MasterClass Announces Seven New Instructors and a New All-Access Pass for the Holiday Gifting Season

Helen Mirren, Stephen Curry, Ron Howard, Thomas Keller, Marc Jacobs, Alice Waters, and Wolfgang Puck join the iconic roster of MasterClass instructors

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MasterClass

Nov 16, 2017, 11:30 ET

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 16, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- MasterClass, the premier education platform offering online classes taught by the world's best, announced classes with seven new instructors and a new All-Access Pass enrollment option. New classes with Helen Mirren, Stephen Curry, Ron Howard, Thomas Keller, Marc Jacobs, Alice Waters, and Wolfgang Puck are open for pre-enrollment starting today at www.masterclass.com. Enrollment is $90 for an individual class or now $180/year for unlimited access to all new and existing classes with the newly launched All-Access Pass. Individual classes or a year of the All-Access Pass can also be given as a gift.

"We're honored to welcome seven new masters to our roster of instructors today," said Matthew Rutler, Investor and SVP of Talent at MasterClass. "With a rapidly growing class library, MasterClass has become the preeminent platform for the world's most talented people to share their knowledge across the globe."

"We started this company with the mission of democratizing access to genius. We want our students to be able to easily access all our classes and learn from the best minds in the world, so we're excited to launch our All-Access Pass. For $180 per year, a price less than many university textbooks, students can now take all our classes," said David Rogier, CEO and Co-Founder of MasterClass.

New Classes Announced by MasterClass:

Helen Mirren Teaches Acting
Stephen Curry Teaches Shooting, Ball-Handling, and Scoring
Ron Howard Teaches Directing
Thomas Keller Teaches Cooking Techniques
Marc Jacobs Teaches Fashion Design
Alice Waters Teaches Home Cooking
Wolfgang Puck Teaches Cooking

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Helen Mirren reveals her creative process for the first time ever in new online class

Oscar-winning actress Helen Mirren is one of the greatest actresses of our time. She has built an international career that has spanned across the stage, screen, and television. Her powerful and versatile performances have earned her numerous awards, including the Academy Award® in 2007 for her performance in The Queen, a Tony Award in 2015 for her performance in The Audience, and four Emmy Awards. She is best known for her portrayals of historical characters — most notably, Queen Elizabeth I and Queen Elizabeth II — and her performances in The Prime Suspect TV series (1991 - 2006), The Madness of King George (1994), Gosford Park (2001), The Last Station (2009), and Hitchcock (2012). Her accomplishments led to her appointment as a Dame of the British Empire in 2003.

In her online class, Mirren will discuss the dualism that is core to her acting method: the necessity for mastering technique (craft), and then letting go of that technique so that your imagination can take over (art). Lessons include how to break down a script, conduct research for real and fictional characters, approach the more "poetic" aspects of character, make thoughtful decisions on costume, and handle props in a way that is true to your character.

"This is the first time I've ever talked about my work and my career in this way. I've always avoided talking about acting because I found it vaguely embarrassing. It's been a real revelation for me to be able to talk through all the techniques that I've learned and to be able to share them in my MasterClass," said Helen Mirren, MasterClass Instructor.

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Stephen Curry joins MasterClass to teach shooting, ball-handling, and scoring in his first-ever online class

NBA All-Star Stephen Curry is a world-wide fan favorite and has a built a reputation as one of the best shooters in basketball history. In fact, his pre-game warm up routine has become an event in itself, with fans packing both home and away arenas hours before the game to catch a glimpse of Curry perfecting his craft. While his NBA career started off promising as the 7th overall pick in the 2009 NBA draft, his early career was riddled with injuries. But through training, practice, and an unbelievable work ethic, he's turned the corner to become the face of the NBA. Curry and the Golden State Warriors are the reigning NBA Champions, playing in three consecutive NBA Finals and winning two championships in the last three years. He currently holds the all-time NBA record for made 3-pointers in a season (402), and he is the only player in NBA history to win league MVP honors by a unanimous vote.

In his class, Curry will break down his famous shooting technique and teach students in-game execution tips. Avid basketball fans, players of all skill levels, and students new to the game of basketball will all be inspired by Curry's dedication and drive applicable to any challenge. Students will have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn Curry's pro tips to become a better shooter, improve ball-handling skills, speed up footwork, and refine in-game execution from the master himself.

"As basketball players, we all have something we're trying to overcome or improve upon. No matter where my students are in their progression, my MasterClass will help in their journey to meet their full potential on the court," said Stephen Curry, MasterClass instructor.

