Testimony - The Life and Music of Dmitri Shostakovich
[OLE3331]

Alec Macdonald, BMus 

New Year 2025 

10 weekly sessions on Fridays 11.00 am to 12 noon, starting 24 January 

This year the musical world will be commemorating 50 years since the death of Shostakovich, one of the giants of 20th century music, who died on August 9th, 1975.  Testimony was the title of a 1979 collection of memoires allegedly recorded by the composer and assembled by Simon Volkov.  Although grave doubts have been cast on the authenticity of the material, it does seem likely that the revelations in the book do contain a kernel of truth.  In any case, Shostakovich's music is a testimony to what a musician can achieve even in the face of unimaginable challenges and dangers from those who 'made the rules' in Soviet Russia.  We will be exploring the composer's career from the carefree works of his youth to the enigmatic music of his final years. 

Fee £46.00 (concession rate £33.00) 

5 CATS Points (Level 1) 

This class will take place on QUB campus 

Concession: The concession rate is available for those who are in receipt of State Benefits (including pension), or are full-time students, part or full-time Queen’s students or are members of University staff holding a valid staff card:

Course: Full RateConcession Rate