In the extra-musical world of RC alum Julia Wolfe, members of the orchestra snap their fingers. Stomp their feet. And play their instruments, of course. During a weeklong residency hosted by UMS, the Pulitzer-winning composer joined student musicians from Germany’s Karajan-Akademie of the Berliner Philharmoniker and U-M’s School of Music, Theatre & Dance as they became a cohesive — and active — international ensemble.

In the 1970s, rumors swirled that the University of Michigan was going to raze its second oldest campus building, the Detroit Observatory. Margaret and Nicholas Steneck joined the effort to save it, devoting four decades to preserving not just the Observatory, but the University’s past as a whole.

The U-M Library holds an incredibly rare 16th-century atlas — Abraham Ortelius’ “Theatrum Orbis Terrarum” (Theater of the World) — which revolutionized map making in 1570. The story of the atlas is fascinating on its own, but the library adds a bonus as they take viewers inside the Conservation Lab where skilled technicians are hard at work repairing this ancient tome.

Nearly eight decades ago, iconic filmmaker Stanley Kubrick took a look at Michigan while working as a staff photographer for ‘Look’ magazine. Kubrick’s early stills hint at the hallmarks that would come to define his groundbreaking filmography.

‘Resurgo’ is an epic visual symphony of humanity as filmmaker Stephen McGee trains his lens on the city’s most resilient problem solvers — the ones who never left — revealing the comeback story of the century. The Institute for the Humanities hosts a talk Jan. 29 and screening Jan. 30 at the Michigan Theater.

Sound artist Rebecca Goldberg, BA ’07, collected the sights and sounds of Nichols Arboretum over the course of a year to create her latest work, aptly titled ‘The Arb.’ She likens the work to a science project In which an active sense of wonder is sufficient impetus for engaging with the natural world.

Filmmaker Lawrence Kasdan, BA ’70/MA ’72, is the director behind such films as ‘The Big Chill,’ ‘The Accidental Tourist,’ and ‘Grand Canyon.’ He also has played a role in creating two of Hollywood’s most beloved franchises: ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ and ‘Star Wars.’ Kasdan’s archive now lives at the U-M Library’s Screen Arts Mavericks and Makers Collection.

The newest addition to the medical campus of University of Michigan, which stands 12 stories tall, will feature around 350 pieces from more than 35 artists. The interior design vision is “Michigan meets Michigan,” which will reflect the state’s regional beauty.

The Grammy-winning drummer returned to his Michigan roots to announce the launch of the Curtis & Joan Smith Scholarship at the U-M School of Music, Theatre & Dance. Chad Smith named the scholarship for his parents; it will provide need-based support for incoming students, beginning in 2026.