Randy Rasmussen Memorial Lecture Series

Events

The Beatles in Academia: Reflections on Teaching Popular Music in Higher Education

Thursday, October 19th at 7:00pm, Chester Fritz Library Room 406

 

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Since The Beatles broke up in 1970, they have become a cultural institution, with tourist sites in Liverpool, Hamburg, and London, countless fictionalized and documentary films, and even a Cirque du Soleil show dedicated to their music in Las Vegas. Their influence has especially reached the academic world, as they were one of the first pop groups to be “taken seriously” by college professors in the late 1960s. Since then the field of Beatles Studies has come into its own; one can even get a graduate degree in the topic from the University of Liverpool. 

In this lecture, Dr. Christopher Gable, Teaching Associate Professor in the Music Department, will reflect on his recent experience teaching a seminar on the band, and also report on his presentation in April at the Popular Culture Association National Conference in San Antonio.

This presentation will also include a live performance of arrangements of Beatles songs by Music graduate students. 

About the Randy Rasmussen Memorial Lecture Series

Librarians at the Chester Fritz Library, with the endorsement of the Provost, Eric Link, created the Randy Rasmussen Memorial Lecture Series to honor the memory of a beloved member of the Chester Fritz Library staff, the University, and the Grand Forks community, Randy Rasmussen.

Invitations will be extended to speakers with themes that resonate with Randy Rasmussen’s interests, such as film and the moving image, fine arts, science fiction and fantasy, fan/popular culture, military history, meteorology, libraries and institutions of memory, and publishing. Speakers will not be limited to the humanities or solely these topics.

The members of the lecture series committee will strive to plan no fewer than two events in a year, one in the Fall and Spring of each academic year. Although in-person events are preferred, speakers may be invited to present virtually when a particular topic resonates with Randy Rasmussen’s interests, strengths in the Chester Fritz Library’s collection, or an aspect of regional history.

Whenever possible, with the consent of the lecturer, lectures will be recorded and added to the UND Scholarly Commons. In keeping with Randy’s spirit, events will be designed to appeal to students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members. Everyone will be welcome. 

Donate to the Randy Rasmussen Lectureship Fund