‘the eight directions of the wind’ Listening Session One: ‘The Hollywood Songbook/Hollywood Liederbuch’

Name: ‘the eight directions of the wind’ Listening Session One: ‘The Hollywood Songbook/Hollywood Liederbuch’ | The Huntington
Start: Sun, Nov 9 2025
Location: The Huntington

Event

Inspired by the art exhibition, "the eight directions of the wind: Edmund de Waal at The Huntington," this series of intimate vinyl listening sessions—co-hosted by creative director Josh Kun and In Sheep's Clothing—explores themes of exile, sanctuary, and migration.

Each session features a hi-fi sound system and a single-key vinyl recording—with accompanying physical liner notes—that tie the exhibition to musical histories and communities across Los Angeles and invite listeners to dive deeper into the historical contexts of each selection.

Session one focuses on recordings of The Hollywood Songbook composed by Hanns Eisler between 1942 and 1943. Begun in a Hollywood hotel after Eisler's arrival to Los Angeles as a German Jewish refugee, the song cycle—set to poems by fellow refugee Bertolt Brecht and others—is a landmark musical treatment of exile amidst the bungalows, film studios, and palm trees of Southern California.

Curated by exhibition creative director and music scholar Josh Kun in partnership with In Sheep's Clothing, listening sessions will take place in different locations across The Huntington’s grounds in the months ahead.

Save the dates for future sessions:

Sunday, March 22, 2026
Sunday, June 7, 2026
Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026

Key Details

Registration includes free admission to The Huntington.
Limit two tickets per person.

Day of Program

Please bring registration confirmation with you.
Check in with Education staff at Admission window #10 at 9 a.m. The listening session will begin promptly at 9:45 a.m.
Please allow 15-20 minutes to walk to the Chinese Garden. Limited shuttle service will be available.
Coffee and light refreshments will be provided.

For questions about this event, email publicprograms@huntington.org

The Nov. 9 listening session for Edmund de Waal's exhibition "the eight directions of the wind" features vinyl recordings curated by creative director Josh Kun and In Sheep's Clothing.

In-Person Class Ticketing Policies

Tickets are not sold at the door for this event.
To join the waitlist for this event, please email publicprograms@huntington.org. A space is not guaranteed, but you will be contacted if a space becomes available.
To receive a refund, you must cancel at least 5 days prior to the event. Cancellations made within 5 days of the event will not be refunded.
Members may receive a discount for up to two tickets.