Priority registration is now open; it ends February 24 at noon. The spring catalog has been mailed and is also available on the OLLI website (ollidev2.earthcare.com).
Candidates are being recruited for the 2017 OLLI Board of Directors election on May 5.To learn more about the responsibilities of board members or if you know of someone who may want to be a candidate, please contact Terri Feldmayer, Nominating Committee Chair.
Note: OLLI is closed Monday, February 20, in observance of Presidents' Day
Spring Preview of Classes By Russell Stone, Kathryn Russell, and Doris Bloch,
Program Committee Co-chairs
The Spring 2017 OLLI catalog should be in your hands. Its cover is graced by the beautiful spring watercolor by OLLI member Linda Gersten (click the cover image at right to access the on-line catalog). This is the biggest catalog ever, with a record number of course offerings, 62 at Tallwood, 27 each at Reston and Loudoun, plus 36 special events/1‑time activities. And don’t forget to peruse our 21 clubs and on‑going activities, all of which welcome your participation. At this time, registration is open and continues through February 24, after which it closes temporarily to enable the registration system to run a lottery for over-subscribed classes. Then registration reopens for events not filled to capacity. So for the best choice, register now!At a loss how to begin? It can be a daunting task with such a rich range of choices. Perhaps start by reviewing your favorite subject area(s). You can choose among Art/Music, Economics/Finance, History/Current Events, Humanities/Social Sciences, Language/Literature/Theater, Religious Studies, and Science/Technology/Health. Once you have found a few favorites, why not explore a subject area outside your usual “comfort zone?” A wide world of ideas is open to you. Happy hunting!Our 10 program-planning groups are hard at work around the calendar identifying and recruiting courses and instructors. So remember, while you are thinking “spring,” your program planners are already deep into “fall” and “winter.” Yes, 2018 is just around the corner for program planning, and as always your suggestions are welcome. As you choose courses now, please let us know your ideas for other courses you might like to take, or help organize, or even teach! You will see many OLLI member-teachers offering courses, along with volunteer instructors from Mason, NOVA (our neighbors in Loudoun), and the wider community.
Spring's Very Special Events By Kathryn Russell, Program Committee Co-chairBy now you may have worked your way through 117 courses in the beautiful spring catalog and struggled with your choices. Now it’s time to think about Special Events. This spring we have an impressive array of 43 events from which to choose.
You’ll find so many tempting choices among the lectures being offered. Notice the variety of science and health information, from new medical research to changes in the ACA. If history and politics are among your passions, you’ll find plenty to get your attention. Explore topics from the Dark Ages to politics straight from today’s news.
We hope you’ll also make time for some of the fabulous trips and events being offered. For example, plan to go to Gettysburg, or Richmond, or to a secret military base from the WWII era. Consider a taste tour to a restaurant or wine country. These are perfect opportunities to make new friends and explore new venues. Also don’t miss out on the music and drama events–from Broadway to Beethoven and beyond. Finally, check out social events and ongoing activities and clubs. The spring catalog offers much to appeal to every taste.
As you can see, volunteers from the Special Events program planning group have assembled an outstanding selection of activities. Remember that you, too, can take part in choosing events for future OLLI terms. We invite all OLLI members to come along and share ideas. Join the Special Events group, which meets the first Wednesday of each month. For more information contact group leaders Florence Adler (floadler@verizon.net) or Rita Way (ritaway27@gmail.com).
By Alice Slayton Clark, Communications and Program Associate
If it is spring at OLLI, it is “Meet the Artists” time, with a wealth of fabulous musicians and memorable performances in store.
Spring term’s offerings include cabaret, piano, jazz, Broadway, and opera–a genre to fit every fancy. Artists include internationally and locally acclaimed performers, such as pianist Richard Jarec, entertainer Beverly Cosham, Mason music director Linda Monson, Mason vocal director Patricia Miller, advanced Mason music students, and OLLI’s favorite Tallwood Trio.
Launching the series is Evelyn Mo, a northern Virginian teenager who is a piano virtuoso, the youngest person to win the New York International Piano Competition, and a Harvard University student. She has accomplished all of this at the age of 16. Evelyn performs March 16 at Reston Community Center’s CenterStage, which is the Thursday before spring term classes start. Please make note of this pre-term performance date.
