Spotify podcast ‘Now a Major Motion Picture!’ Meyers wrote features about movies, theater and books for more than 30 years for the Hearst Connecticut Media Group and other publications. In the late 1970s, Meyers ran the first (and only) art house on the Delmarva Peninsula—the Lewes Cinema. The Mystery Writers of America awarded Meyers the Ellery Queen Award for his writing on crime fiction.
September 26 – WPA Era Art: Norwalk’s Collection
In 1935 President Roosevelt implemented the public arts project of the WPA, the Works Progress Administration, which put unemployed and underemployed artists back to work during the Great Depression. In Norwalk, local artists were hired to produce works for public buildings. We discuss the project and how these important works were saved by the residents of Norwalk.
Louis Schulman has a BA and MA in English literature from Queens College. He served for 38 years as the CEO and founder of the Norwalk Transit District. He served as the Chair of Norwalk’s Zoning and then Planning and Zoning Commission, and remains a member of the Commission. He also serves as Treasurer of the Norwalk Human Services Council .
October 3 – Norwalk Symphony: Fall Concert Previews
Maestro Jonathan Yates introduces us to the upcoming season of the Norwalk Symphony Orchestra—a partner of LLI. He entertains us on the piano with excerpts from the Symphony’s programs.
Jonathan Yates earned his Bachelor of Arts from Harvard University, his Master of Music from SUNY Stony Brook and his Graduate Diploma in conducting from the Juilliard School. He is the Music Director/Conductor of the Norwalk Symphony Orchestra, as well as Music Director of the Norwalk Youth Symphony. Maestro Yates made his professional orchestral conducting debut at age 23, leading the National Symphony Orchestra in a Millennium Stages Concert. The following year he made his Carnegie Hall debut as a pianist.
October 10 – 1775: Between Protest and Revolution—The Tipping Point
We examine the decisions made by prominent New York lawyers William Livingston, John Morin Scott and William Smith, Jr. in the crucial period between the Boston Tea Party through the end of 1775. The choices these three friends—known even in their time as the New York Triumvirate – had long-term consequences for the state, region, and fledgling nation itself.
Keith J. Muchowski is a librarian and historian at New York City College of Technology in Brooklyn. He has volunteered at numerous National Park Service sites, including Grant’s Tomb, Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace, Ellis Island and Morristown National Historical Park.
October 17 – Getting Smarter At Getting Older
Let’s consider the following questions: What does it mean to age successfully? What can you do to get “gooder” at aging? What is successful aging as compared to comfortable aging? What enables you to cope and what keeps you going? Is it possible to become happier?
Roni Lang earned her Master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Wisconsin and two additional post-graduate certificates: one from the Hunter College Brookdale School on Aging and one from California State College, Los Angeles, on Mental Health and Aging. She is a licensed clinical social worker, working for the Department of Psychiatry at Greenwich Hospital, where she specializes in counseling older adults and their families. She is also an adjunct instructor at the University of Connecticut, teaching classes on aging. In 2023 she was selected as Social Worker of the Year for the National Association of Social Workers – Connecticut Chapter.
October 24 – The Connecticut Art Trail
Come explore the history of the Fairfield University Art Museum, and get a sneak peek at the upcoming exhibitions and programming schedule. We also learn about the Connecticut Art Trail—what it is and how to take advantage of all it has to offer.
Carey Mack Weber is the Executive Director of the Fairfield University Art Museum, and is the volunteer President of the Connecticut Art Trail, a nationally recognized partnership among 30 world-class museums and historic sites.
October 31 – Vampires in Connecticut
Join us on Halloween as we explore vampire folklore in Connecticut and a real-life mystery investigation involving a colonial cemetery. In the 19th century, folklore concerning vampires was rampant in New England. Today archeologists are assisted by professionals in forensics, genealogy and folklore, to discover more about this period in New England history. In 1990, a couple of very surprised young boys discovered two human skulls at the site of a new gravel quarry in eastern Connecticut. Archaeologists, including our speaker, were asked to investigate what turned out to be a forgotten colonial family cemetery. One grave caught their eye—someone had arranged the burial in an unusual way. This led to further investigation involving multiple disciplines. The experts concluded that the cause for the oddity was a belief that its occupant was a vampire. As it turns out, instead, a real public health concern was to blame.
Dr. Nicholas F. Bellantoni received his doctorate in Anthropology from UConn in 1987 and was appointed State Archaeologist at the Connecticut State Museum of Natural History, now emeritus. He also serves as an Adjunct Professor of Anthropology at UConn and is a former President of the Archaeological Society of Connecticut and the National Association of State Archeologists.