YCLML 001 - MCLL Lectures

Presenter: Gordon Postill

A “Poetry Excursion” primes the pump for what really matters, getting us out of our heads and into our hearts. Using an understated delivery, the presenter will recite from memory poems of universal appeal by renowned poets such as Mary Oliver, Wendell Berry, and Jane Kenyon with themes such as awe, sadness, affection, death, hope, and longing. Each poem will be recited twice for clarity, followed by ample time for personal introspection and shared reflections. 

Presenter: Bruce Jewell

Sophie Scholl and her fellow university students who formed the White Rose movement in Munich in 1942 provide a powerful example of youthful resistance to tyranny and war. Appalled by what Nazi troops were doing on the Eastern front, the group set out to alert the German people with pamphlets and leaflets. Sophie was arrested and guillotined, her final words being, “What does my death matter if by our acts thousands are warned and alerted.”  

Presenter: Joanna Avanitis

Historical Journey of the City of Westmount - 150th Anniversary Special. A nostalgic journey - experience the history in relation to settlement and place, its preservation and the process of evolution in the architecture for the 20th century. The City of Westmount, incorporated in 1874, was designated as a National Historic Site in 2005, its mission to conserve the historic integrity of the built environment.  

 • A Historical Journey of the City of Westmount, Qc.: Historic Places Days, Joanna Avanitis 
 
https://historicplacesdays.ca/visitlists/a-historical-journey-of-the-city-of-westmount-qc/ 
 
• Westmount City: ‘Westmount Park & Library’ National Historic Site of Canada, 2005: Historic Places Days, Joanna Avanitis 
 
https://historicplacesdays.ca/places/westmount-city-westmount-park-library-national-historic-site-of-canada-2005/  

Presenters: Howard King & Ginette Bazergui 

Would you like to know What EveryBODY Is Saying? This is the title of a book by FBI Special Agent, Joe Navarro (Retired). We will discuss different scenarios on reading body language. Would you like to know when someone is telling you a tale? 

Presenter: Marna Murray

Zaha Hadid, an Iraqi-British architect, achieved radical designs. Her proposals resulted in rejections for 17 years, but ultimately Hadid became the first woman to receive the Pritzker Architecture Prize. Her works yield to curves rather than geometrical designs and controversy as to construction and function. Learn more about this fascinating woman.  

Presenter: Alana Gowdy

1066 is undoubtedly the best-known date in English history. What exactly happened that year? Why did Harold, King of England, and William, Duke of Normandy, clash in Hastings, a small coastal town in southeast England? This talk will take us through the dramatic events when so much changed in England and, for so many people, life would never be the same again.  

Presenter: Paul Kuai-Yu Leong

Sir Edgar Sengier was the Belgian miner and businessman who supplied his Katangan (Congo) uranium to the Manhattan Project. For that, he received a knighthood, and was also the first non-American civilian awarded with the U.S. Medal for Merit. A fascinating story to know. 

Presenter: Gordon Postill

An interactive workshop in which the presenter will share tips learned from writing a critically acclaimed memoir. Primary topics include identifying the purpose(s) for writing the memoir in the first place, its intended audience, finding your own voice, conceptualizing the memoir’s scope and structure, writing and revising, title and cover. Additional topics could include publishing, marketing, reviews, cost, and overall time required for the project itself.

Presenter: Barbara Karasek 

It's often hard to like or appreciate what we don't understand. After a brief introduction to the elements and vocabulary of visual art, together, we will carefully examine a painting (not abstract!) by Canadian artist Alex Colville. The objective is to gain not only an understanding and appreciation of this work but also the tools to make sense of and appreciate art. Participants may wish to visit the MMFA afterwards to see the original . . . and try out their new set of tools on other works!  

Presenter: Paul Kuai-Yu Leong

On March 25, 1945, the Nazi submarine U-234 left Germany for Norway to pick-up uranium-235, advanced weapons technology and a Japanese official. It left for Japan on April 15. What happened next? Come to discuss this intriguing voyage of U-234.  

Presenter: Frank Nicholson

This workshop will open with an explanation of the advantages that Google Slides offers over PowerPoint and Keynote when preparing a slideshow to accompany a presentation or lecture at MCLL. The rest of the session will be devoted to answering one-by-one the questions about how to use Google Slides that participants submitted in an online survey conducted beforehand.  