To make the day even more special, OLLI in Reston is holding an open house before Evelyn’s performance. The Open House starts at 1:00 and ends at the start of the concert, around 2:15. Bring friends and enjoy cake, coffee, and conversation with OLLI and community members alike. Attendees may also browse booths showcasing OLLI offerings in Reston/Loudoun, RCC events, and other local services. The event is open to the public, so plan to come to the open house and stay afterward to hear Evelyn’s special performance.
Sign up now in the member portal for “Meet the Artists” (R114). There is no registration needed to attend the Open House. Spring term never sounded so good!
More Music, Music, Music By Marianne Metz, Art/Music Program Planning Co-chairIf you always welcome music into your life, perhaps some of OLLI’s special events will “hit the spot” for you. Six of our spring one-session-only classes are musical ones:
966 Putting the Rainbow into Saturday, April 22 The Wizard of Oz: The Lyrics of Yip Harburg
967 Beethoven’s 9th Symphony: Monday, April 24
What Makes It Great?
What Is Its Legacy?
968 The Tallwood Trio with Nancy Riley Wednesday, April 26
970 Life Is a You-Know-What, Ol’ Chum: Monday, May 8
Come and See Cabaret
971 The Greatest Women of Wednesday, May 10
The Great White Way
1005BT Happy 100th to Dino! Tuesday, June 6
You can find full descriptions on pages 38-43 of the spring catalog. These classes offer some of OLLI’s most enjoyable experiences, with minimal time commitment. Check them out as you register!
The February 2017 Photo of the Month theme was cemeteries. We selected John Olsen's photo "Remembering," which may also be viewed at this page. To view other photos by members of the Photography Club, visit the club's photo website. -- By Angela Talaber, Photography Club Coordinator
Intermediate Spanish Class: La Fondita de Ligia By Marilyn O'Brien, OLLI Spanish Class MemberLigia Glass’ Spanish class enjoyed a taste of Latin American foods at her fondita (little restaurant) to mark the end of the winter semester. In keeping with Ligia’s motto of making language learning fun and lively, she cooked many of her favorite dishes and discussed their ingredients/recipes. We then all dug in to sample the goodies, which included tamales, guacamole, yuca frita, empanadas, arepas, saltenas, queso blanco and guava paste, platanos chips, coco, tropical fruits, and arroz con pollo. As we ate, we were treated to class members’ tales of trips (presented mostly in Spanish) to such fascinating places as Oso, Costa Rica, one of the world’s most biologically intense places; Esquipulas, Guatemala, home of El Cristo Negro; the Dominican Republic in the Trujillo era; Belize with its howling monkeys; and a visit to Playa del Carmen in Mexico. You can understand why Ligia’s classes are always packed and why her students look forward to her next Spanish language class!
Buy Your National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Senior Pass Now By Paul Van Hemel, E-News EditorOn February 10, the OLLI Photo Club was treated to an interesting presentation by Amber Hanna and Brooke Linford of the National Park Foundation, on the annual Share the Experience photo competition. Each year, the foundation offers more than $30,000 in cash and other prizes in a contest to select images for use on the foundation's annual passes for National Parks and Federal Recreation Lands. The contest runs from April through December; details on the contest and rules may be found at the competition website.
Of interest to those of us over age 62 is a seniors' lifetime pass, available at federal recreation sites, by mail, or on-line; click here for information. The current cost for this lifetime pass is $10, a great savings compared to the yearly $80 cost of an annual pass. The foundation expects the cost of the senior lifetime pass to increase to $80 later this year, although the $10 cost is anticipated to remain available for the next few months. OLLI members may wish to take advantage of the current low cost and buy a pass before the price increase; the passes will be valid for the holder's lifetime.
What would poets do without the lazy moon
Dangling there tantalizing us in the sky
Like a night time goddess
Basking in the reflected light of Father Sun?
They would have to write about
Apricots and aardvarks
Applesauce and anvils,
Bullies and bullwhips
Belches and belly bulges,
Catamarans and catastrophes
Callouses and cuticles.
