Breck School is an Episcopal, independent, college-preparatory day school enrolling students of diverse backgrounds in grades preschool through twelve.
Mission
We create confident learners who lead lives of intellectual curiosity, self-knowledge, and social responsibility.
Core Values
Compassion: Honor the dignity of all human beings.
Excellence: Strive with integrity for the highest standards.
Inclusivity : Foster a just and welcoming community.
Respect : Value each other’s unique talents, spirit, and potential.
The Music Issue
The Chapel of the Holy Spirit is the heart of Breck’s campus, and the chapel bells are an auditory reminder of who we are and what we believe. In celebration of the 40th anniversary of the donation of Breck’s carillon, we chose to put music at the center of our storytelling in this issue of Today at Breck. Music touches every student and can be heard within every corner of our campus. While this issue captures just a small fraction of Breck’s incredible music program, we hope that our community’s admiration for — and belief in — music shines through.
The cover of this magazine was designed and created by Victor C. ‘25 with the intention of visually representing all of the music stories within this issue. In addition, Victor imagined and drew all the illustrations within the feature story about Breck’s bells. Thank you, Victor, for illuminating these pages with your incredible artistic vision.
Lower school students enjoy the fall weather on the Chapel Green.
In this issue
FEATURE History rings
For 40 years, Breck’s carillon has symbolized tradition, grace, and unity.
AN INTERVIEW WITH A closing crescendo
Accomplished violinist Vladimir T. ’25 reflects on the ways Breck has helped him perfect his craft.
DID YOU KNOW?
Sing for joy
Communal singing is good for your mind, body, and soul, says Head Chaplain Rev. Katie Ernst.
20 Questions with Nell P. ’33, Charlotte Wheeler, and Craig Taborn ’88
Mustang Moments
Program Highlight: Lower School music
Division Highlight: Upper School marimba band, BATO BATO!
Sports Highlights
On Repeat Playlist: Frederique Schmidt, Dean of Community Engagement
Where Are They Now: Craig Finn ’89, The Hold Steady
Alumni Class Notes and In Memoriam
Alumni Spotlight: Lisa (Graser) Wengler ’10 and Jo Seddon, Gia
In Their Own Words: Claudette Laureano
From the Head of School
Dear Breck community,
Every day, we ask Breck students to bring our core values of compassion, excellence, inclusivity, and respect to every space — our hallways, classrooms, chapel, fields, stages, and even within our award-winning music program.
How we communicate our values through music often transcends the written and spoken word. To be able to connect with another person through music — to have them hear and feel your message — allows us to interpret information, feel emotions, and build relationship beyond the surface of our day-to-day interactions.
I am filled with Mustang pride that year after year our community continues to prioritize music education and performing arts. From our Lower School students learning the foundations of music to our outstanding choir, band, orchestra, and dance (featured in the Summer 2023 issue of Today at Breck) programs in Middle and Upper School, Breck’s commitment to the arts is unparalleled. Having these robust student offerings is a reflection of what we value and gives students the opportunity to learn, grow, and explore in a truly distinct way.
It is my hope that through the stories of our students, faculty, staff, and alumni in the pages that follow, you will see, hear, and feel Breck’s core values within and beyond our music program. I hope you will remember how music did and continues to bring our community together, every single day.
Hail to Breck, our Alma Mater to Her we’ll be true. Honor, God, and Country, Flag of gold and blue. Our strong band will ne’er be broken though we stray apart. Friendships formed within these walls will live within each heart. B
Natalia R. Hernández, Ed.D.
20 Questions with
Nell P. ’33 Grade 4 Student
What music are you listening to lately? Taylor Swift.
What’s one of the last books you read? The Vanderbeekers series by Karina Yan Glaser.
What’s your favorite time of year? Definitely winter break and New Years.
What’s one of the most adventurous things you’ve ever done? I went zip-lining in Costa Rica!
What is your favorite Breck lunch? I love Italian dunkers.
What’s your dream job? I would love to either work in an animal shelter or be a gymnast.
What’s one of the best decisions you’ve ever made? Going to sleepaway camp was a great decision.
What advice would you give to your younger self? Don’t be afraid to take risks!
What do you remember from kindergarten? I remember wearing masks and eating lunch in the classroom because it was COVID when I was in kindergarten.
What is the most important room in your home? My room! Or the kitchen.
What’s your favorite place on the Breck campus? I like the art room, the chapel, and the library.
Favorite comfort food? Matzah ball soup.
Favorite treat: salty or sweet? Sweet, specifically gelato!
If you had a theme song, what would it be? “Roar,” by Katy Perry.
Favorite line from a movie? “Even if you can’t make it perfect, you can make it better.” —Sasha, Barbie
Favorite family tradition? I really like celebrating Shabbat.
Three people — living or dead — you’d want to have dinner with? Taylor Swift, Simone Biles, and my great grandmother, June.
If you could travel anywhere, where would you go? Australia!
What’s your pet peeve? When my parents use hot water in the kitchen when I am in the shower and it changes the temperature!
What keeps you up at night? Thinking about tomorrow. B
20 Questions with Craig Taborn ’88 Pianist,
What music are you listening to lately? E U C L I D’s latest album REVELATOR, L’Rain, Jessica Pratt, Thelonious Monk, and Jonathan Biss’ recordings of the Beethoven Piano Sonatas.
What’s one of the last books you read? The Rebel Clinic: The Revolutionary Lives of Frantz Fanon by Adam Shatz. I’m getting ready to start Emily Wilson’s recent translation of Homer’s The Illiad
What’s your favorite time of year? I love fall and the reflective mood it brings.
What’s one of the most adventurous things you’ve ever done? Seeking out a shamanic healer who lived on a volcano in Indonesia to heal a wounded ankle.
What was your favorite Breck lunch? I always brought my own lunch, but I do remember that the pizza days were celebrated.
What’s your dream job? Thankfully, I am doing what I always dreamed of doing: creating and performing fun music. I still have a romantic attachment to history and archaeology, so I think that would be an engaging alternate path.
What’s one of the best decisions you’ve ever made? I studied liberal arts in college, not music, so when opportunities for performing professionally came along, I had to abandon other goals to pursue a music career. I have not regretted that decision even once thus far.
What advice would you give to your younger self? I would advise myself to lean into and trust my sense of what I wanted to do.
What do you remember from kindergarten? I remember fishing for shapes — a way of introducing geometry. We would sit in a circle with fishing poles and a little pond with orange triangles, red squares, and blue hexagons.
What is the most important room in your home? My music studio is where I spend most of my time. Ceiling leaks from the roof plagued it for the past year; they were recently repaired, so I am feeling particularly invested in the space.
What’s your favorite place on the Breck campus? The Chapel was a haven for me. I would go there and play the piano when it was empty and I had free time. I was able to sometimes play the organ and the “silent” version of the carillon as well.
composer, and improviser
12 Favorite comfort food? A good hearty soup with many vegetables — like a Tuscan Ribollita — always warms me and makes me feel whole.
Favorite treat: salty or sweet? Sweet. Although some chips with a good guacamole give the cookies a run for their money.
If you had a theme song, what would it be? “Refuge of the Roads,” by Joni Mitchell.
Favorite line from a movie? “Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain!” —The Wizard, The Wizard of Oz
Favorite family tradition? Weekend lunch on the river in Stillwater.
Three people — living or dead — you’d want to have dinner with? Giordano Bruno, James Baldwin, and Joan Didion.
If you could travel anywhere, where would you go? Antarctica!
