Course Description

Instructor: Peter Campos

In this 90-minute one-day class, we will enjoy learning about some of the world’s national anthems. Hear many familiar (e.g., O Canada; the Marseillaise; God Save the King) and less familiar (e.g., Kazakhstan; Bosnia) anthems. Learn what is the oldest, longest, shortest, most stirring, most fun, and most regulated anthem; what multilingual nations do for their anthem; and how anthems unite us nationally and internationally. We will also cover how our own anthem has been used as a protest tool, and of controversial performances of this, and other anthems. This includes some epic performance failures during official events (e.g., the Olympic Games). I will show videos featuring each anthem with the lyrics; feel free to sing along! Trust me, it can be contagious! About one week before class starts, I will email to enrollees a list of the 20+ anthems I’ve chosen; if I didn’t include your favorite anthem, just let me know and I’ll add it if time permits.

Registrants for the in-class section will also enjoy Lunch (salad and pizza) provided by the instructor after class in the room.