Ruth Ozeki is a filmmaker, novelist, and Zen Buddhist priest, whose award-winning novels have been described as “witty, intelligent and passionate” by The Independent, and as possessing “shrewd and playful humor, luscious sexiness and kinetic pizzazz” by the Chicago Tribune.
Kaveh Akbar is an acclaimed poet, novelist, and editor whose work grapples with questions of faith, addiction, belonging, and the search for meaning. His highly anticipated debut novel, Martyr!, became an instant New York Times bestseller and was named a TIME Must-Read Book of the Year.
Free and open to the public. Ticket reservations available by visiting the Occidental College Music Department Eventbrite page. WAITLISTED.
William Tell Overture - Gioachino Rossini
D’un sour triste (pour Orchestre) - Lili Boulanger
Rainbow Planet - Danny Leo
Romeo and Juliet (Overture-Fantasia) - Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Chris Kim, conductor
Henry Hoke is the author of five books, most recently Open Throat, finalist for the PEN/Faulkner Award and the James Tait Black Prize for Fiction. He directs the performance series Enter>text and edits humor at The Offing. The First Girl in Hell, a western, is coming in 2027 from FSG and Granta.
Thorne Hall, Occidental College
Oxy Live! is Occidental’s flagship event series showcasing a diverse lineup of cultural luminaries. The 2025-26 season is hosted by celebrated artist and cultural collaborator Alexandra Grant. Register for your free ticket.
Join us for an evening of conversation between Pulitzer Prize-finalist playwright, MacArthur "Genius" Fellow, and groundbreaking performance artist Taylor Mac and visual artist and cultural collaborator Alexandra Grant.
Music isn’t a form of entertainment. It’s a lifeline. For Vijay Gupta, all art is a kind of soul-metabolism: a way of transforming pain, grief and trauma into something which nourishes. Described by The New Yorker as “a visionary violinist and a radical thinker in the classical music world,” Vijay is an internationally celebrated musician, speaker, and advocate who bridges the worlds of art, justice, and healing. In hopeful, inspiring talks, he shows us creative ways to revitalize our sense of hope and belonging.