It is now 56 years since Bob Dylan recorded his first Columbia album. In that time, many imitators have come and gone, but Dylan remains one of our most fascinating and unpredictable cultural figures. His influence on the art and craft of songwriting is immeasurable, and the summer 1965 release of 'Like A Rolling Stone' transformed postwar popular music, and yet the notoriously private and evasive Dylan remains something of an enigma.

Over six lectures, musicologist, musician and lifelong Dylan fan Dr. Mike Daley (whose research on Bob Dylan's singing style won the 1998 York University Thesis Prize) will break down his career through the decades using rare video and recordings. Known as a great lyricist, Dylan will be shown to also be a brilliant if idiosyncratic performer. We'll survey the ways that Dylan's work has been interpreted over the years and suggest some new approaches to his art. The course will also situate Dylan firmly within his times, from his role in the generational schisms of the 1960s right up to his recent Nobel Prize for Literature. With fresh insights and a critical ear, this course will be an authoritative account of Bob Dylan's life and music. http://ow.ly/aSGD30aB0ao

Doors will open one hour before the first class. Registrants will receive supplementary materials in advance of their first class.

Six-week course: $63 (Members: $54, $42, Free)