A Tour of the Orchestra: Reconstructing Ancient Western Music through Art

With THSO English Horn, Dr. Jennifer Kirby

Tuesday, February 18, 2025

1:00pm to 2:30pm at the ISU Cunningham Memorial Library, Room 028

Dr. Jennifer Kirby from the Terre Haute Symphony leads an exploration of how Ancient Western Music has been reconstructed through various forms of art. The course delves into the music of Mesopotamia, Syria, Egypt, Greece, and Rome, tracing its evolution into the music of today. Artwork from museums around the world reveals the instruments used and their societal roles. By pairing iconography with written works from figures like Homer and Plato, a vivid picture of music in European antiquity emerges. The course also examines the oldest written musical examples, rare surviving instruments, and reconstructions using modern copies and voice.

This presentation is open to the public!

Learn more about becoming an OLLI member at https://www.indstate.edu/community-engagement/olli.