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Ron Howard teaches directing in his first ever online class

Ron Howard is a legend on both sides of the camera. As a young actor, Howard played Opie Taylor in The Andy Griffith Show, and later played teenager Richie Cunningham in Happy Days. Howard then decided to shift his focus toward directing and producing, where he found early success as a director with critically acclaimed films including Splash, Cocoon, Parenthood, Apollo 13, The Da Vinci Code, Frost/Nixon, The Beatles: Eight Days a Week – The Touring Years, and A Beautiful Mind, which earned him the Academy Award® for Best Director and Best Picture. In 2003, Howard was awarded the National Medal of Arts. Most recently, Howard received his first Emmy nomination for directing the television series, Genius, and he served as director of the highly anticipated Solo: A Star Wars Story.

In his MasterClass, Howard will share his unique approach to filmmaking, breaking down his process from pre-production through to post. The class will cover topics like camera technique, casting, working with actors, evaluating ideas, and collaboration. To bring these lessons to life, Howard will deconstruct scenes from his own work, including Apollo 13 and A Beautiful Mind, and he will also block a Frost/Nixon scene from start to finish in a workshop with student actors. With over 25 video lessons, a workbook full of resources and exercises, and optional interactive assignments, Ron Howard's MasterClass offers aspiring filmmakers an intimate view into his creative process and inspiration for storytelling.

"We all understand stories. It makes us believe that we can all direct. We probably all can, since we all have our own instincts. What we have to do is back up that instinct with craft. In my MasterClass, I really want to demystify the role of the director for my students," said Ron Howard, MasterClass instructor.

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Thomas Keller teaches his essential cooking techniques in first ever online class

Thomas Keller is one of the most accomplished chefs of our time. He is the first and only American-born chef to hold multiple three-star ratings from the prestigious Michelin Guide and he is the first American male chef to be designated a Chevalier of The French Legion of Honor, the highest decoration in France. In addition, he has been awarded the James Beard Foundation's "Outstanding Chef" and "Outstanding Restaurateur" Awards. More than one million copies of Chef Keller's books, including the New York Times bestsellers "Ad Hoc at Home" and "Bouchon Bakery," and "The French Laundry," "Bouchon," and "Under Pressure," a book devoted to sous vide cooking, are in print. He is the chef / proprietor of The French Laundry, Per Se, Ad Hoc + Addendum, Bouchon, and Bouchon Bakery. Chef Keller is credited with setting a new standard for excellence within the culinary and hospitality profession.

In his first ever online class, Chef Keller teaches students his philosophy that culinary excellence comes from mastering the fundamentals. Lessons include his techniques for selecting and handling kitchen tools, preparing and creating foundational ingredients (like vegetables, eggs, and pasta), and the science behind cooking and ingredient preservation. Students of all skill levels will walk away with a sense of confidence in the kitchen, having mastered the skills required to execute recipes to perfection.

"If you learn the essentials of cooking they will last a lifetime," said Thomas Keller, MasterClass instructor. "Cooks cook to nurture people. My MasterClass students will learn that if they go through the proper steps, are patient in the process, and learn to understand ingredients, they will taste the difference and have the tools to succeed in making a nourishing meal."

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Marc Jacobs teaches fashion design in his first ever online class

Marc Jacobs has led a 30+ year career at the top of the fashion industry. In 1986, Jacobs started his own label, Marc Jacobs. Since then he has received several CFDA Designer of the Year awards and in 2011 the CFDA presented him with a Lifetime Achievement Award. He was named luxury brand Louis Vuitton's creative director in 1997, where he successfully launched LV's first ever ready-to-wear line and quadrupled the company's profits over the course of 16 years. Today, Marc Jacobs is a global brand that produces womenswear, accessories, kidswear, jewelry, watches, and fragrances, with 200+ stores worldwide.

Jacobs' MasterClass provides instruction in the craft of fashion design from one of the greatest and most iconic American fashion designers of all time. For the first time, he shares exactly how he comes up with his advanced techniques and approaches around fashion design, providing hands-on tactical advice to his students. Lessons include how to find inspiration, develop ideas and turn them into concepts for a garment design; pick and work with different fabrics and fibers for your design; choose silhouettes, shapes, and proportions for your design; utilize a wide array of techniques in your garment design and construction; design for an existing brand; and put together a cohesive collection that tells a story, from initial concept, to designing and editing, to the final runway show.

"By sharing what I know, I hope to inspire my students to create and express themselves through fashion," said Marc Jacobs, MasterClass instructor. "I'll discuss many of the things I wish I would have known starting out, with a focus on the technical process of fashion and helping students find their own voice, vision, and style."

