PDS/USN alumni lead Evening Classes

In USN Evening Classes 30th season, several alumni return to 2000 Edgehill to lend their talents and expertise to the annual enrichment course series.
With over 150 one-night, in-person classes, every adult can find something that piques their interests in Evening Classes' annual catalog. This year's impressive slate of classes offers a course for everyone and features classes taught by several Peabody Demonstrations School and University School of Nashville alumni, including: 

An Evening with Jad Abumrad & Amanda Little on the State & Future of Storytelling & the American Media
Thursday, January 19
6-8 p.m. 
Class fee: $35
Radio host, composer, and producer Jad Abumrad '91 and USN parent & journalist Amanda Little discuss the craft of cinematic storytelling in this course. As creator of "RadioLab," "More Perfect," "Dolly Parton's America," and "The Vanishing of Harry Pace," Abumrad brings his unique ability to combine cutting-edge sound design, storytelling, and a personal approach to explaining complex topics together with Little's expertise in energy, technology, and the environment for an evening of revealing conversation. Having interviewed prominent public figures from Barack Obama to Robert Redford and authored two investigative books relating to climate change, Little is a superb reporter and commentator. The numerous accolades and awards between these two is profound, and the merging of these minds together for a live audience is sure to be a thoroughly entertaining and interesting evening for all.

Seafood Tower with Henrietta Red
Tuesday, January 24
6:30-8:30 p.m. 
Class fee: $50
Materials fee: $70
Join Julia Sullivan '01, owner of Henrietta Red, for a festive evening prepping and enjoying some favorite fruits de mer. We will discuss sourcing seafood in a landlocked state, then prep a selection of fish and shellfish appetizers covering skills like shucking an oyster, cleaning and cooking crustaceans, preparing a fish cure, and mixing up simple sauces and dips

Handpan Yoga Flow
Thursday, February 9
6-7:30 p.m. 
Class fee: $35
Join USN's Chief Financial Officer Teresa Standard and Bobby Frank '85 for an improvisational, musical yoga class. Standard and Frank have been creating yoga and handpan experiences for more than a year. The classes are fun and lighthearted with a healthy dose of irreverence. You will be immersed in a mystical soundtrack of soothing and inspiring handpan music performed live to keep you motivated and flowing.

The Edge of the Sticker: A Guide for Getting Through Life's Challenges
Thursday, February 16
6-7:30 p.m. 
Class fee: $35
Join Bradley Frank '83 and Bobby Frank '85 for a reading from their book "The Edge of the Sticker" and a discussion about developing coping strategies and dealing with challenging mental health issues. "The Edge of the Sticker" was inspired by the emotional awakening so many people had during the first year of the pandemic — a dark time lightened partially by a new sense that it was okay to talk about feelings and fears. It made mortality top of mind and forced us to reconsider how we live, love, work, and play. This class builds on that momentum to remind us that we all have the power to adapt and to change our behavior and priorities so we can live happier, more fulfilling lives. You’ll learn practical techniques to help you solve problems and cope with difficult issues like anxiety, depression, anger, guilt, and grief. Bradley Frank will share stories and ideas to provide context as you develop new ways to think about your life, what motivates you, and the things that may be holding you back.

Nutrition for Families
Monday, February 27
6-8 p.m. 
Class fee: $35
Navigating the world of feeding your school-aged children can be confusing and murky. We all want to raise kids that will be healthy adults, but how do we do this while also fostering a good relationship with food and a positive body image? This class will explore current recommendations and research around raising a healthy and competent eater. Join registered dietitians Mollie Perry '03 and Jennifer Fleisher for a discussion about not just what to feed school-aged kids, but how to do so in a low stress way.

Introduction to Tai Chi for Health & Relaxation
Thursday, March 2
6:30-7:30 p.m. 
Class fee: $35
Join Peter Hodes '85 of Tai Chi River and learn tai chi for health, relaxation, and mindfulness. Peter began practicing tai chi chuan in 1990 on a beach in Thailand, sold his software company in 2017, and began teaching full time. Tai chi is an easy-to-learn routine that improves health, balance, and relaxation. It is low impact and can be done by everyone including seniors, people with illnesses and injuries, and even small children. This course is appropriate for beginners and for people with past tai chi experience. Students will learn about body alignment, gravity, motion, deep breathing, and strategies for relaxing and reducing anxiety. 