They might have to resort to rhapsodizing
On dilemmas and ducks
Discourses and dynamos
Dandelions and digressions
Egrets and egresses
Elephants and effulgences.
What would poets write without love,
That fever which drives out all rationality
And sets the soul on fire
Causing frantic and zany behavior?
Well, they could resort to writing about
The exciting subjects of curls and curves
Curlicues and circumferences
Clinics and cockatoos.
What would poets do without death,
That final departure from living
Into the vapor of the Great Unknown
From which no one has returned?
They would have to follow the departed
Into the Elysian fields of paradise
Or the burning fire of the damned,
Then come back, notebook in hand,
And write a poem about the experience.
Performances, February 17 through March 6By Shelly Gersten, OLLI E-News Staff WriterFor tickets for either Center for the Arts (CFA) or Hylton, call 1-888-945-2468, buy tickets online through the event calendar (see links below), or visit the venue's box office. For more information, see the CFA ticket pageor the Hyltonticket purchase page.
At the Fairfax Campus Venues
Brooklyn Rundfunk Orkestrata: Off Book/Out of Bounds
Fri, Feb 17, 8:00
Pre-performance discussion: Member of the company.
Concert Hall
Admission: $48, $41, $29.Taj Express: The Bollywood Musical Revue
Sat, Feb 18, 8:00
Sun, Feb 19, 4:00
Pre-performance discussion: Member of the company.
Concert Hall
Admission: $50, $43, $30.Mark Morris Dance Group
Fri, Feb 24 and Sat, Feb 25, 8:00
Pre-performance discussion: Member of the company.
Concert Hall
Admission: $48, $41, $29.
The National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine
Sun, Feb 26, 4:00
Pre-performance discussion: Member of the company.
Concert Hall
Admission: $60, $51, $36.
Fairfax Symphony Orchestra: Mozart Masterpieces
Sat, Mar 4, 8:00
Pre-performance discussion at 7: Join David Ginder of WETA 90.9-FM with conductor Christopher Zimmerman and special guests.
Concert Hall
Admission: $65, $53, $39.
Keyboard Conversations® with Jeffrey Siegel: The Immortal Melodies of Schubert
Sun, Mar 5, 7:00
Concert Hall
Admission: $42, $36, $25.
Mason's School of Theater: No Solemn Silence:A Gilbert & Sullivan Review
Fri, Feb 17 and Sat, Feb 18, 8:00
A talk back/Q&A with the cast will take place after the Friday performance.
Harris Theatre
Admission: Adults, $20; seniors, $10.Black History Concert
Mon, Feb 20, 8:00
Concert Hall
Admission: Free.Mason's School of Theater: The Fantasticks - Preview
Wed, Mar 1, 8:00
Harris Theatre
Admission: Pay what you can.
Mason's School of Theater: The Fantasticks
Thu, Mar 2 - Sat, Mar 4, 8:00
Sat, Mar 4 - Sun, Mar 5, 2:00
A talk back/Q&A with the cast will take place after the first Friday performance of each production.
Harris Theatre
Admission: Adults, $20; seniors, $10.
University Singers Concert
Sun, Mar 5, 4:00
Harris Theatre
Admission: Adults, $12; seniors, $8.
Gallery Exhibit: The 6th Annual Prince William County Public Schools Student Exhibition
Jan 31 - Mar 4
The Gallery is open to the public Tue-Sat, 10:00 - 6:00, Thu, 10:00 - 8:00 and two hours before performances.
Gallery reception: Sat, Feb 25 from 1:00 to 3:00. RSVP to spavia @gmu.edu.
Buchanan Partners Art Gallery
Admission: Free.
Chris Smith/Scott Doherty: Rockin' Road to Dublin
Fri, Feb 17, 8:00
Merchant Hall
Admission: Adults, $50, $40, $30; seniors, $40, $30, $25.
Youth Orchestras of Prince William: To My Friends
Sun, Feb 19, 3:00
Merchant Hall
Admission: Adults, $20; seniors, $12.
Matinee Idylls: Virginia Opera: A Belated Valentine
Tue, Feb 21, 1:30
Gregory Family Theater
Admission: $45 (12:30 lunch and concert), $25 (concert only).