Presenters: Tony Frayne & Hélène Robillard Frayne

Morocco is an exotic and photogenic country, from its long Atlantic coast to the gates of the Sahara Desert. It is an amalgam of Berber, Arabic and European influences. Now it is facing the challenges of climate change, notably that of declining rainfall. Come learn about this excellent holiday destination, its climate, food and low prices. 

Presenter: Elizabeth Moes

This lecture will use key symbols from western culture such as are found in film, art, literature, mythology and psychology. I will show the difference between a symbol and a sign, how to construct and deconstruct a symbol, and how to interpret symbols in the context of their source material to decode and make meaning. 

Presenters: Ana Maria Klein & Linda Sidel

The PHI Foundation for Contemporary Art invites you to a free guided visit of our two upcoming exhibitions: Feeling Her Way by artist Sonia Boyce and Efflorescence: The Way We Wake by artists Rajni Perera and Marigold Santos. We will meet you there at 407 rue St Pierre in Old Montreal. 

Presenter: Barry Lane

Today, Maine is a quiet place on the periphery of the United States, viewed by most of us as a recreational paradise of wilderness, mountains, and sea. But for much of its four hundred years of history, Maine was not on the periphery of the country, but at the centre, effectively saving the Union in 1863 at the Battle of Gettysburg. 

Presenter: Suzanne Charlton 

Enjoy an afternoon of listening, discussing, and appreciating 19th Century romantic music! 1820 - 1920 music featuring such genres as opera, virtuoso piano, lieder/ art songs, chorale /chamber music and the waltz! 

Presenter: Judy J. Johnson 

Judy Johnson is a retired clinical psychologist and university professor living in Calgary, Alberta, and the author of the book, What’s So Wrong with Being Absolutely Right? The Dangerous Nature of Dogmatic Belief. In her talk for us, Judy will go through the fifteen cognitive, emotional, and behavioral features that characterize the authoritarian mindset. Her objective is to have voters become aware of the threat facing democracy before they enter the ballot booth.  

Presenters: Howard King & Linda Sidel 

This is non-threatening. You will learn simple techniques on how to avoid a situation and if not, how to produce a positive outcome. You will have a live demonstration on some fun techniques. Please be prepared to learn, laugh, and enjoy yourself. 

Presenter: Paul Kuai-Yu Leong

Eighty years ago, on August 5, 1944, some 982 mostly Jewish refugees arrived at Fort Ontario, New York’s Emergency Refugee Shelter. It was the first and only center established in the U.S. for the WWII survivors fleeing the Holocaust. Come to discuss an almost forgotten chapter of the human saga. mjhnyc.org/blog/americas-only-refugee-camp-for-survivors-of-the-holocaust/ 

Presenter: Claude Rivard

Since 2015, the number of patients requesting medical assistance in dying (MAiD) in Canada has grown by approximately 40% a year and now represents, at 7%, the largest cause of death in Quebec. Dr. Claude Rivard, a Quebec MAiD provider and advocate, will provide an update on the recent changes in federal and provincial law and discuss how these may affect the evaluation and provision of MAiD care to patients requesting it in future. His talk will include examples of patients who have decided to ask for MAiD as their preferred end-of-life care.  

Presenter: Michael Moore

This workshop begins with an overview of the traditional manner and methods of self-expressive journaling to assist one to 'let out', to face troublesome emotional issues, and to confront one's experiences or history of emotional turmoil. The workshop will illustrate how the act of self-expression leads to insights and pathways to improvement. The presentation is intended to be a precursor for a full 10-week study group of the same title. 

Presenter: Peter Liontos

Welcome aboard on a virtual tour, where I show you destinations I have visited or hope to visit. We will explore the most cost-effective routes to accomplish this. We will cover independent, group, ocean, and river travel. So, join us on this virtual journey. 

Presenter: Frank Nicholson

This is the story of the most famous French actress of late 19th and early 20th centuries. Dismissed by the Comédie-Française at the start of her career, Bernhardt went on to attract huge audiences in cities around the world (including Montreal and Quebec City) for sixty years, while opening her own theatre in Paris and, toward the end, appearing in silent movies. Contributing to her fame along with her beautiful voice and enchanting portrayals were her scandalous love life, her exotic pets, and her sleeping in a coffin.  

Presenter: Eduardo Cabrera 

Time is a notion we are all familiar with, a concept ruling our everyday life. But what does it mean in the scale of the universe? Its physical nature seems to defy all our intuitive perception and detach itself from our everyday experience. Let’s have a look into the scientific scale of its meaning which is deeply bonded to every atom inside our body as well as to the most gigantic stars in space.  

