Thomas Shoebotham has been entertaining and educating lecture audiences at our Institute for over seven years. His great knowledge of music, its theory, and its history never fails to intrigue our students, only a few of whom have had previous musical education of any great depth. For just three examples among many, his lecture series on The Great Conductors was a resounding success, as was his evening on the King of Ragtime, Scott Joplin — and everyone loved his very fun lecture on Music and Film (movie score composers from the 1930s on)! Maestro Shoebotham is also a very fine cellist and has often augmented his lectures with spectacular selections from the cello repertoire. In short, we are always delighted to welcome Maestro Shoebotham to the Institute, and we know we are going to have a great evening!
— Sharon Martin, VP Marketing, Institute for the Study of Western Civilization, Cupertino
“Thomas Shoebotham’s lecture timing is impeccable. The pauses and pace were neither too fast nor too slow. This approach let each point of history, piece of music or visual aid sink in and be experienced. Every part of his presentation flowed from a previous point toward a new point. I already wanted to know about Scott Joplin when I enrolled in Shoebotham’s course. This made me want to know more.”
–Scott Holleran, blogger at “Autonomia” substack
Development of the Romantic Orchestra. 2 lectures,
History of the American Musical 2 lectures
Brahms: the Janus of music 2 lectures
Film Music 3 lectures
Scott Joplin: American Genius 2 lectures
20th century Musical Romanticism 2 lectures
Listening to Music (Ear Training) 2 lectures
Post-Beethoven generation 6 lectures
Chopin & birth of Romanticism 3 lectures
Bach and the 19th Century 3 lectures
History of the Orchestra 3 lectures
The Conductors part I 2 lectures
The Conductors part II 2 lectures