Cigars & Cocktails
Wednesday, April 19
6-8 p.m. 
Class fee: $45
Materials fee: $40
Light up and stand back, because both of these class instructors know their way around a stogie. Chris Chamberlain '85 writes about food and drink for the Nashville Scene, Nashville Lifestyles, and FoodRepublic.com. What's more, he's the author of "The Southern Foodie: 100 Places to Eat before You Die and The Recipes That Made Them Famous." Co-instructor and USN parent Tim Ozgener '88 is the former owner of CAO Cigars, current CEO of OZ Arts Nashville, and owner of OZ Family Cigars and a nonprofit contemporary arts center in West Nashville. Enroll in this class and learn classic and creative cigar and cocktail pairings under the roof of a former cigar warehouse that is now one of Nashville’s most exciting new arts centers.

In addition to the aforementioned alumni returning to Edgehill, below are Evening Classes that will be led by parents of alumni. 

Crack, Bam, Dot ... It's Mahjong
Monday, January 23 & Monday, January 30
6:30-8:30 p.m.
Class fee: $45
Materials fee: $10
Mahjong is an ancient game of skill, strategy, and calculation. Join a team of experienced mahjong mavens led by Karen Yazdian (Parent of Seth Yazdian '01 & Rachel Spielman '04) for a two-
night class on how to play. Originated in China, mahjong is played in teams of four with tiles that stand on a rack. Each player tries to match an existing pattern on the mahjong card by picking and discarding tiles. By the end of the class, participants will gain both knowledge of and appreciation for this fun and challenging game.

Making Sourdough Bread at Home
Saturday, January 28
1-3 p.m. 
Class fee: $50
Materials fee: $20
There is nothing quite like the aroma of freshly baked bread. This class taught by Margee Brennan (Parent of Madigan Wheelock '16 & Quinn Wheelock '18) will teach you how to keep a sourdough starter and use it to bake artisan sourdough bread in your own kitchen. While a bit more time-consuming than other homemade breads, sourdough has a desirable airy interior texture with a rustic exterior crust creating a distinctly delicious flavor. An added benefit to sourdough bread is that it contains less gluten and more prebiotics, which can help improve digestion. 

Vegetarian Indian Cooking
Tuesday, January 31
6-8 p.m. 
Class fee: $50
Materials fee: $50
Join Asha Rao (Parent of Shalini Vallabhaneni '06 & Kalpana Vallabhaneni '09) and her fabulous sous chef USN parent Josh Porte for a night of Indian cooking. Learn about basic Indian spices and how to combine them to make healthy home-cooked meals out of lentils, beans, and vegetables. At the end of the evening you will enjoy a sit-down dinner consisting of appetizers, a main course, and dessert. Take home your own supply of spices to start cooking right away.

Art in Context: Influences on Japanese Art — Foreign & Domestic
Monday, February 13
6-7:30 p.m. 
Class fee: $35
Join former USN faculty Marc Lavine (Parent of Nathalie Lavine '00) for a discussion on how religions, political organizations and power figures, economic conditions, and cultural traditions influence art everywhere, but perhaps not quite so clearly or interestingly as in Japan. This class will discuss Japanese decorative and fine arts from about 700 CE to the late 19th century focusing on the key historical factors informing the artisans' and artists' work. It will end with a look at the opposite side — Japan's amazing impact on Western arts.

Design & Create a Beautiful Glass Bead Bracelet
Monday, March 6
5:30-8:30 p.m. 
Class fee: $35
Materials fee: $15
Join Christine Konradi (Parent of Natascha Heckers '14) to learn how to make a beaded bracelet using Japanese Toho and Miyuki bugle beads. Participants will be introduced to the basics of beading, and they will go home with the bracelet they make and a beading tray to use for projects at home. Various bead colors will be available to choose from. All materials will be provided, and all skill levels are welcome.

Spring Inspired Baking
Tuesday, March 7
6-8 p.m. 
Class fee: $50
Materials fee: $25
Join Margee Brennan (Parent of Madigan Wheelock '16 & Quinn Wheelock '18) and Surinder Johl for a spring-themed baking class. Combining demonstration and hands-on baking, we'll learn how to make a flaky, tender pie crust. We’ll then use it to create both sweet and savory recipes. We'll get a chance to experiment with a double-crust blueberry pie, strawberry pop tarts, and a delicious quiche. Bring your appetite and an apron. You will be getting your hands in the dough. All experience levels are welcome.

To register, simply click the class title in the description of the courses above or view the full catalog here

The year 2023 is the 30th year of USN's Evening Classes program. This annual fundraiser relies on the generous donation of instructors' time, talent, and expertise to raise funds for USN's K-12 need-based scholarship endowment.
Back

More USN News

List of 3 news stories.

Archive
USN Mission: 
University School of Nashville models the best educational practices. In an environment that represents the cultural and ethnic composition of Metropolitan Nashville, USN fosters each student’s intellectual, artistic, and athletic potential, valuing and inspiring integrity, creative expression, a love of learning, and the pursuit of excellence.