Organizer: Alain Lessard

If you want to improve your conversation skills in French, MCLL will assign you a partner from a French-language community organization for seniors who want to improve their English. The two partners will arrange between themselves when and how they will meet (in person or otherwise) for one hour of conversation per week, alternating between French and English. Many participants enjoy this activity because, in addition to practicing a second language, they find it interesting to converse with people from a different background.  

Presenter: Robert Paris

New research of the brain concludes that many of us are unaware of the potential of our authentic personal stories on our brain. The facilitator, an award-winning expert in the field, will demonstrate the power of storytelling by telling his own genuine narrative. He will then guide the group to become comfortable in telling their own stories. He will then relate the power of personal storytelling to self-leadership and fulfilment.  

Presenter: Harald von Cramon 

A review of the artistic heritage of the First Nations living along the Pacific Coast between Alaska and Oregon and their influence on today’s art scene.  

Presenter: Tania Chomyk

No matter our age, we are never too old to dream, to envision, and to manifest our deepest desires. This workshop is designed to help you gain clarity, harness the power of visualization, and take the first step towards making your dreams a reality. Through guided exercises, you will learn and practice effective visualization techniques that tap into your creativity and inner wisdom. You'll leave with a step-by-step process to design a digital image of your vision, serving as a powerful tool to keep you motivated and focused on your goals. As stated by Napoleon Hill "Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve." Let's come together to dream big and manifest our visions, one inspiring thought at a time. 

Presenter: Roy Doyon 

In 1853, French Emperor Napoleon III ordered Baron Haussmann to remake Paris. In less than two decades, the intendent replaced the city's narrow, disease-ridden medieval streets with wide boulevards lined with attractive apartment buildings and green parks, served by underground water and sewer systems and leading to grand historical monuments and modern railway stations. In accomplishing all this, Haussmann made many enemies and was rewarded for his efforts by being dismissed in 1869. 

Presenter: Lorne Huston

Montreal had very talented women painters in the early 20th century like those associated with the Beaver Hall group. Few people know that there were dozens of women painters in Montreal at the end of the 19th century. This earlier generation showed their work regularly at the Annual Spring exhibitions and at the Royal Canadian Academy. Their work has been mostly lost and there is next to nothing written about them. New research tools in genealogy now enable us to learn more about them, a fascinating discovery. 

Presenter: Sharon Harris

Artemisia Gentileschi (1593 – c. 1654) was a superb Italian Baroque painter whose work as a female artist has only recently been recognized and celebrated. She became notorious throughout her lifetime, however, as the victim of the very first scandalous and well-documented rape trial. Through her art Artemisia illustrated her revenge and triumph, and she is now considered to be a 17th century feminist heroine as well as a great artist. 

Presenter: Bob Rabin

We will explore 1) how changes in climate have affected the environments in Arctic Canada and Alaska including the animals and traditional lifeways of the Inuit peoples of this region, and 2) the impact of projected changes in the climate of the Great Lakes region on all its inhabitants from an Anishinaabe perspective. 

Presenter: Robert Zatorre, FRSC, PhD 

Music has existed in human societies since prehistory, likely because it allows the expression and regulation of emotion and evokes pleasure. In this lecture, I will present findings from cognitive neuroscience that bear on the question of how we get from the perception of sound patterns to pleasurable responses. I will first discuss evidence that corticocortical loops from and to the auditory cortex are responsible for perceptual processes and working memory, sensory-motor, and predictive functions essential to producing and perceiving music. Then, I will discuss neuroimaging and brain modulation studies from our lab focusing on the dopaminergic reward system, its involvement in musical pleasure, and what happens when that system is disrupted. I propose that pleasure in music arises from interactions between cortical loops that enable expectancies to emerge from perceived sound patterns and subcortical systems responsible for reward and valuation. This model integrates knowledge derived from basic neuroscience of reward mechanisms with independently derived concepts, such as tension and anticipation, from music theory. It may also serve as a way of thinking more broadly about aesthetic rewards. 

Presenter: Bruce Macleod

This lecture is an overview of the technology used in Digital Music Production. It is not about the musical art involved. It may appeal most to those with an aptitude for things technical and who just enjoy understanding how things work. Topics touched on include Physics of sound, Human hearing and perception, Analog and Digital Wave Theory, Digital Audio Recording, Storage, Transmission, and Playback. Also, Audio Sampling and Synthesis, MIDI, Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs) - including Digital Audio Routing, Effects processing, Overdubbing, Mixing etc.  