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Alice Waters teaches home cooking in her first ever online class

When the kind of food Alice Waters wanted to eat wasn't available in the United States, she brought seeds back from France and ultimately convinced farmers to adapt to her vision. The "mother of American cooking" has been a steadfast pioneer of the farm-to-table movement for more than 40 years, through her iconic restaurant, Chez Panisse — as well as her Edible Schoolyard Project in public schools nationwide that aims to connect future generations to the power and pleasure of eating sustainably and deliciously. Since then, Chez Panisse has ranked among the "World's 50 Best Restaurants" and Waters has received several James Beard Foundation Awards, Bon Appetit Magazine's Lifetime Achievement Award, the National Humanities Medal for her food activism. Waters is also Vice President of Slow Food International and a champion of local, sustainable agriculture. She established the Edible Schoolyard Project in 1995, which brings organic gardens and sustainable food curriculum to schools around the world.

In her first ever online class, the world-renowned Alice Waters teaches students her process and philosophy for how to find the best tasting organic ingredients and prepare them. Lessons include how to find the highest-quality, seasonal ingredients, approachable recipes and kitchen skills, and ingredient-led meal planning. Students will also gain a better understanding of where their food comes from, and the positive impact of simplified cooking with sustainable ingredients.

"When you change your relationship to food, it can change your life. I want my students to learn what nourishes the body and the soul. By focusing on the ingredients and techniques, cooking will become second nature to them," said Alice Waters, MasterClass instructor.

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Wolfgang Puck shares his innovative culinary approach in his new online class

Chef Wolfgang Puck's fascination with food began at a young age in Austria, watching his mother cook in the kitchen. After cooking in restaurants across Monaco, Paris, and Los Angeles, Wolfgang opened his first restaurant, Spago, in 1982. Now located in Beverly Hills, the iconic restaurant offers an innovative approach to California cuisine with market-driven menus inspired by regions across Asia, Italy, and France. Puck has been the recipient of four Michelin stars and is the only chef to have received the James Beard Foundation's Outstanding Chef Award Winner twice. The James Beard Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award-winning chef's success comes from his understanding of flavor profiles, cooking techniques, and desire to always take risks. Today, over 100 restaurants across the globe boast the Wolfgang Puck name.

In his MasterClass, Puck shares his recipe of success with his students so that they too can be innovative in their culinary approach. In the only MasterClass to cover recipes for an entire menu, students will learn how to master key courses from starters to salads to mains, techniques on how to plate them, and sauces to complement each dish. This class is not only for the at-home chef, but also for aspiring restaurateurs, as Puck shares his approach to the restaurant business and his creative process for creating one of the most recognized culinary brands of all time.

"My students are going to learn many different recipes, presentations, and how to really make incredible things happen in the kitchen. In the end, the diners my students cook for should say 'Did you learn that from MasterClass or did you go to study in Paris for a year?'" said Wolfgang Puck, MasterClass instructor.

ABOUT MASTERCLASS
Established in 2015, the San Francisco-based company was founded on the idea that everyone should have "access to genius." The premier online education platform provides affordable, engaging, and inspirational online classes taught by world-renowned instructors, making it possible for anyone to learn from the best. Each class offers a unique learning experience which includes video lessons, interactive exercises, a series of course materials, peer interaction, and more.

MasterClass' current roster of courses includes:

Culinary: Gordon Ramsay (cooking), Alice Waters (home cooking), Thomas Keller (cooking technique), Wolfgang Puck (cooking)
Music: Christina Aguilera (singing), Usher (performance), Reba McEntire (country music), Herbie Hancock (jazz), Deadmau5 (music production), Hans Zimmer (film scoring)
Filmmaking, Acting, and Comedy: Werner Herzog (filmmaking), Martin Scorsese (filmmaking), Ron Howard (directing), Helen Mirren (acting), Dustin Hoffman (acting), Samuel L. Jackson (acting), Steve Martin (comedy)
Writing: James Patterson (writing), Aaron Sorkin (screenwriting), Shonda Rhimes (writing for television), David Mamet (dramatic writing), Bob Woodward (investigative journalism), Judy Blume (writing)
Design and Fashion: Frank Gehry (design and architecture), Diane von Furstenberg (how to build a fashion brand), Marc Jacobs (fashion design)
Sports and Games: Serena Williams (tennis), Stephen Curry (shooting, ball-handling, and scoring), Garry Kasparov (chess)
Science and Technology: Jane Goodall (conservation)