The Soloist, by local Los Angeles Times columnist Steve Lopez, is a useful case study of creativity, of both artistic and social kinds. We ask you to read this book over the summer and come to Orientation Week ready to engage in discussions about it. 

It’s a thought-provoking account of a schizophrenic man, a former student at Juilliard, whom Lopez notices on the streets of downtown only because of the man’s violin playing. Lopez’s interactions with Nathaniel Ayers raise questions about creativity, homelessness, musical power, race and class, exploitation and friendship. 

We’ll address all of them from interdisciplinary perspectives. You’ll have a chance to talk with faculty, hear student musicians, and get to know your FFC instructor and classmates, with The Soloist as our starting point.