What’s your pet peeve? Apathy. What keeps you up at night? Music. Rather than relaxing me, music awakens my mind and can lead to an inspiring but sleepless night. B
20 Questions with Charlotte Wheeler
Middle and Upper School Band Instructor
What music are you listening to lately? Aside from band literature, I’ve been on a country music kick lately, listening to Zach Bryan and Morgan Wallen.
What’s one of the last books you read? All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr.
What’s your favorite time of year? As a huge baseball fan and a Minnesotan, spring is my favorite time of year. It’s the only season where I can wear my team’s hat and shovel snow at the same time!
What’s one of the most adventurous things you’ve ever done? Taking the podium for the first beginning band class of the school year.
What is your favorite Breck lunch? I love the coconut curry soup!
What’s your dream job? I think I have it! If I had to choose another job, I would be a florist.
What’s one of the best decisions you’ve ever made? Getting married and having kids.
What advice would you give to your younger self? Don’t worry so much about what people think.
What do you remember from kindergarten? I remember walking into the classroom on St. Patrick’s Day to find our room a complete mess, including tiny green footprints all over the walls!
What is the most important room in your home? The kitchen/living room is the heart of our home — it’s where all the action happens!
What’s your favorite place on the Breck campus? The performing arts wing.
Favorite comfort food? Ice cream.
Favorite treat: salty or sweet? Sweet.
If you had a theme song, what would it be? “Life is a Highway,” by Tom Cochrane.
Favorite line from a movie? “It’s just a flesh wound.” —Black Knight, Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Favorite family tradition? Our annual fishing trip up north.
Three people — living or dead — you’d want to have dinner with? Ella Fitzgerald, Maya Angelou, and Caitlin Clark.
If you could travel anywhere, where would you go? Hawaii!
What’s your pet peeve? Loud chewing.
What keeps you up at night? My cat.
MUSTANG MOMENTS
Fall 2024 semester in photos: 1. Middle and Upper School students perform in the fall musical, Anastasia 2. Fourth grade students wade through a pond on campus to learn about different types of pond life as part of their STEM curriculum. 3. Middle School students visit a preschool classroom to read books. 4. Mustangs show their school spirit at the Homecoming football game. 5. Students at Breck’s annual Rake A Difference in October. 6. Preschool students learn about Breck’s bees from beekeeper Coreena Affleck, visual arts department chair. 7. Lower School Mustangs excitedly shaking hands with state champion Miles N. ‘25 at the Mustang Madness basketball season kick-off event in November. 8. Rev. Katie Ernst and Bishop Craig Loya at Convocation this fall, where Rev. Ernst was formally installed as head chaplain. 9. Lower School students having fun with their special guests during P.E. on Grand Friends’ Day in November. 10. Middle School students celebrate after casting their ballots on a mock election day, organized by Upper School club Voterama.
2. 1.
4.
3.
5.
9.
8.
10.
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHT
Beyond do re mi
There’s a very planful method behind how Lower School students learn music.
Penny Groethe ’19 still remembers learning solfège when she was in Lower School music classes at Breck.
“I still know my do re mi and a lot of the notes,” she says. “My love of music definitely started out at Breck, and Ms. Mazion and Ms. Anderson were some of my favorite teachers I ever had.”
Now a graduate student in counseling psychology at the University of St. Thomas, Groethe has lived a life filled with music — from singing the national anthem at Twins and Timberwolves games as a Middle School student, to being co-president of the acapella group and choir in Upper School, to even releasing music professionally as an adult. But even in areas of Groethe’s life that aren’t directly related to music — like her graduate degree — she feels the impact of the skills she learned in Lower School.
“Music class was always a place where you’re not sitting down reading a book or learning about math — you’re moving and you’re being creative,” she shares. “Music in Lower School really encourages curiosity and confidence when it comes to anything really, even if it’s not music.”
Groethe’s experiences were shaped by the music education pedagogy of Orff Schulwerk, taught for years within Lower School classrooms thanks to Performing Arts Department Chair Sharon Mazion and Vocal Music Teacher Melita Anderson.
Play is at the center of an Orff Schulwerk lesson. Classrooms are a joyful, fun place where students discover music together through play, guided by very intentional planning. Through a playful, hands-on experiential learning process, children explore not only music, but movement, speech, and drama, incorporating instruments like xylophones, drums, hand percussion, and more.
“In our rooms, we like to say, ‘We sing, say, move, play, create, and explore,’” says Mazion. “The work of children is play, and so that’s literally what we’re doing. Students are active in the music making process. They’re creating rhythm patterns, improvising melodies, choreographing movement to musical pieces, and exploring expressive speech.”
Learning music through the Orff Schulwerk approach is purposeful, sequential, and child-centered. Children are the ones creating music with their peers, learning firsthand what it means to collaborate, share ideas, give and receive feedback, and problem solve. Teachers like Mazion and Anderson are there to guide students in their exploration and scaffold lessons to help children be successful at all skill levels. This year, Rachel Hansell, Lower School vocal music teacher, was also added to the team to continue to strengthen the program in preschool and kindergarten.
“You start with something simple and then add layers of complexity one at a time. Children are given time to explore the new idea, play with it, create on their own,” explains Mazion. “We build and then begin to ask things like ‘What else can you do with your idea? What instruments might we use?’ From this play/ work develops a more formal understanding of music concepts and notation.”
In preschool and kindergarten, students learn to match pitch and keep a steady beat. By first grade, they can sing two part canons and begin reading and playing simple melodies. In second grade, they sing two-part harmony. By third and fourth grade, music-making becomes more complex. In addition to singing, students play multi-part instrumental pieces and explore harmonic chord progressions.
“It’s all foundation building for everything students do in the ensembles of Middle and Upper School,” says Mazion. “In the lower grades, you are not building the building; you are setting the foundation so students can be successful. This sparks curiousity, builds confidence, and leads children to seek bigger challenges.”
Performance plays an important role in an Orff music education as it gives students the opportunity to showcase their learning and share their collective music-making with the greater community — and it’s the ultimate exercise in collaboration. There is no better place to understand the core of the Lower School music program than at a Lower School music performance, where, from preschool to fourth grade, you literally see musical concepts, skills, complexity, and understanding build song after song. Students also get to see what’s ahead for them in music class.
“The thing that’s exciting is our students are all there for the concert,” says Mazion. “Preschoolers get to see their fourth grade buddies and think, ‘Oh, I’m going to be that someday,’ or they listen to those second graders and think, ‘They sound different than the first graders.’ They can see where they’re going.”
By building a music foundation through playing, creating, and performing, Mazion hopes to instill a love of learning and joy in music-making. And that — like in Groethe’s experience — music builds in them critical life skills and confidence they can carry with them for the rest of their life.
“My hope for students is that they surprise themselves,” says Mazion, “and learn they can do more than they ever thought they could — and more than they ever could have alone.” B
What does the research say?
By Julie Kallio, lead researcher at Breck’s Peter Clark enter for Mind, Brain, and Education (PCC)
A core function of the PCC is to support the translation of educational research into practice. One way this translation happens is by looking for evidence of instructional practices that research suggests are effective. We see evidence of effective practices in the Orff Schulwerk approach in three areas: clear and consistent routines, release of responsibility, and authenticity and relevance.
Retrieval practice is a routine at the core of Orff Schulwerk. Every time Lower School music teachers Sharon Mazion, Melita Anderson , and Rachel Hansell warm up with the basics students already know, students are retrieving previously learned skills, grooving neural pathways, and opening up potential for new connections as they apply their skills in new ways.