Mason's School of Theater: No Solemn Silence: A Gilbert & Sullivan Review
Fri, Feb 24 and Sat, Feb 25, 8:00
Gregory Family Theater
Admission: Adults, $20; seniors, $10.
The National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine
Sat, Feb 25, 8:00
Pre-performance discussion: Member of the company.
Merchant Hall
Admission: $60, $51, $36.
Decades Entertainment: Decades Rewind
Sun, Feb 26, 7:00
Merchant Hall
Admission: $45, $40, $35.
Manassas Symphony Orchestra: Musical Morsels
Sat, Mar 4, 7:30
Merchant Hall
Admission: Adults, $20; seniors, $16.
Keyboard Conversations® with Jeffrey Siegel: Music for the Young and the Young at Heart
Sun, Mar 5, 2:00
Merchant Hall
Admission: Adults, $15; children, $5.
The following list covering the next two weeks is extracted for your convenience from the master online calendar maintained by the office, with direct web links added when available. The list is accurate as of mid-week but to check anytime for the latest information, please view the latest forecast of upcoming events on our website (News/OLLI Calendar). Note: All OLLI members are welcome at, and encouraged to attend, meetings of the Board of Directors, committees and resource groups, kickoff coffees, etc. (bolded below).
Sat Feb 18
10:30am
1:00pm
Tai Chi Club–TA-3
Computer Club–TA-1
Tue Feb 21
9:30am
Annex Art–Annex
Wed Feb 22
10:00am
10:30am
Bridge Club–TA-3
Tom Crooker Investment Forum–TA-1
Fri Feb 24
9:15am
9:30am
10:00am
11:00am
11:30am
12:00pm
Recorder Consort–TA-3
Craft and Conversation–Annex
Theater Lovers Club–TA-1
Homer, etc.–Annex
Cooking Club–Lord of Life Fairfax
Photography Club–TA-3
Sat Feb 25
10:30am
Tai Chi Club–TA-3
Mon Feb 27
10:00am
What’s in the Daily News, cont’d–TA-1
Tue Feb 28
9:30am
10:00am
Annex Art–Annex
Spanish Club–TA-2
Wed Mar 1
10:00am
10:00am
10:00am
10:30am
1:45pm
Bridge Club–TA-3
Mah Jongg Club–Annex
History Club–TA-2
Tom Crooker Investment Forum–TA-1 Special Event Committee–Annex
Fri Mar 3
9:15am
9:30am
11:00am
1:00pm
Recorder Consort–TA-3
Craft and Conversation–Annex
Homer, etc.–Annex
Doctor Who Club–TA-3
OLLI E-News was created by Rod Zumbro, who served as its editor from 2005 to 2013.
Editorial Staff
Chief Editor: Paul Van Hemel
Technical Editor: Irene Osterman
Associate Editor: Sheri Siesseger
Weekly Editorial Team: Jean Boltz, John Nash, Sheri Siesseger, Leslie Vandivere,
Paul Van Hemel Proofreaders: Rebecca Jann, Lorna Moran, Susan Van Hemel, Polly Johnsen
Backup Chief Editor: Alice Slayton Clark
Submissions. Members are encouraged to submit letters to the editor, letters to Ms. Ollie Ettakit (on etiquette matters), OLLI-related news items, articles, and photos. Submit material to: ollienewseditor@gmail.com. Deadline – 6:00 Tuesday for that week's issue (6:00 Monday for letters to the editor); early submissions are greatly appreciated. Please limit articles to about 250 words. Note: You can view past issues of OLLI E-News on the DocStore. To search the content of issues, use Search Our Site or put your search term in Google followed by "site:ollidev2.earthcare.com/" without the quotes.
To make the day even more special, OLLI in Reston is holding an open house before Evelyn’s performance. The Open House starts at 1:00 and ends at the start of the concert, around 2:15. Bring friends and enjoy cake, coffee, and conversation with OLLI and community members alike. Attendees may also browse booths showcasing OLLI offerings in Reston/Loudoun, RCC events, and other local services. The event is open to the public, so plan to come to the open house and stay afterward to hear Evelyn’s special performance.
