Rock and Roll: A Social, Political, and Musical History

Simpson Colloquium 101

When you buy a Britney Spears album, are you buying the music or an image? With the rise of formula music, could a classic artist like Janis Joplin even make it today? This class examines the history of Rock and Roll from its earliest roots to the present. We will explore important music and musicians, including the social, political, and cultural factors in Rock and Roll’s history. We will use music to access potent social issues, from early legislative censorship to controversies in the 1950s, 60s, and 70s (race and civil rights, war protest songs, punk rock, and more). By listening to and thinking about music by a variety of artists, from Elvis to Bob Dylan to Bruce Springsteen, students will think critically about issues raised in popular music and see how the study of the past can help us understand the present and future.

Meet Your Professor
Ron Albrecht, D.M.A.
Professor of MusicRon Albrecht 

As a Minnesota native, I knew little about Iowa and nothing about Indianola when I accepted a position at Simpson College. It didn’t take long for me to love and appreciate all that Simpson and the surrounding community had to offer. 30 years later, I’m still here!   I currently teach applied piano, music theory, music appreciation, and specialty classes such as The History of Rock and Roll. I remain active as a composer and performing pianist on and off-campus, and on 4 CD recordings. However, despite the many professional hats I wear, my main focus has always been, and always will be, on the wonderful students who find their way to this extraordinary campus. If you want to read more about my professional side, please visit my faculty page.

On a more personal side, my wife and I raised three children in Indianola. All three chose Simpson as their college and had wonderful careers here. Beth majored in Criminal Justice and is a social worker in Chicago. Katie majored in Art Education and is a middle school art teacher in Johnston, Iowa. David majored in history and is a law student at Drake. When not on campus, I volunteer at Trinity United Presbyterian Church serving as the music director for the contemporary service and leading the band from the synthesizer. I also volunteer as a wish granter for the Make a Wish Foundation of Iowa. I like to travel throughout the United States, hiking in the Rocky Mountains, exploring the deserts of the southwest, and kayaking on scenic lakes and rivers.

Meet Your Simpson Colloquium Leader
Addi O’ Connor1Addi.OConner

Hello! My name is Addi O’Conner and I am the Simpson Colloquium Leader for the class “Rock and Roll History”.I am from Riverside, IA where I attended Highland High School. I will be a senior this upcoming school year, majoring in Honors in Mathematics and Spanish with a minor in Psychology. At Simpson I am involved in Student Government Association and I am a student ambassador for the Office of Admissions.  Perhaps I gave you a tour?  I am a member of Delta Delta Delta sorority and love every bit of it!  The innumerable ways to get involved is one of my favorite things about the Simpson Experience!

I am here to help you with the transition into college. I will help you learn about various resources that campus provides, advice on studying and expectations from the faculty, how to get involved, and all about Simpson in general!   I am excited to meet you, Class of 2017!

If you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask.  I’d love to chat with you over the summer, so find me on Facebook. :)  Go Storm!

Meet Your Writing Fellow
Carly Warner1Carly-Recovered

Hi! My name is Carly Warner and I will be your writing fellow this fall. I graduated from Washington High School in Cedar Rapids in 2010 and I am currently studying psychology. I will be a senior this fall and preparing to go to graduate school for clinical psychology. I hope to become a child clinical psychologist (basically a therapist for children). 

I am very involved with music at Simpson. I play trombone in concert band, jazz band, and a trombone quartet. I also enjoy playing piano, guitar, and ukulele. My absolute favorite singer is Christina Perri. 

Other than music, I enjoy knitting, spending time with my friends, reading, and writing. I am currently in the process of trying to publish a novel (which is super scary and exciting). I am a giant Harry Potter nerd and my favorite author is John Green. If I’m not writing a paper, I’m probably writing a young adult novel.  I also work as a writing tutor here on campus. 

I’m super friendly and love to help people so if you have any questions or concerns about writing or college, I am here for you! I can’t wait to get to know this fall!