Students grow their confidence when they take on increasingly complex and independent tasks. The Orff Schulwerk approach grows student capacity for collaborative music making, which the audience can see fall to spring and year to year in student performances.
Deeper learning comes through personal connection, authenticity, and relevance. As students explore the sounds they can make with their voices, bodies, and instruments, they are music-makers in practice and performance, coming to see themselves as one part of a collective ensemble.
The implementation of the Orff Schulwerk approach at Breck epitomizes the connections amongst Mind, Brain, and Education and creates the confident music-makers we have the privilege to see perform. B
DIVISION HIGHLIGHT
Knocking on wood
Breck’s marimba band BATO BATO! spreads joyful tunes across the Twin Cities.
Fun and joy. Those are the core values of Breck’s marimba band, BATO BATO!.
“Everything we do is focused around those,” says BATO BATO! culture captain Veda R. ’26. “Just fun and joy all the time. We want to spread that to wherever we play.”
The band is made up of approximately 20 Upper School students who evoke fun and joy through warm and cheerful “marimbified” renditions of songs like Harry Styles’ “As It Was,” Bob Marley’s “Get Up, Stand Up,” and even traditional mbira pieces from Zimbabwe, where the marimba is a central part of the culture and music. The band was started in 2008 by former Breck teacher Carey Sirianni, who studied in Zimbabwe and sought to bring the culture and tradition of marimba playing to Breck.
BATO BATO! — Swahili for “the dancing place” — is a student-run Upper School club that plays on marimbas that were handmade by expert local woodworker Mike Ashton. Because the group includes students from multiple grades who have a broad range of interests — from athletics to performing arts to robotics — practices are held twice a week before school to ensure anyone who wants to is able to join.
“[Head of School] Dr. Hernández once told me [BATO BATO!] is one of the most diverse groups on campus, and it is,” says BATO BATO! faculty advisor and performing arts teacher David Birrow. “And the students do all of it. That’s part of the magic.”
Students arrange and teach one another all the songs; there’s no sheet music. In addition to practicing twice per week, students perform around 12 times per year at gigs on and off campus. They regularly play at Midtown Global Market (pictured above) and Minnesota Landscape Arboretum in addition to Breck events like Homecoming (pictured on the following page), the Lower School Art Show, and Culture and Community Night. Birrow acts as a manager of sorts for the band, arranging gigs, transportation, and food.
“BATO BATO! is definitely one of the higher commitment clubs that Breck has to offer, but I think that also makes it one of the most rewarding clubs,” says Abby G. ’26, BATO BATO!’s outreach manager. “Music is a special way for people to connect, and the fact that so many people who come from different grades and different places are able to do that is really special.”
The band has released three albums, the most recent Knock on Wood in April 2023 (album cover shown right), and Birrow notes they have the capacity to add three to four songs to their repertoire each year. While most of what they play are covers or traditional Zimbabean songs, they’ve begun commissioning local composers to create pieces for the band as well. As far as Birrow knows, they’re the only high school marimba band of its kind in the Twin Cities.
Because of BATO BATO!’s important culture and rich history at Breck, ensuring the band continues year after year is the most important thing to students. “We want to make sure that it’s still going, and people are still joining and interested,” says Madeline C. ’26, BATO BATO! communications manager. Aside from continuing the BATO BATO! legacy, the current leaders hope to play at the Minnesota State Fair next year.
For Birrow, his dreams for BATO BATO! include performing “on land, sea, and air” — an inside joke within the band — playing a parade, recording another album with original songs, and maybe even someday traveling to South Africa for a well-known marimba band competition, one they plan to submit a video entry to this year. He hopes the band will continue to make decisions that are aligned with Breck’s mission while also upholding their own core values of fun and joy. Maintaining their diverse, inclusive community is paramount.
“We’re all very different, but we all just have fun together,” says Veda. “I really like that.” B
to BATO BATO!’s latest album.
Memory Care
New community partnership emphasizes the importance of music in building community.
BATO BATO! alum and current Breck history teacher Daniel Bergerson ’13 is at the helm of a new Community Partnership (CP) called Connecting Through Music, where Upper School students play curated concerts for elderly members at Open Circle Adult Day Services in Hopkins.
The 11 students play a variety of instruments — from violin to saxophone to guitar — and range in their abilities and ensemble experience, with some veteran orchestra and band students and others who simply enjoy playing music on their own. Each week they rehearse, and then once a month they come together to perform a concert with songs pre-requested by the Open Circle members, many of whom struggle with differing stages of dementia.
“Music is well known to be something that’s really essential to memory,” says Bergerson. “Students have structured conversations about the [members’] history with music and memories. Then having a curated concert with those songs makes it a more meaningful connection.”
Connecting through music, as the name suggests, is the goal for the CP, as is understanding that music is about much more than just playing an instrument.
“Music education isn’t just about learning how to play your instrument; it’s about learning how music functions in the community and builds community,” says Bergerson. “It’s about learning to see how your gifts and passions can be part of making connections and being in solidarity with other people.” B
Scan here to listen
Fall Sports 2024
Forging new trails
New Cross Country Head Coach
Kathryn Hoffman wants to change the narrative around running.
Running should be a positive experience, says Kathryn Hoffman, Breck’s new cross country head coach.
“In other sports, running is often used as a punishment, so that builds a negative connotation around our sport,” she says. “Kids will have this idea that they don’t want to run because it's negative to run. We want to change that narrative that if you run, it’s a positive thing.”
Positivity is also what Hoffman hopes to model as a coach. After coaching for many years overseas, Hoffman is now in her third year as a Breck science teacher and second as part of the cross country team — last year as an assistant coach and this season as head coach. As a teacher and a coach at Breck, Hoffman can connect with her athletes in a unique way.
“As a teacher as well, I’m building well-rounded athletes and making sure they focus on things like time management and that they can be good students as well as good athletes — and that one doesn’t come at the cost of the other,” she explains.
Coaching a team made up of boys and girls from grades seven through 12 is not without its challenges, but Hoffman works to make practices both engaging and fun for younger, newer athletes and rigorous for older, more serious runners.
“I try to meet each athlete at their level and work with them on their own individual goals to find strategies that work for them,” she says.
Regardless of an athlete’s skill level, Hoffman strives to instill a love of running they can take with them into other sports — and into the rest of their lives post Breck.
“Cross country can be used as a tool to improve fitness, mental stamina, and endurance for other sports,” she says. “When we run on trails, having that connection with nature means everything can be shut off. You can just enjoy the moment and be really present.”
As she thinks about the future of her team, Hoffman encourages students to look at running in a new way and consider giving cross country a try.
“It’s like anything when you’re in school — you should try as many things as you can,” she says. “I wish people would give [running] a try and see how much benefit it can provide.” B
Always in season
1
Three questions with three sport athlete Esme G. ‘25
Pick your favorite sport: cross country, Nordic skiing, or track and field?
I feel like my heart is always with running, but the Nordic team is definitely really fun, too. I’ve made a lot of my friends through sports, and I think that’s the main reason why I keep coming back, because I just really like all the teams and the people.
2 What keeps you motivated?
I really like pushing myself to the next level and constantly trying to get better. I’ve also been on really supportive teams. Breck has really taught me the importance of balance between athletics and academics — being seen as a student rather than an athlete. That’s definitely important for me, too.
