Democracy has had many forms over the centuries. Historically, one has associated the rise of democracy with ancient Greece and Renaissance-era Europe. But a more robust account of democracy would include India, China, Mesopotamia, pre-colonial Africa, and the Americas before European contact. The story of democracy is a rich tapestry woven from many threads.

2025–26 US Fulbright SpecialistPaul D. Miller—aka DJ Spooky—is creating a sound portrait that engages the history of democracy in a pre- and post-digital context. There are compositions that inspire Spooky like Wynton Marsalis's The Democracy! Suite, Lee Hoiby's For You O Democracy based on Walt Whitman's famous Leaves Of Grass poems celebrating democracy, Howard Hanson's symphony Song of Democracy, Ornette Coleman's Skies of America, and many more. Beethoven's 9th Symphony section “Ode to Joy” is the anthem of the European Union, but it reflects a very specific time frame in music. A 21st-century update to many of these songs is what DJ Spooky realises for TONSPUR.

No registration is required for this free event.