Jason Weinberger of the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Symphony will discuss the lives of musical prodigies as the Keep on Learning series resumes at Wartburg College Thursday, Sept. 5.

Weinberger, the symphony’s artistic director and CEO, will explore “Mozart, Mendelssohn, Mahler, and the Path to Modernity,” Thursday mornings, Sept. 5, 12, 19 and 26 in the Heritage Room of Saemann Student Center. Coffee is served at 9 a.m., followed by the class session from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.

“These three composers were so developed at a young age that they didn’t have to wait until 25 to have a full command of the art form,” Weinberger said. “Mozart was just six, Mendelssohn a little older than that and Mahler a little older than that. They already had so much experience by the time they reached a ‘normal’ age.”

Weinberger said the course and discussion will make classical music accessible for anyone who attends. Mozart and Mahler are included in the symphony’s 2013-14 season for those interested in learning and hearing more. 

“This is a nice doorway into this kind of music,” he said.

Pre-registration is not required. The first class of each session is free; a $30 fee is due at the second session. Parking is available in the lots and on the streets directly east of the Saemann Student Center.

Other topics offered in the series will include “Earthquakes, Tsunamis and Volcanoes,” in October; “Nuclear Power: History and Future,” in October and November; “Free Speech in America: What’s Next?” in January; “The Civil War: 150 Years Later,” in February; “Grant Wood and the Legacy of Iowa Artists,” in March; and “Wild Flowers and Tamed Flowers,” in April and May.