3 Best advice you wish you could give your younger self?
Remember to just have fun. I do work very hard, and when you’re putting so much time into something, it’s hard not to take it super seriously and put a bunch of pressure on yourself. You can forget to actually enjoy it sometimes. So for me, remembering to have fun and enjoy the high school sports atmosphere has been really important. B
This cross country season, Esme was named the IMAC Runner of the Year. In addition, she came in first place in both the conference and section meets and competed in state.
MIDDLE SCHOOL MUSTANGS
No experience necessary
Breck sports are for everyone.
In Middle School, Breck students are figuring out who they are and what they are passionate about. That critical identity formation happens in the classroom — but it also happens on the court, on the field, and in the pool. This fall, sports participation in Middle School is at a record high, with 187 sixth to eighth grade students playing a fall sport.
“Middle School is where students discover passions that they carry with them the rest of their lives,” says John
Busch, Middle School athletics coordinator. “I love it when our students want to try new sports at Breck!”
Five Middle School students — Asher A. ’31, Bene D. ’29, Farrah F. ’29, Devin W. ’29, and Grayson W. ’31 — share why they decided to try a new sport this fall. B
“““I tried soccer because my friend was doing it and she didn’t want to be alone. I actually ended up really liking it, though!”
—Bene D. ’29
“Volleyball is a really big team sport, which I think is really fun. You have to rely on your team a lot for volleyball, which I like. And I think it’s good to get to know more people.”
—Farrah F. ’29
““I always liked watching football, and my two friends were doing it this year. I really like the plays and the drills we do at practice.”
—Devin W. ’29
““Soccer is getting popular, and I just wanted to be able to do a sport in the fall. It was a really good way to meet new people.”
—Asher A. ’31
““I’m always watching tennis. I decided to join the team, and it’s going really well. Since everyone makes mistakes, it’s not really a high pressure situation or anything. It’s just fun.”
—Grayson W. ’31
History Rings
For 40 years, Breck’s carillon has symbolized tradition, grace, and unity.
By Leslie Nelson-Abell
Illustrations by Victor C. ’25
Nestled high above our bustling campus, the bells in the tower of the Chapel of the Holy Spirit resonate with a rich history. Their melodious chimes grace our campus with beautiful music, calling students to class and worship and inspiring us all toward higher ideals. Donated to Breck four decades ago this year, this iconic carillon (an instrument with at least 23 bells played from a keyboard) not only enriches our campus and the surrounding neighborhood but also symbolizes tradition, grace, and unity. For many, the sounds emanating from our chapel serve as a reminder of the many blessings at our school and the privilege of studying and working here at Breck.
“When our bells ring out and create music, it weaves together the beautiful song of who we are and who we aspire to be,” says Rev. Katie Ernst, head chaplain.
As we celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Adams Memorial Carillon, we invite you to delve into the history behind Breck’s chapel bells. Here, the story of philanthropy meets craftsmanship, where each toll of the bells carries with it a legacy of pride and community spirit.
unique carillon Breck’s
A carillon is a musical instrument that consists of a set of at least 23 bells that are sounded by hammers and controlled from a keyboard. According to various registries, there are nearly 200 carillons in North America and only 700 worldwide. Breck’s carillon is one of only five carillons in the state of Minnesota.
Breck’s carillon consists of 24 bells — four swinging and 20 stationery bells — made from bronze and weighing from 48 to 1,545 pounds each. They were cast at the renowned Paccard Foundry founded in 1796 in Annecy, France. The bells are connected to a keyboard that resides inside the Chapel of the Holy Spirit; an attached practice keyboard allows budding “carillonneurs” to practice without the bells ringing.
Today, the carillon is played to summon the Breck community to class and worship and for special celebrations and other events in the religious life of the school. The sound of the bells reminds us to seek first the joy that overrides the daily stresses and tasks of our academic endeavors. You can hear the bells ringing to open and close each school week on Mondays and Fridays from 8:05–8:20 a.m.
“There’s something magical about hearing church bells play, no matter where you are,” says John Bellaimey, former head chaplain at Breck. “During my time, there was a lot of fondness for the carillon; having a carillon in the new chapel was like icing on the cake.”
Today, Breck’s carillon is played by Eric Bigalke, Breck’s Chapel musician, who was new to playing carillon music when he came to Breck. Initially daunted by the challenge, he now has the practice down to a science and utilizes a computer system to record and curate carillon pieces, drawing from a diverse library of 300 selections spanning hymns, classical compositions, and popular music.
Virtuous melody
Each bell of Breck’s carillon is meticulously cast and tuned, with a unique “virtue” engraved on its face — a reflection for listeners as they resonate throughout the campus. Carefully selected by the donors of the bells, one of the following virtues adorn each bell:
The 24th bell, the largest and most prominent, bears a special inscription:
“this carillon is dedicated to the greater glory of god and in loving memory of ethel mary and charles george adams by their daughter wilma adams smith and their granddaughter linda smith mcpeak.”
A divine intervention
The carillon bells were a gift to Breck thanks to a generous donation from Wilma Adams Smith (illustrated left). George R.A. Johnson ’59, a Breck alumnus who served as both the president of the Board of Trustees and the chair of the chapel rebuilding committee, was Mrs. Smith’s attorney and integral in procuring the bells for Breck — a story that Johnson describes as “so magical.”
In 1982 on the night of the dedication of the new Chapel of the Holy Spirit, former Head of School Rev. Canon D. Henderson toured Breck’s new campus with Johnson before the service. Rev. Henderson admired the beauty of the new chapel, and Johnson shared how he wished they had bells for the bell tower. “You will get the bells and from the source that you least expect,” Rev. Henderson told Johnson.
Two years later, Johnson was visiting Breck’s campus with his friend, Wilma Adams Smith (illustrated above) — a woman who had no previous ties to the school. When she asked why Breck didn’t have bells, Johnson explained they lacked the funds to purchase them. Without missing a beat, Adams Smith said, “I will buy them.” “Rev. Henderson’s prophecy had come true,” says Johnson.
An inspired donation
The inspiration for Breck’s carillon stemmed from Wilma Adams Smith’s parents, Ethel Mary and Charles George Adams (illustrated above). Charles George Adams dedicated his career to advancements in cast metal sciences, pioneering the die casting process, which uses molten metal to create precise parts.
During World War I, Adams served in France and was deeply affected by the devastation he witnessed, leading him to believe that education was crucial in preventing such tragedies. He lived a life centered around his faith and was a staunch advocate for education.
Charles and Ethel shared a love for music, particularly bells. During their time living in Golden Valley, they cherished the daily Angelus carillon broadcast by Prudential Insurance Company, which echoed through their neighborhood at sundown.
The carillon bells at Breck became a fitting tribute to Charles and Ethel Adams, honoring their cherished values: the beauty of music, the artistry of metal crafting, the patience of faith, and the enduring importance of education.
A Breck welcome
The arrival of the bells was a major event in the life of Breck School. On November 25, 1985, Breck dedicated its Adams Memorial Carillon with a traditional French ceremony that included songs and dancing (illustrated above). Students eagerly watched as the bells were hoisted into place, and many teachers used the carillon as a teaching opportunity.
Students across all grade levels joined in the celebration. In the Lower School, some classes “adopted” specific bells (illustrated right), while others expressed their feelings and thoughts about the bells through poetry. Meanwhile, Upper School students studying French engaged in correspondence with the Paccard Foundry in Annecy, France, the manufacturer of the bells. Additionally, more than 140 French language students participated in Bretin-style folk dances, donning authentic regional costumes in a traditional French bell dedication ceremony held in the Chapel of the Holy Spirit. B
“Our Chapel Bells”
up in our tower it swings and swings, over my head vibrating in my ears. it sounds like a light, swishing across the sky.
i love bells, our chapel bells!