Presenter: John Felvinci

How did our world become as it is now? This lecture will describe in detail what we know today about the history of the universe during the first million years after the Big Bang. We will deal with the incredible inflation, the creation of radiation and matter, the synthesis into hydrogen and helium and the origins of the CMB (Cosmic Microwave Background), which permeates the universe. The effect of the dark matter on the development of our universe will also be described.  

Presenter: Paul Kuai-Yu Leong

In 458 BC, Lucius Quintius Cincinnatus agreed to be the dictator for Rome in order to to rescue a consular army. Shortly after he successfully completed his mission, he resigned and returned to his small farm... So, what does this have to do with the two-term limit for U.S. Presidents? Come to find out... P.S.: Had Cincinnatus said, "Been there, done it, went home.' or 'I came, I saw, I quit.', he might now be more well-known than J.C. (i.e., Julius Caesar). 

This lecture is brought to you by the Cummings Centre 

Presenter: Ron Goodlin

Documentary filmmaker Ron Goodlin’s encounter with a Humpback Whale in Antarctica stirs him to mine the wisdom of scientists, policymakers, and even an eco-terrorist, revealing the extent to which humans are both the problem and the solution to the impact of climate change on Nature. His epiphany results in adopting significant personal lifestyle changes. Despite his finding hope, as his audience we are left with the profound question as to whether humanity can still avert a catastrophic future. Join Ron as he shares his life-altering experience with us, in his first feature documentary, recently accepted at a prestigious international film festival. 

Presenters: Martin Jones & Julian Mulock 

The Waste Land, a 433-line poem by TS Eliot, is one of the most influential and difficult works of the 20th Century. This presentation, originally performed at the Arts & Letters Club of Toronto in honour of the 100th anniversary of the poem’s publication in 1922, consists of a spoken text from poet and study group leader Martin Jones offering an interpretation of the poem, interspersed with segments read by artist and voice actor Julian Mulock. 

Presenter: Joanna Avanitis 

This lecture is based on Joanna Avanitis's text, A Historical Journey of the City of Westmount - 1874-2024. Participants will experience the history related to the settlement of the City of Westmount as it is proudly celebrating its 150th Anniversary. The city was designated National Historic Site in 2005.  The process of preservation and evolution of its architecture has been keenly respected by its Local Heritage Council. A hand-out map will be provided documenting the city’s evolution and will enable participants to tour the city at their own pace. 

Presenter: Lewis Cattarini

One way to understand the polarization behind the American election is by examining how both liberals and conservatives criticize the economic status quo. The lecturer will compare the Left-wing "Resistance" (represented by author Giridharadas) with the Right-wing "Disruption" (represented by Trump supporters). The question is: who can best fix capitalism? 

Presenter: Laurel J. Trainor, PhD, BMus, FRSC, CIFAR 

Music is based on rhythms. Rhythms are found everywhere in biological systems, from motor movements for locomotion to communication signals such as speech and music. I will present evidence that infants are sensitive to musical rhythms from before birth and that temporal processing is a general principle of brain functioning. I will also present evidence that auditory-motor interactions for timing are present early in development and that the human auditory system uses the motor system to accomplish rhythmic timing. Finally, I will discuss the social implications of coordinated movements in human interactions, from musical ensembles to pro-social behavior in infants. 

Presenter: André Cousineau

This presentation will cover the story of Sarah Maxwell (1875-1907), the principal and teacher of the Hochelaga Protestant School who died on February 26th, 1907, while trying to save the last 16 children caught in a fire at their school. It will also demonstrate the work done in 2017 by an historical society to rename a park after her. 

Presenter: Chris Dowrick

Chris Dowrick, professor of primary medical care at Liverpool University and author of the book Beyond Depression, will, with the help of Leo Tolstoy, Gerard Manley Hopkins, Ludwig van Beethoven and Bruce Springsteen, explain how literature, music and the other creative arts, can contribute to efforts for better mental health promotion and  prevent suicides. Dr. Dowrick has spoken widely on this subject to groups from the U.K. to Australia. 

Presenter: Lewis Cattarini

Gary Hart was a candidate for the 1988 American presidential race, until everything went wrong. With reference to author Matt Bai, the lecture will focus on how Hart's campaign was derailed by scandal and how political coverage by the media altered the nature of journalism from that point onward.

Presenter: John Felvinci

In this lecture we follow the fascinating lives of the six Mitford sisters using the book by Laura Thompson: The Six: The Lives of the Mitford Sisters. The eldest was a razor-sharp novelist of upper-class manners; the second was loved by John Betjeman; the third was a fascist who married Oswald Mosley; the fourth idolized Hitler and shot herself in the head when Britain declared war on Germany; the fifth was a member of the American Communist Party; the sixth became Duchess of Devonshire. 

