Classical music has a reputation for being boring, stuffy, and the province of old people. Not so! Music has changed a great deal over the past 500 years, and it’s mostly our unfamiliarity which makes it seem so daunting. This lecture will orient you to the major periods in music over the past 500 years, the most well-known names in each period, and samples of their music, all tying in to the relevant historical milestones to help anchor everything in place. You should walk away from the course with a solid overview of the history of music, the ability to place any music you hear in the right context, and—most importantly—the ability to understand and enjoy what you hear.