The brief, unhappy life of Franz Schubert reads like a cautionary tale: ignored by the musical establishment, all but unpublished
in his lifetime, Schubert lived in poverty and died of syphilis at the age of 31. End of story? No. One of the incandescent geniuses of classical music, Schubert left behind a body of work of staggering beauty and emotional depth. We’ll move through his musical world — from the intimate songs that made him the toast of Viennese drawing rooms to his towering late symphonies and chamber works. No musical training required — just curious ears and an open heart.

Faculty Bio

Ben Simon has performed internationally with the New York and Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestras. He has served as music director of the San Francisco Chamber Orchestra for 21 years.

This is an In-Person, Livestreamed + Recorded Course

• Classes meet in person at the Golden Bear Center, Suite 365, at 1995 University Ave., Berkeley
• Classes will also stream live simultaneously, and be recorded
• You must be a current OLLI @Berkeley member to register. Learn about membership, including our fee assistance program.

Schedule Highlights

• Course starts on Thursday, Jan. 28, and ends on Thursday, Feb. 11
• Classes meet for 3 weeks, 2 hours per session (10 a.m.–noon)
• All course materials will remain available to view and enjoy in Member Dashboards through Mar. 28

Member Praise for Ben Simon

Ben's very deep, well researched knowledge of the subject was impressive. His presentation of the course was well organized and insightful.

This course was amazing! Ben's enthusiasm was infectious. I learned so much.

Faculty Q&A

• Read an interview with Ben Simon from our archive.