This lecture is brought to you by the Cummings Centre 

Presenter: Charlotte Temple

Through her camera’s lens, our daring guide, Charlotte Temple, leads us into the past as we focus on the lands of Bohemia. From Berlin to Dresden, from the picturesque towns of the Czech Republic to Slovakia, from the Sudetenland and the tragedy of Theresienstadt to Budapest, Charlotte’s photos reveal the somber truths of pre-World War II Jewish life. 

Presenters: Peter Strobach & Marna Murray 

How have you learned history? Dates? Names? Battles? Places? The lecture offers a new approach – yes, places, people, events, and development on a timeline, but with a global perspective. Taking the period from 1492 to 1530, the perspective looks at many concurrent civilizations. Watch a demonstration of a multi-media tool to link these events and experience an alternative way to learn history. 

Presenter: Paul Kuai-Yu Leong 

Tiny Qatar has an area less than the Falkland Islands, with a population of about 2.8 million, of which only some 0.313 million are citizens, yet it made disproportional impacts in world affairs. Come to discuss the multi-facetted role Qatar played (e.g., on housing the largest U.S. military base in Middle East; the popular 2700-capacity Catholic church in a Wahhabi state; Al Jazeera etc.) 

Presenter: Ante L. Padjen, MD, MSc, DSc 

There is abundant literature about the positive effects of music on health and well-being. Equally plentiful are reports that music can cause physical and mental illness. Music-induced harm started to be seen as a medical issue two centuries ago. Excessive or wrong type of music could lead to illness, immorality, and occasionally death by overstimulation of the vulnerable nervous system. This idea continued to provide a model for explaining harm caused by music as diverse as Wagner and rock ’n’ roll, leading in certain circumstances to the concept of “degenerate music.” The excessive stimulation and “strain of nerves” in the form of brainwashing could lead to mind control, with music becoming a weapon. I will explore the complex relationship between music and various harmful effects, including physical and physiological harm, adverse impacts on cognitive functioning, aggression, and risk-taking behaviors, affective and interpersonal harm, and even spiritual harm. This variety reflects a multifaceted music experience with numerous sides—contextual, deliverer, and music and recipient-based factors. In all these explorations, it is hard to recognize music as a pathogen per se. Rather, the harm depends on the complex interactions between the person's relationship with music, preferences, and moods specific to certain situations. 

Presenter: Robert N. Wilkins 

From horrific murders to petty crime, this presentation will illustrate strikingly, and occasionally shockingly, that Montreal's policemen sure had their hands full in the first decade of the twentieth century. Specifically, the talk will zero in on a few of the more notorious homicides that took place in this city during the Edwardian Period, including that of an irreproachable child in bucolic Westmount. Not to be missed! 

Presenter: Raymond Stern

The breathtakingly beautiful art created deep inside the caves in prehistoric times from 60,000 years ago provokes awe and wonder.  How did this major, arguably the most major transition into becoming what we call human, come about?  What do these symbols and animals tell us about the nature of our ancestral mind?   What are some of the interpretations as to how this phenomenon came into existence? The interweaving of art, using rock as the canvas intermingled with anthropological and neurological insights, attempts to explain how we became human, and in the process began to make art.   

Presenter: Marcelo M. Wanderley, BEng, Meng, PhD 

Computer music interfaces, aka musical interfaces or gestural controllers, have been a topic of interest since the beginning of academic gatherings and journals on computer music, including the International Computer Music Conference (ICMC) and the Computer Music Journal (CMJ) established in the mid-1970s. This interest builds upon previous developments in electronic music instruments, which have been proposed for over a century (Chadabe, 1997). The establishment of the International Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression (NIME) in 2002 has decoupled the number of academic publications in the field from a few hundred to thousands. In this talk, I will discuss the research on musical interfaces from the late 70s until today, pointing out various trends with more or less longevity that permeate the development of interfaces. Examples include works on interface design and evaluation, as well as tools to help the community navigate among the works published before and around the NIME conference. 

Presenter: Jeff Sidel

The people have made their choice about the future of the United States of America. What does this mean for the U.S. and, indeed, for the world, going forward? 

Presenter: Jeff Sidel

Repeat of the 10:00 a.m. lecture, YCLML 827 2024 Presidential Election: Post-Mortem.