This poem was written by then second grade student Gia Barlage '96 (illustrated left) in honor of the bells dedication in 1985.
Vive le carillon de Breck!
Content from this story was adapted from Breck’s archives, including programs and materials from the 1985 carillon dedication ceremony.
AN INTERVIEW WITH Accomplished violinist Vladimir T. ’25 reflects on the ways Breck has helped him perfect his craft.
If you’ve been to a Breck orchestra concert in the last several years, you understand the marvel that is Vladimir T. ’25. A passionate violinist with accolades well beyond his years, Vladimir moves the crowd with his musicianship.
Vladimir has played violin since he was 5 and came to Breck in seventh grade. Winner of numerous prizes and competitions, Vladimir has performed with countless symphony orchestras in Minnesota, including the Dakota Valley Symphony Orchestra, the Civic Orchestra of Minneapolis, and others. In 2022, Vladimir was featured on NPR’s From The Top and in 2023 made his solo debut with the Minnesota Youth Symphonies at Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis.
With college and the pursuit of becoming a professional musician in sight, Vladimir is excited for his final year at Breck. “I’m very fortunate to have the musical education that I’ve been provided with,” he says. “I’m just very excited to continue to be a part of this community and to continue playing music at Breck.”
WHAT DO YOU LOVE
ABOUT THE VIOLIN?
My mom and her twin sister are professional pianists, so music was a big part of my life from the beginning. I started first on piano, then one day ended up at my violin teacher’s studio and was just trying it out.
What really struck me about the violin is there’s just so much you can do on it. I love the fact that I can crescendo while holding one note. I’m a very passionate player in terms of how expressive I am, and it’s very important for me to put my own stamp on anything that I’m playing. Why I love playing violin more closely relates to why I love music in general, which is I love giving people joy. It feels very free to give but also kind of priceless.
Another thing I love and also always try to remember is when you’re on stage, you’re not just doing what your teacher told you or what you’ve practiced — you’re actively creating something while on stage. You’re making art.
My go-to piece is Wieniawski’s Variations on an Original Theme. It’s a very technical piece; it’s kind of a show piece.
WHAT MOTIVATES YOU?
It has taken a lot of amazing people helping me, like my teachers [outside school], Ms. [Claudette] Laureano [Breck’s orchestra teacher], and my mom, who’s my accompanist. She’s very helpful in terms of how I practice at home.
My quartet coach Ray once told me that it is really important to practice enough — you can’t practice any less than enough . For me, I try to get in three hours a day. But I don’t really view practicing in terms of how much time; it’s much more important about the quality of the practicing. Personally, I just grit my teeth and do it, even if it’s really hard.
I think my musicianship skills are far better than my technical skills. I have issues technically that I’m working on with my teachers, and I think I’m gonna have these same problems forever. I think it’s important to have the patience and the self control to work on them every single day. In the past few years, I’ve definitely been very secure in knowing that I’m going to be a professional violinist, so that definitely helps for motivation and practicing
HOW HAS BRECK IMPACTED YOU?
I came to Breck because Ms. Laureano suggested it. I first met her at an orchestra camp and joined the Minnesota Youth Symphonies because of her — she was a conductor there.
I think the orchestra program at Breck is really incredible considering this isn’t a music school. I started out in the advanced orchestra in Middle School, and then in eighth grade I was moved to the chamber players. Ms. Laureano has a commitment to treat us not like students but like a professional orchestra. That has been really inspiring.
Breck, just overall, has been a great school for me, and I think the life skills I’ve learned here have certainly impacted me as a musician.
WHAT’S NEXT AFTER YOU GRADUATE?
Next year in college, I hope to be surrounded by other musicians my age and to study with a great teacher, whoever that teacher is. Beyond that, I love solo playing, and I love chamber music.
I appreciate being in an orchestra very much — I’ve been in the Minnesota Youth Symphonies since I was 9 years old — but personally, I don’t see myself being an orchestral musician unless it’s a chamber orchestra or a smaller group because I really appreciate the more intimate side of music. There are just so many opportunities, so right now I’m just going with the flow. B To hear Vlad perform the movement “Romance” from Dmitri Shostakovich’s The Gadfly Suite with the Breck Chamber Players at the Middle and Upper School Winterfest in December, scan here.
DID YOU KNOW?
Communal singing is good for your mind, body, and soul, says Head Chaplain Rev. Katie Ernst.
Picture this: It’s the end of an AllSchool Chapel. Students, swaying with their arms entwined, are proudly belting out the alma mater. Hail to Breck, our alma mater to Her we’ll be true. The feeling? Other worldly.
Head Chaplain Rev. Katie Ernst always finds room for a song during a chapel service because singing in community has emotional, spiritual, and physical benefits — not to mention it builds a powerful sense of belonging.
Need encouragement to sing out? Rev. Ernst offers five reasons to join in song.
Peter Clark Center Fact Check by Master Teacher
David Birrow
Interested in the science behind singing together? Mr. Birrow breaks it down.
1
2
Communal singing reduces stress , releases endorphins , and lessens anxiety. “You feel happier,” says Rev. Ernst, “and it’s fun to sing.”
Music promotes social bonding in large groups — there's a lot of research about this! Group singing also increases the release of oxytocin, linked to improvement of mood.
3
Music can connect us to our past . “We sing older songs that people for centuries have been singing,” they say. “There’s something sacred about that.”
Performing music that others have created, either now or in the past, situates you cognitively in an at least somewhat similar mindset to them.
Singing in unison is an exercise in listening . “It requires us to listen to one another and to hear one another. You have to match each other’s frequency.”
There’s a thing in biology called an “honest signal” which conveys accurate information about the sender. When we hear/listen, we recognize that not only are the other singers people but by singing with them we are sending back the signal that “I’m human, too!”
4
5
Being tone deaf is actually extremely rare. “When people say they’re not a good singer, I encourage them to try to find the note. Or you can start with humming,” says Rev. Ernst. “If everyone is engaged and singing with authority in a space, it naturally invites people who might be more shy or less confident to sing along.”
Congenital amusia affects less than 4 percent of the typical population.
Music resonates through your bones , literally. For certain songs, like Gregorian chants, “the frequency at which you sing is the same frequency at which your atoms are buzzing,” they say. “To me, it feels mystical and sacred, and it’s backed by science.” B
Our brain waves also sync when we listen to music together. Brainwave entrainment is the observation that brainwaves (large-scale electrical oscillations in the brain) will naturally synchronize to the rhythm of periodic external stimuli, including listening to music together.
Music can connect you back to a special time and place. Dean of Community Engagement Frederique Schmidt shares some of the songs she listens to again and again.
FRED’S ULTIMATE PLAYLIST
Tightrope
To
What I Am
Moving on Up
Let Me Clear My Throat
You Gotta Be I’ll Take You There
I Can’t Stand the Rain
Tomber la chemise
Rumour Has It
The World Didn’t Give It to Me
Black is Beautiful
My Love is Your Love FREEDOM
listen to Fred’s ultimate playlist, scan here.
“What I Am” by Sesame Street, featuring will.i.am, is my current pick-me-up song. I know, I know. Everyone over the age of 7 is probably rolling their eyes. But trust me. This song is amazing. I’ve been known to play it on repeat in the car. Even my teenager tolerates it.
