Edward Barnes teaches public courses and lectures through leading cultural institutions, including The Juilliard School, the 92nd Street Y, and the Chautauqua Institution.Registration for each course or program is handled by the presenting organization.
CURRENT AND UPCOMING COURSES
THE SOUND OF LAUREL CANYON: Joni Mitchell, Crosby, Stills & Nash, the Eagles, and their circle
Juilliard Extension Division
September 14 - November 2, 2026 @ 6 PM ET
Hybrid classes - in person & on Zoom
This sex-session course explores the musicians, songs, and creative collaborations that made Laurel Canyon the epicenter of a musical revolution that transformed American popular music during the 1960s and early 1970s.
SESSION ONE: The Byrds, The Mamas & the Papas, and the birth of folk rock
SESSION TWO: Crosby, Stills & Nash and the Laurel Canyon sound
SESSION THREE: Joni Mitchell and the singer-songwriter revolution
SESSION FOUR: Carole King and the personal voice in popular song
SESSION FIVE: Jim Morrison, The Doors & Frank Zappa: expanding the boundaries of rock
SESSION SIX: The Eagles and the rise of the modern music industry
DIRECTORS OF THE MOVIE MUSICAL: From Busby Berkeley to Baz Luhrmann
Juilliard Extension Division
November 8 - December 6, 2026 @ 4 PM ET
Hybrid classes - in person & on Zoom
Explores the visionary filmmakers who transformed the movie musical from the 1930s to the twenty-first century through innovative approaches to music, dance, and cinematic storytelling.
SESSION ONE: Busby Berkeley and the invention of the Hollywood movie musical
SESSION TWO: Vincente Minnelli and the golden age of the MGM musical
SESSION THREE: Bob Fosse and the reinvention of the movie musical
SESSION FOUR: Rob Marshall & Baz Luhrmann: reviving the movie musical for the twenty-first century
THE MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET
Roundtable by the 92nd Street Y
July 14 - August 4, 2026 @ 1 PM ET
Classes on Zoom
This course focuses on Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, and Jerry Lee Lewis, whose chance gathering at Sun Records in Memphis became one of the most legendary jam sessions in rock ’n’ roll history.
SESSION ONE: Carl Perkins, from the backwoods of Tennessee to Rockabilly pioneer
SESSION TWO: Jerry Lee Lewis, from pentecostal churches to rock-n-roll wild man
SESSION THREE: Elvis Presley, from Tupelo gospel to the King of rock-n-roll
SESSION FOUR: Johnny Cash, from the cotton fields to the man in black
PAST SEASONS
2025-2026
The Road to Rock-N-Roll - The Juilliard School
Lin-Manuel Miranda – The Chautauqua Institute
Porgy & Bess – The Cosmopolitan Club
Velvet Voices: The Legacy of the Crooner - The Juilliard School
George Martin & The Beatles- The Juilliard School, The Chautauqua Institute
Three Visions Of America In Song – 92nd Street Y Roundtable
he Bacharach & David Songbook - The Juilliard School
Dolly Parton - The Juilliard School, Chautauqua Institute, the Cosmopolitan Club
Fred Astaire, Master Of The Musical Narrative - 92nd Street Y Roundtable
From Cabaret To Chicago: The Legacy Of Kander & Ebb - The Juilliard School
Johnny Cash: From Cotton Fields To The Man In Black – The Juilliard School, The Chautauqua Institute
Sirens Of The Cinema – Lena Horne, Doris Day, Julie Andrews, Ann Margret – The Juilliard School
2024-2025
The Producers: George Martin, Berry Gordy, Quincy Jones – The Juilliard School
Gene Kelly & the Golden Age of Movie Musicals – The Juilliard School, 92nd St Y Roundtable
The Great American Songbook: Stories Behind the Songs - The Juilliard School, 92nd Street Y Roundtable
Sondheim by Song Type - The Juilliard School, Songbook Station
The Great American Songbook: Songcraft & Legacy - The Juilliard School, 92nd Street Y Roundtable
Aretha Franklin: The Juilliard School, Chautauqua Institute, West Lyon Farm
Be My Baby: The story of Phil and Ronnie Spector - The Juilliard School, The Cosmopolitan Club, American Mime Theater
One For My Baby: The Johnny Mercer Judy Garland Affair – The Cosmopolitan Club
HOST A LECTURE
Edward Barnes is available for lectures and multi-session courses for cultural institutions, universities, libraries, and private organizations.
A list of available topics can be found on the Speaking Engagement page