Spring 2018

Sunday, April 22,
2:00 pm
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An Introduction to Arab Music: Rhythms, Scales, and Musical Instruments
Professor Scott Marcus, Music Department, UCSB

Scott Marcus, Professor of Ethnomusicology at UCSB and Founder/Director of the UCSB Middle East Ensemble, presents an introductory lecture on the basic principles of Arab music, demonstrating the rhythms, scales, and representative songs on a variety of musical instruments.
Sunday, May 20,
2:00 pm
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The Wonders of Baghdad: The Culinary Legacy of the Caliph's Kitchens
Professor Juan Campo and Magda Campo, Department of Religious Studies, UCSB  
          
One thousand years ago, Baghdad lead the world in the creation of a new cuisine that survives in many delicious and surprising ways around the world today. This talk will tell the story of how this happened, linking history, literature, and technology to the dishes produced and celebrated in the palaces of the Muslim caliphs in the 10th century. It will trace their spread from the Middle East to North Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Americas in subsequent centuries, and how these foods were adapted to completely different cultural settings.  Thanks to the Baghdadi tradition of writing cookery books, hundreds of recipes from the 10th and 11th centuries are available to us today.
                The presentation will include an opportunity to sample a signature dish mentioned in these cookery books and especially prepared for this occasion.

All programs take place in the multi-purpose room of the Goleta Valley Library.
They are free of charge and open to all. Donations welcomed!
Please park in the upper lot of the Church of Christian Science, next door to the library. No RVs please.