I was a party DJ in college. Coincidentally, my DJ partner was Regan Falcon, who happens to be the current Middle School French teacher! Together, we were DJ Electric and Mayhem. Two of my favorite tracks were “Moving on Up” by M People and later “Let Me Clear My Throat” by DJ Kool. Once the lights came on and folks were moving to the exits, we’d send them off into the night with the wisdom of “You Gotta Be” by Des’ree
We visit Memphis on our 10th grade Civil Rights Trip and tour the Stax Records museum. I love the Memphis sound. Two of my all-time favorite songs are “I’ll Take You There” by the Staple Singers and “I Can’t Stand the Rain” by Ann Peebles
Janelle Monáe’s “Tightrope” is my go-to song for spontaneous kitchen dance parties with my family. When I listen to this song, my knees have a mind of their own.
As a young adult, I spent 12 summers working at Lac du Bois, the Concordia Language Villages French immersion summer camp. It’s one of my favorite places in the world, and it’s where I made some of my best friends for life (including my husband, Pierre.) “Tomber la chemise” by Zebda brings me back to joyful summers in the North Woods.
Former Middle School chaplain Alexis Kent and I listened to Adele’s 21 on repeat the first time we led a student trip to Thailand in 2012. “Rumour Has It” serves as a virtual time machine that takes me back to Christie’s Guest House, a little second floor hotel above a restaurant/bar in Ban Phe, near the pier where we took the ferry to Ko Samet.
“The World Didn’t Give It to Me” by Shirley Caesar is one of my favorite gospel songs, and I LOVE when we sing it in chapel. (Especially if Head Chaplain Rev. Katie Ernst is rocking out on the guitar.) The version by the Resistance Revival Chorus is perfect to listen to when the going gets rough.
Alum and local musician Mayyaada ’11 is incredible. I feel lucky to have seen her perform both at Breck and First Avenue. She has many great songs, but I’m picking “Black is Beautiful” because 1) it’s gorgeous and 2) she graciously allowed us to play it the first time Breck hosted Sweet Potato Comfort Pie’s MLK program in 2021.
Ever since “I Wanna Dance with Somebody,” had me twirling around my kitchen with my brother’s giant ALF doll (shout out to my fellow Gen Xers!) I have been a Whitney Houston FAN. Hands down my favorite Whitney song has to be “My Love is Your Love.”
One of the musicians I’ve been listening to most over the past couple years is Jon Batiste. I love that he crosses genres and tries to uplift folks with his music. New to his music? Listen to the song “FREEDOM” on the album WE ARE B
Students sing during the Middle School Choir Concert in December, conducted by Middle and Upper School Choir Director Dr. Camilla J. Horne.
WHERE ARE THEY NOW
We’re
with the band
The Hold Steady frontman Craig Finn ’89 loves what he’s doing even after 21 years.
Craig Finn ’89 was a new freshman going out for soccer at Breck when a couple of guys — Tom Anderson ’89 and Kent Bonniwell ’89 — approached him about the music-related t-shirt he was wearing.
“They talked to me about [my shirt] and said they wanted to start a band,” Finn remembers. “By the end of the year, we had a band.”
The band — called No Pun Intended — mainly played cover songs, and Breck gave them the opportunity to play at school dances and other events.
“They’d say, ‘We’re having an ice cream social; we need a band.’ Looking back, you don’t really need a band for an ice cream social,” Finn chuckles. “But I think they knew we had this thing we were trying to do, and they were very supportive and kind. I look back on that appreciatively because we weren’t great, but we were having a lot of fun with it, and we were trying.”
Today, Finn is the frontman for the indie-rock band The Hold Steady, which has released nine full length studio albums and is in its 21st year. Since 2012, Finn has also released six solo albums.
Finn’s passion for music began in high school where, in addition to having the band at Breck, he was constantly going to shows at First Avenue and idolizing local bands like The Replacements. At that time, being a professional musician wasn’t really on Finn’s radar.
“I didn’t have a concept of what it would mean to make a living out of music,” he says. “But I was always really into music.”
After graduating from Breck, Finn attended Boston College before moving back to the Twin Cities to work for American Express Financial Advisors. He formed another band called Lifter Puller, which played locally in the Twin Cities.
In 2000, Finn felt called to New York City where “the people I knew were pursuing creative things at a real professional level and trying to make a career out of it,” he says. He worked at a digital music company, and in 2003 formed The Hold Steady with a couple of guys who also had a connection to Minneapolis.
At first, the band was “just a way to get together on Tuesday nights,” but “it snowballed quickly,” with them recording music, playing shows, and releasing their first album. After they were the first band in 15 years to be featured on the cover of the Village Voice, everything changed.
“I went to work that day, picked up [the article] in the newsstand, and by the end of the day, things were different,” he says. He’s been touring since 2007, and today plays about 75 shows a year domestically and internationally between both The Hold Steady and his solo career.
“I really enjoy where I’m at now,” he says. “We’ve built a really great community around the band.”
That community includes Breck friends — and former teachers like Breck Math Department Chair Brad Peterson — who come support him at shows across the country and buy new albums when they are released. In 2023, The Hold Steady played at the Minnesota State Fair, which was a full circle moment for Finn, who credits Breck for giving him a place to belong and helping him build confidence.
Finn hopes to continue doing what he’s doing for as long as he can. “I still really love it,” he says. “You want to find areas to grow always — that might be growing your audience or growing yourself artistically. I have a personal goal to go to one new place each year. I want to keep making music, however that looks, in a way that’s comfortable, exciting, and still engaging.” B
To catch Craig Finn’s next show, visit craigfinn.net or theholdsteady.net .
Left: Craig is pictured third from right with The Hold Steady. Top: No Pun Intended pictured from left to right: Craig Finn ’89, Kent Mortimer ’89 (drums), Tom Anderson ’89, Kent Bonniwell ’89, and Greg Konezny. Bottom: pictured from left to right: Kent M., Greg, Kent B., Tom, and Craig.
To listen to The Hold Steady’s discography on Spotify, scan here.
Class Notes
1. Before school started, 21 ALUMNI FAMILIES with kids enrolled at Breck this year came out for the Legacy Family School Year Kickoff. We are grateful to have so many alumni families back at Breck!
2. So many ALUMNI came to campus for Homecoming this year, including alums who now have their kids at Breck!
KEITH BARTZ ’82 , FRED GOLDBERG ’83, BLAKE JOHNSON ’09, JOSH LUGER ’12 , and PAIGE OLOWU ’18 joined Breck’s Alumni Council this year.
3. FORMER BOYS HOCKEY COACHES WALLY CHAPMAN and JOHN FRAZIER hosted the first ever Breck Boys Hockey Alumni Golf Tournament at Montgomery National Course this summer.
At the Outstanding Alumni Awards this fall, SUSANNAH BROKL ’03, LIAM O’HAGAN ’04, MARIN (MCCARTHY) PAGE ’04, BRANDON ROBINSON ’04, 4. 2001 STATE CHAMPIONSHIP TENNIS TEAM, 1999–2000 GIRLS NORDIC TEAM were all inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame. Longtime coach DAVE KUST was awarded the Del Carter ’50 Memorial award. ADDIE GORLIN-HAN ’07 and RACHEL (KORDONOWY) MCGARRY ’91 were awarded the Excellence in the Arts award. 5. JON SEPTER ’01 was awarded the 2024 Alum of the Year.
6. Director of Athletics BRETT BERGENE , Head of School NATALIA R. HERNÁNDEZ , and Director of Alumni Engagement BRIAN SOBAS traveled to Chicago this October for a weekend of Breck alumni regional events!
