The plays of William Shakespeare, the sculpture of Michelangelo, the poetry of Pablo Neruda. These are all considered pinnacles of human artistic achievement, and the nine symphonies by Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) are included among them. They are the most famous and frequently-performed and recorded symphonies ever composed. But why are they still popular and what makes them so great? In this lecture with music examples, classical music writer and broadcaster Rick Phillips will uncover the reasons behind the undying legacy of the nine Beethoven symphonies, and what they can express and communicate to us today, in our busy, hectic lives, two hundred years later.

In this lecture, best-selling author Tim Cook will talk about his book, The Fight for History, and he will examine the strange way that Canadians ignored for decades their epic contributions during the Second World War. Despite 1.1 million Canadians who served in uniform, and millions more who supported the total war effort from the home front, Canada rapidly left the war behind, publishing few histories, building fewer monuments, and advancing into the prosperous second half of the twentieth century. Dr. Cook will talk about the neglect of our Second World War history until quite recently, and highlight the key role of veterans in reclaiming this important legacy of service and sacrifice.

“Not everyone is as lucky as I am,” says writer and hiker Nicola Ross. “Not only was I born in a spectacularly beautiful place: the Forks of the Credit, but I still live there!” In this lecture Ross invites you to join her on a hike along sections of the Bruce Trail that are filled with stories, memories and fabulous flora and fauna. She will take you back in time, catapult you into the future and then spend a moment admiring what the trail has to offer right now – today. From the legend of the Devil’s Pulpit to Canada Dry’s first bottling plant to killer cataract falls. From the mighty Niagara Escarpment to the hummocky Oak Ridges Moraine. From kettle lakes to rare walking ferns. Childhood picnics to red tinted limestone. A gold rush to a salt mine. Using great photos and a lifetime of getting to know her own back yard, Nicola Ross will take you along on a short adventure and invite you to come to know and love your back yard as well as she knows hers.