Demystifying Music
Back by popular demand!
For Ages 18+ | On Sale Now!
This popular music appreciation-style course will be expanded into a series of courses over the year. Each session will explore a different aspect of musical understanding – join for one or join for all three!
Curious about how music works? If you've ever wondered what those black dots on the page really mean, or how music is put together, and that everything is open to interpretation, this relaxed, no-pressure evening course is for you. Guided by an experienced music educator, you'll explore the origins and basics of written music and gain a deeper understanding of how the music you love is created, interpreted, and evolved. Consider this series your chance to learn everything you wanted to know about music but were afraid to ask!
Registration
Course 2: Demystifying Musical Eras
SOLD OUT
$89 / person
When we talk about “classical music” what do we actually mean? This course focuses on the foundational “eras” of orchestral music: Baroque, Classical, Romantic and Modern. Discover how tastes and fashions gave each era its distinctive sounds and feels, and the composers who defined our understanding of each period. No prior music knowledge or attendance in previous Demystifying Courses needed!
Mondays at 7:00 PM from January 12th – February 2nd, 2026
Class length: 60 minutes
Course 3: Demystifying The Program
$89 / person
What’s the difference between a Sonata, Symphony, or Concerto? In this course, you’ll define the basics of musical language so you know what to expect from your concert program. Then, you’ll explore how great composers take these building blocks and break all the rules to create the orchestral pieces that keep you enthralled as you listen. No prior music knowledge or attendance in previous Demystifying Courses needed!
Mondays at 7:00 PM from April 13th – May 4th, 2026
Class length: 60 minutes
Previous Course Offerings
Course 1: Demystifying the Score
The first course in the series focuses on understanding music notation – from the very beginnings of how music was written down through modern interpretations of how to translate sound onto paper. Participants will discover and appreciate the basics of how notation works within the context of a range of historical repertoire. No prior music knowledge needed!
This course has concluded for the 2025-2026 season.
Meet Your Instructor
NATALIE BOISVERT
Natalie Boisvert is a flutist, chamber musician, and musicologist with over 3 decades’ experience as a music educator, including some 25 years teaching at the University of Alberta. She is currently the Woodwinds Teaching Artist with the Winspear Centre’s YONA-Sistema program, getting wee ones started on the flute and clarinet. When not honking and tooting with the kids, she can be heard on Radio Canada Edmonton as their Music Columnist. Warning: her passion for music is very contagious.
