Past Events

A portrait of Drake Andersen, a person with short brown hair and a dark denim jacket.

Does music shape the instruments we choose, or does the instrument determine the music? When it comes to electronic music, the answer is: both. Join Drake Andersen on a historical exploration of how new technologies for making and enjoying music developed over the past one hundred years continue to both reflect and shape our musical experiences and expectations.

MODfest 2025

An image from the original Metropolis poster: a monochrome drawing of an android with architecture behind.
Feb. 8, 2025, 7:30 p.m.

Metropolis Reimagined is a new scoring of the 1984 restoration of Fritz Lang’s classic film, performed live by acclaimed pianist Po-Wei Ger and electronic artist Drake Andersen.

MODfest 2025

A person in a dancing pose on on a darkened stage.
Feb. 7, 2025, 7:00 p.m.

Vassar Repertory Dance Theatre performs works created by faculty, students, and guest choreographers, selected from the current repertory. The program includes a special appearance by dancers from the Parul Shah Dance Company, whose work harnesses the expressive power of Indian classical dance to promote cultural understanding and explore questions around identity and humanity.

MODfest 2025

Side-by-side headshot photos of Chris Bjork and Bill Hoynes

Professors Christopher Bjork and William Hoynes will discuss their new book, More Than Just a Game: How the Youth Sports Industry Is Changing the Way We Parent and What to Do About It, at Oblong Books in Rhinebeck, NY.

 

An abstract collage in pastel colors made from clippings featuring flowers and botanic forms, with  three fingers in the middle.

A case-side talk and reception with Andrea Burgay, editor, director, and founder of Cut Me Up Magazine. This exhibition represents the collaborative efforts of the guest curators and published artists, who have shaped every issue of the magazine. Open to the public.

A graphic of a sun setting on dark rippling waters. Text is overlayed around the sun that reads, "Evening of Inspiration".
Feb. 3, 2025, 5:00–6:00 p.m.

In celebration of Black History Month, all are invited to view inspiring pieces of art, hear from a faculty keynote speaker, enjoy a lively music set, and mingle.

A graphic of a spotlight's beam shining down with a black background with text overlayed that reads, "Black History Month Kickoff: Alive in Rhythm".
Feb. 3, 2025, 6:00–7:30 p.m.

All are invited to join a special evening celebration to kick off Black History Month, featuring lively performances/speeches, delicious foods, and more!

Multi colored graphic with text that reads: Modfest.
Feb. 1, 2025, 11:00 a.m.

Certified Feldenkrais practitioners Carolyn Palmer and Drew Minter will lead two lessons and speak about the method.

MODfest 2025

Man in a blue shirt and derby hat smiling
Jan. 31, 2025, 5:00 p.m.

A lecture by José Perillán, Associate Professor of Physics and Science, Technology, and Society Program (STS) Director.

MODfest 2025

A portrait of the six performers in Magic Names.
Jan. 31, 2025, 7:30 p.m.

A performance of Stimmung, a highly influential avant-garde work that provided inspiration for the spectral composition school that emerged in Paris during the 1970’s.

MODfest 2025

Allee Willis sits on a circular bed in the middle of a music video set, the walls are splatter painted and there is a heart with lights surrounding it on the wall behind her.

Prudence Fenton ’75 will be featured at a screening of a documentary she co-produced about her partner, the songwriter Allee Willis. Open to the public.

Photo taken in a hospital of nonbinary adult looking at the viewer while holding a newborn dressed in a white gown.
Jan. 23, 2025, 5:30 p.m.

Jess T. Dugan is a renowned photographer whose captivating family portrait, Self-portrait with Vanessa and Elinor (2 days old), is a highlight of Reproductive: Health, Fertility, Agency. Their work is informed by their own life experiences, including their identity as a queer and nonbinary person, and reflects a deep belief in the importance of representation and the transformative power of storytelling.