Why Jane Austen Matters

Jane Austen is arguably one of the most famous writers in English literature. Written over 200 years ago, some of Austen's classics include great titles such as Sense & Sensibility, Pride & Prejudice, Mansfield Park, Emma, etc. Austen's books are read worldwide and turned into countless TV, film, theater, and radio adaptations. Their charm and appeal transcend time and culture.

About Laura Klein

Denver-based pianist and faculty at Colorado Christian University, is completing her Ph.D. in Historical and Performance Practice Musicology at the University of Colorado Boulder, where her research focuses on the Austen family music collection. Her work as an early keyboard specialist of British eighteenth-century music is garnering international attention. She founded "The Jane Austen Playlist" in 2019, a project that digitizes, records, and dramatizes the music that Jane Austen collected. Recent appearances include performances at Jane Austen’s House and Chawton House in Chawton, Hampshire, UK, and the world premiere of "The Jane Austen Playlist: Pride and Prejudice" at the JASNA 2023 AGM in Denver, Colorado. She is a collaborator of Jane Austen’s Desk, an NEH-funded interactive Digital Project for the Public. It is a truth universally acknowledged that while she appreciates modern conveniences, Klein firmly believes that she was born 250 years too late and takes every opportunity to revisit the past in her research and keyboard playing.