Christ Church College at Oxford University marks its 500th anniversary this year. (Photo: Susan Voss)
By Susan Voss
This summer, I returned to a passion that has been with me for more than 60 years: The Beatles. I spent five days at Oxford University in England, immersed in a course dedicated entirely to the music, history and cultural impact of the Fab Four — including Sir Paul McCartney, who’s coming to town for an Oct. 14 concert at Casey’s Center.
What began as a youthful admiration after watching The Beatles perform on “The Ed Sullivan Show” in February 1964 has grown into a lifelong connection. And this course offered a rare opportunity to explore that passion in depth.
Through lectures, discussions and listening sessions, I examined The Beatles not just as musicians but as artists who reshaped the cultural landscape of the 20th century. It was a nostalgic journey, an intellectual and emotional deep dive into why their music still matters and why my love for it remains as strong as ever.
Twelve men and women from around the world — Australia, Spain, the United States — came together through the Oxford Experience lifelong learning program at Oxford’s Christ Church College to listen, learn and share thoughts and stories about the amazing foursome from Liverpool. One gentleman from Los Angeles personally knew John Lennon during his “lost years” in L.A. in the ’70s and often ate dinner with him. Another man had seen The Beatles in concert at Shea Stadium in New York and Candlestick Park in San Francisco. An Aussie member of our group played in a Beatles cover band. And yours truly loves their music, decorates our home in Beatles-inspired art and even named our dog Rigby in honor of “Eleanor Rigby.”
Our professor was an instructor at Oxford, a musician and the author of several instrumental educational books, including a couple that explained how to play the chords for all The Beatles’ music. (He really knew his stuff.) He encouraged us to read two books before the class: one that reviewed every Beatles song, and the other about Great Britain during the ’60s and how its social changes helped amplify the band’s success.
From the moment I stepped onto the 500-year-old campus of Christ Church College, the atmosphere was warm and friendly. Dorm rooms were sparse but livable. We ate all our meals in the college’s Great Hall, which was the model for the Great Hall (pictured) in all the Harry Potter movies.
While I could say the best part of the class was “no final exam,” I did leave with a deeper knowledge and appreciation about how the music business has evolved and how the remaining Beatles, Paul and Ringo, continue to remaster and remix the original songs and tapes. And even more important, how we can continue to enjoy their music in a variety of ways for decades to come. Yeah, yeah, yeah!
Susan Voss, a former Iowa insurance commissioner, serves on several corporate and nonprofit boards and often sings the national anthem (at a brisk tempo) at public events.