7. The Breck alumni office hosted the annual ALUMNI HOLIDAY PARTY on December 19 at Surly Brewing Co. Scheid Hall. Thank you to all the alumni who came out and to former Chinese teacher MARGARET WONG who also made an appearance!
8. Thank you to all the alums who came out to play in the annual MEN’S AND WOMEN’S ALUMNI BASKETBALL GAME, which took place on Friday, December 20 in the Anderson Gym.
9. There was a great showing of Mustangs at the annual MEN’S ALUMNI HOCKEY GAME this year vs. Blake. Thank you to all the players who took the ice on December 21 in the Anderson Ice Arena repping their Breck jerseys!
60s & 70s
10. The CLASS OF 1964’s 60-year reunion took place on September 14. Thank you to RUSTY NELSON ’64 and DICK MYERS ’64 for planning the event.
11. RUSTY NELSON ’64 has been an official at a number of the section/state girls swim and dive meets over the years, including at the most recent section championship where the Mustangs won for the 12th time. Rusty is pictured singing the Alma Mater with the Breck team.
12. The CLASS OF 1974’s 50-year reunion took place on the Magnolia Blossom Cruise on September 21. Members of the CLASSES OF 1973–76 were in attendance. The event was organized by CHARLIE BAKER ’74 with assistance from R.T. RYBAK ’74, CATHERINE SCALLEN ’74, GARY STONE ’74, JIM WEINER ’74, MIKE MAMER ’73, BILL BAKER ’76, and BILL LYDON ’75
80s & 90s
13. The CLASS OF 1984’s 40-year reunion took place at the Monte Carlo Restaurant on September 21 and was organized by LIZ ELERT ‘84, MARGARET (MUG) HARSTAD ‘84, DINA WOLKOFF ‘84, KAREN (HORNER) MASON ‘84, JEAN (SARGENT) GAINES ‘84, and KATIE (FLANAGAN) STEIDLE ‘84. Former Breck teachers MARGARET WONG and DAN PHILLIPS were in attendance.
14. The CLASS OF 1989’s 35-year reunion took place at the Nolos Rooftop Restaurant on September 20, organized by HEIDI (SCHADOW) HUMPHREY ’89, KARI (ELLIS) COOK ’89, and ALLISON O’TOOLE ’89
15. ALLISON O’TOOLE ’89, CEO of Second Harvest Heartland, was elected as president of the Breck Board of Trustees.
16. KATIE WAHLQUIST ’93 has been named President/CEO and Board Chair of Star Bank. Katie serves Breck School as a member of the Alumni Council.
12. 13.
11.
17. The CLASS OF 1994’s 30-year reunion took place at Gluek’s on September 28, organized by CHRIS NEHER ’94, CHLOE CAPLAN ’94, and SARAH BURGESS ’94
MIKE FREIBERG ’95 spoke at Breck’s Youth in Government presentation in late September.
18. Breck’s CLASS OF 1999 gathered for their reunion in August at Pryes Brewing, organized by MIKE PROMAN ’99 and ALICIA LUTHER TOMS ’99
00s
19. LEAH (LUSSIER) SIXKILLER ’03 was awarded the 2024 Distinguished Alum award. Sixkiller is pictured at the Distinguished Alum Chapel with her husband, Jesse Sixkiller, and her parents Carol Engstrom-Lussier and Gary Lussier.
20. The CLASS OF 2004 celebrated their 20-year reunion at Brühaven Craft Company on October 26, planned by WYNNE REECE ’04 and JESSICA (DISCH) VINCE ’04
21. Cecile and LIAM O’HAGAN ’04 welcomed Maeve Arnabella O’Hagan (MAO) in October!
18.
20.
21.
17.
19.
22. MILES MARMO ’06 visited Breck to meet with students from the DECA Club and the Investment Club about entrepreneurship and Agency Squid and Noonan Golf Co.
JAMIE ERDAHL ’07, host of Good Morning Football, sounded the Gjallarhorn prior to the Vikings-Colts football game in November.
23. KEVIN SCHRECK ’07 returned to Minneapolis this fall to showcase his latest documentary, Antarctic Voyage, at the 2024 Twin Cities Film Festival. His film highlights a biological research expedition to the remote island of South Georgia to study the state of the region’s local wildlife in a changing world.
24. ROBBY BARBIERI ’09 experienced a life changing C4/C5 spinal cord injury in February of 2022, paralyzing him from the shoulders down. Since then, Robby has been an advocate for Tennesseans with disabilities through his organization, Music City Wheels, which hosted a fundraiser this fall.
25. BRITTNEY (FABER) ’09 and WILL OBERRENDER ’09 welcomed their 3rd child, Brooks, earlier this fall. His older siblings Liam and Camilla are thrilled to have a new sibling to play with!
26. MARY GOETZ ’09 and LORENTZ ABERG ’09 planned their CLASS OF 2009 15-year reunion, which took place at Pryes Brewing Company on Saturday, December 21.
10s
27. KRISTINA (TESTER) ’10 and ERIC CHIEN ’10 welcomed Theodore Robert Chien on 11/19/23 and are eagerly awaiting the arrival of baby boy #2 in April 2025. They are excited for their future Mustangs (Class of 2041 and 2042!).
28. The Chainbreakers, the latest middlegrade novel by JULIAN RANDALL ’11, was published this September. Randall’s first nonfiction book, The Dead Don’t Need Reminding: In Search of Fugitives, Mississippi and Black TV Nerd Sh*t was published in May.
24.
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
At the same table
Gia owners and co-head chefs Jo Seddon and Lisa (Graser) Wengler ’10 have an important thing in common: Breck.
In 2020, chefs Jo Seddon (pictured left) and Lisa (Graser) Wengler ’10 (pictured right) were cooking and chatting. Amidst the pandemic, Seddon was considering enrolling her children, Romilly ’30, James ’32, and Darcy ’36, at Breck.
“I was like, ‘that’s where I graduated from!’” remembers Wengler. “Now, I get to live vicariously because they’re doing all the fun things I still miss.”
Seddon and Wengler are co-owners/chefs at Gia, an authentic, mostly Italian (“We slip a lot of French food in there,” says Seddon) restaurant in South Minneapolis. The pair met in 2017 while working at the now closed Bellecour in Wayzata and have been cooking together in one way or another ever since.
Gia, which will celebrate its one year anniversary in February, is a neighborhood restaurant with a weekly-rotating seasonal menu that aims to build community through food.
“I think making connections is as important to us as making delicious food,” says Seddon, “because in the end, a restaurant rises and falls with hospitality.”
Wengler agrees: “We always set out with the aim to have it feel like we’re welcoming people into our homes when they come here.”
It’s no surprise that two people who value community so deeply are also connected to a place like Breck. Members of the Breck community have been supporting Seddon and Wengler at Gia since the beginning.
“All of these people who have children at Breck or who I went to school with are showing up here — people I haven’t seen since I graduated — to support us,” says Wengler. “It’s so cool to see a face from across the dining room that I haven’t seen in like 15 years.”
“It’s such a cool thing that even somebody you’re not in contact with reads about our restaurant, remembers this person, and thinks ‘I really want to come and support their restaurant,’” says Seddon. “That feeling of community and the ties that run deep, that’s amazing.” B
Learn more about Gia at giampls.com.
NYASIA ARRADONDO-RUSSELL ’12 was nominated for the Women’s Press 2024 Changemaker Award for her work at ANEW Chemical Health Services and ANEW Health & Wellness Clinic.
CALEB KUMAR ’13 works as a researcher developing data-driven health care solutions for the Harvard University School of Public Health in Boston.
