Jan

27 2016

Mendelshon, Music, and the Jews

10:30AM - 12:00PM  

Coronado Public Library 640 Orange Ave
Coronado, CA 92118

Contact Ilene Tatro
858.362.1154
ilenet@lfjcc.org

$ Cost $ 0.00

Mendelshon, Music, and the Jews

Lecturer: Dr. Claudia Tornsaufer, SDCCD

Wednesday, January 27, 2016 • 10:30 A.M.
Coronado Public Library, 640 Orange Avenue, Coronado, CA 92118

For Information: Ilene Tatro (858) 362-1154

Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy – On Wings of Song

This lecture reveals a man and a composer whose charming though complex personality and extraordinary talent gained him many friends and admirers.

Dr. Claudia Tornsäufer sets the story of Mendelssohn against the background of the Jewish society in Berlin in the early nineteenth century, as revealed in Mendelssohn’s diaries, and letters, and in a great variety of his own sketches and watercolors made during his travels. Find out about his grandfather, Moses Mendelssohn, a respected philosopher in Frederick the Great’s Prussia, and about his son Abraham Mendelssohn’s decision of converting Felix to Christianity to adapt to the sociological issues of their times. The lecture will include his compositions and paintings that offer an insight to Mendelssohn’s perceptions of the world around him.

Born in Düsseldorf, Germany, Claudia Tornsäufer, Ed.D. earned two advanced degrees from the Robert-Schumann-Hochschule in Düsseldorf (Germany). In addition, she studied in Paris (France), and at the prestigious Mozarteum in Salzburg (Austria) on full scholarships. Claudia Tornsäufer received her Masters of Arts in Music in 1994 at San Diego State University. In 2013, Claudia completed a doctorate in Educational Leadership with a special focus on distance education at community colleges.

Between 1992 and 1994, she has served as a teaching assistant at San Diego State University’s Department of Music & Dance. Later, she was invited to join the faculty of the same departmentin 1994-1995. Since 1996, Dr. Tornsäufer is teaching music and opera appreciation courses (online & land classes) for San Diego Community College District (SDCCD), Continuing Education (CE). Currently, she is holding the position of Professor at SDCCD.

Furthermore, Claudia’s has been very active as a musicologist writing program notes for various institutions, has published some of her research at Tuscany Publications, Florida, worked as an editor & contributor for Music Sales Corporation, New York (The Art of the Spanish Guitar, 2007). Dr. Tornsäufer presents also lectures for various local venues (e.g. Athenaeum, Music and Arts Library in La Jolla, pre-concert lectures, etc.). Dr. Tornsäufer participated in and contributed to various documentaries, e.g. KPBS/PBS’s film “The Romeros-Royal Family of the Guitar” and the German TV network “NDR” documentary entitled “Die Gitarrendynastie”. As a soloist (classical guitar), Claudia Tornsäufer performed at the age of 17 for the former German president Dr. Richard von Weizsäcker; in 1990 and 1991 in Salzburg, Austria, during the Mozart Festival, in 1992 during the International Schleswig-Holstein Festival in Germany.

In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband Celin Romero, family and friends; listening to great music; traveling (especially in Spain); cooking a healthy meal; reading for fun or research and skiing in Mammoth Lakes.