“The Human Experience” is a new weekly virtual series in which we consider the arts, humanities, and social sciences for their intrinsic value, their importance in portraying the complexities of human challenges, and their reframing in light of today’s realities. How do Yale alumni engage with these disciplines in their careers and in the development of life skills and understanding?
The first discussion leader for this series is Lori Laitman ’75, ’76 MusM, who has been described as “one of the most talented and intriguing of living composers” by Fanfare Magazine. She received a master's degree in flute performance from the Yale School of Music. Her early intention was to compose for film and theater, but by 1991, her emphasis changed to song composition.
Setting words to music, Lori tells stories much as we have done from ancient times. Creating multiple operas and choral works as well as hundreds of songs, she has chosen texts resonate with recent history or contemporary concerns, including poems written by those who perished in the Holocaust, a gay woman’s memoir of her marrying into a Hasidic Jewish community, or a verse about the 1914 massacre at the mining camp in Ludlow, Colorado.
Lori will discuss her careeer path, her inspirations, and working creatively and collaboratively, and she will entertain questions in a live Q&A. The event will be moderated by Stephanie Grilli ’80 PhD and Sudip Mukherjee '04 MBA.
