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CATEGORIES:Darwin College Lecture Series
SUMMARY:How Song Shapes Society\, and Society Shapes Song 
 - Richard Morrison\, The Times
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20260313T173000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20260313T183000
UID:TALK235117AThttp://talks.cam.ac.uk
URL:http://talks.cam.ac.uk/talk/index/235117
DESCRIPTION:Abstract\n\nFrom Renaissance princes and popes to 
 modern-day democrats and dictators\, those who rul
 e countries\, religious communities and empires ha
 ve often kept a close watch on singers\, songs and
  those who compose them. Equally\, song has often 
 been used as a subversive weapon\, a tool of prote
 st and a call to arms\, as well as to bolster comm
 unal or national pride and morale. The tensions ar
 ound songs and singers are no less prominent today
  than in the past\, as is shown by the recent cont
 roversies surrounding what gets broadcast from the
  Glastonbury Festival\, who gets to sing at Covent
  Garden\, or which nations are allowed to compete 
 in the Eurovision Song Contest. But does music hav
 e a real capacity to change society\, rather than 
 merely acting as a vent for strong emotions? How d
 oes singing affect us as individuals? Can it actua
 lly make us feel better - physically\, mentally an
 d spiritually? Can it change minds? Conversely\, c
 an the withdrawal of opportunities to sing\, wheth
 er for political\, religious or medical reasons\, 
 be regarded as a crime against humanity? And does 
 the act of singing as a community bind us together
 \, or reinforce tribal divisions?\n\nBiography\n\n
 Richard Morrison has worked for The Times for more
  than 40 years\, first as a classical music and op
 era critic\, then as arts editor and now as chief 
 culture writer. For the past three decades he has 
 written a wide-ranging weekly column commenting on
  the impact of the arts on society and politics\, 
 and vice versa. He also writes a monthly column in
  the BBC Music Magazine and is an occasional broad
 caster on BBC Radio 3. His centenary history of th
 e London Symphony Orchestra was acclaimed as a "wa
 rts-and-all" chronicle of an orchestra's struggle 
 to survive\, flourish and make great music through
  the turmoil of the 20th century. Educated at Univ
 ersity College School and Magdalene College\, Camb
 ridge\, he has also been the organist and director
  of music at a North London parish church for all 
 his adult life. He is married and has four childre
 n.
LOCATION:Lady Mitchell Hall\, Sidgwick Avenue
CONTACT:Janet Gibson
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