29. Lily Smith and J.J. PHILLIPS ’13 were married on August 19, 2023. Included in the wedding party pictured left to right was JACK O’CONNOR ’13, JAKE HOLMES ’13, JOEY GAMER ’13, J.J. PHILLIPS ’13, DUFFY FALLON ’13, and two additional non-Breck friends.
30. Volleyball alumnae ALLISON COLE ’14, ARYKA SANDERS-DAWKINS ’13, ALAYNA O’BRYAN ’13, HALLE HUFF ’13, and MIKAELA ROBINSON ’13 got together to cheer on the varsity girls volleyball team versus SPA on September 11.
31. LESLIE HAYES ’14, DAVID CARUSO ’14, and MARDRYKA ADZICK ’14 planned their CLASS OF 2014 10-year reunion, which took place at Par365 on Saturday, December 21.
32. MOHAMMED LAWAL ’15 recently started as a vice president at Oaktree Capital Management.
33. Last February, CONRAD SMITS ’17 moved to Amsterdam to start as a manager at Firsty, a top eSIM travel app that helps people stay connected.
34. GRACE ZUMWINKLE ’17 visited campus in October and brought with her the Walter Cup, which her team won in the inaugural PWHL championship in May. She is pictured with Breck’s girls hockey team.
MADELINE SILTON ’18 helped produce The Critic, a story about a vicious theater critic in London in 1934 starring Ian McKellen, Mark Strong, and Gemma Arterton. The film was shown across Minnesota this fall at Mann Theaters.
Are you looking for career advice or to make a career change?
Reach out to the Alumni Council's Careers and Connection Committee by scanning the code.
30. 32. 33.
31.
29.
In Memoriam
It is with a heavy heart that we share the passing of members of our alumni community. Please keep the following Mustangs and their families in your thoughts and prayers:
Arnold Leonard ’48
Richard Strate ’52
Otto Brunke ‘54
William Hoddinot ‘57
Judd Herrmann ’6
Peter Anderson ’65
Kent Guptil ’74
Virginia (Kuechle) Schauss ’75
Chris Crutchfield ’88
Adam Jones ’01
We recognize there may be others in our community who have passed away but are not listed here. Please reach out to alumni@breckschool.org if there is someone who should be listed in the next issue.
35. The CLASS OF 2019 ’s 5-year reunion took place on November 30 at Bear Cave. This reunion was planned by ABIGAIL WESSON ’19 and JACK WOLF ’19
20s
MADIGAN HOGAN ’20 lives in Washington, D.C. and works as a research analyst for an open-source intelligence research company called Janes doing geoeconomic threat intelligence research based in Russia and China.
36. Senior forward KAITLYN MACBEAN ’20 and her Penn State Nittany Lions made it to the Elite 8 of the NCAA Division I Women’s Soccer Tournament. Kaitlyn intends to enter the National Women’s Soccer League draft in January.
37. This summer, ABBY SAMUEL ’21 interned with the Breck Alumni Office. Over the summer, TOR EVENSTAD ’22 worked at Tuthill Porsche, a rally car racing company in Wardington, U.K. There, he did media work, including making a short documentary and photographing some of their cool and interesting cars.
38. SARAH FENG ’23 performed with Something Extra, Yale’s premier women’s a capella group at the Chapel of the Holy Spirit on January 10.
SYDNEY MCDANIEL ’23 traveled last summer to Uganda as part of a Duke Engage trip to work with the NGO Bringing Hope to the Family Uganda. There, she worked at the clinic Hope Again Medical Center and taught at a private primary school.
If you want more Breck alumni news between Today at Breck issues, check out the alumni e-newsletter at breckschool.org/alumni
You can learn about upcoming events, read interviews, and more.
38.
37.
36.
Orchestrating excellence
IN THEIR OWN WORDS
Longtime Strings Teacher Claudette Laureano shares how she built Breck’s string program from the ground up.
My love affair with teaching began in 1982 at Breck. Headmaster John Littleford was looking to hire someone to start a string program, and a friend of mine brought my name up to him for consideration. It was one week before school, and since I seemed to be the only candidate, I got the job. What did I get myself into? I was a freelance violinist and private violin instructor, but Breck hired me to build up a string program and conduct an orchestra, neither of which I had ever done before.
The string program began with 18 students: 11 from fifth and sixth grade, five from seventh and eighth grade, and two from ninth grade. At first, I had no idea what to do, but as the year progressed, my program started to take shape.
In order to increase the number of students, I invited student musicians who played stringed instruments but who were not enrolled in the Orchestra Program to join us for concerts. We performed in chapel several times, and that was the best
“publicity” I had to recruit. By the end of six years, the program had grown to 65 students.
I dreamed of having a family, so in 1988, I left Breck with that hope. Our son Max ’09 was born in 1990, and our daughter Kiko ’13 in 1995. I loved being a stay-at-home mom, and until they began school full day (at Breck), it was where I needed to be.
In 2003, Head of School Sam Salas called me and asked me to return to my old position at Breck. He asked me to build up the string program to the highest artistic level possible. I liked the idea of working at Breck again, and since my children were there, it seemed like a logical move. I also felt more prepared to work in a classroom setting because, in 1988, my husband and I were hired as the co-music directors of the Minnesota Youth Symphonies, which we built up to become one of the leading youth orchestra programs in the nation.
Upon my return to Breck, there was a mass exodus of students from orchestra. I had different
expectations and goals from my predecessor, and I laid them out on the first day of class. Artistry was my primary focus, and the students who stayed were anxious to learn what I had to offer. Daily practice was expected; this led to stronger technique, which led to more difficult repertoire.
Teaching challenging music was immensely satisfying to me, and I loved working on the repertoire, which, over the years, included the Vivaldi Four Seasons, Schindler’s List, the Brandenburg Concerto No. 3, the Corelli Christmas Concerto, and more. In addition, the orchestra and choir collaborated on great choral works such as Handel’s Messiah, Vivaldi’s Gloria, Schubert’s Mass in G, and Mozart’s Regina Coeli, to name a few.
Over the years, I would ask my husband, one of the leading principal trumpeters (Minnesota Orchestra) in the country, to come in to perform solos with the Breck Chamber Players. Those experiences were eye opening for the students who were considering careers in music and fun for both performers and audiences alike!
I am committed to excellence and pushing students to better themselves. My students say I am tough but fair; I push as hard with younger students as I do with older ones, but I also know when to back off. I have learned that students will not melt or crumble when criticized so long as they are taught how to correct mistakes and be successful.
Teaching in a preschool–12 setting has some unique advantages. I got to meet many of my future students during the fourth-grade rotation (where students try all the string/band instruments for a week), and often the students who chose a stringed instrument would stay with me through their senior year. By now, I have graduated dozens of students who were with me for eight years, and I graduated my first of several “grand-students” last year.
Although many aspects of Breck have changed over the years, the passion and commitment I have seen in my students has remained the same. Success is a great thing! It incentivizes you to push harder and reach higher goals. I love seeing that ambition in my young musicians. If they think they can, they do. The “goal” is to always aim higher.
Breck changed my professional focus from performer to teacher. I met many inspiring and wonderful people along the way and will be forever grateful to John Littleford for taking a chance on me and Sam Salas for talking me into returning after a 15-year hiatus. The ancient Chinese philosopher Confucius wisely said, “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” He was right. B
Notes of dedication
Alums reflect on the impact Claudette Laureano had on them as musicians — and people.
“Claudette Laureano is the kind of educator who shapes you if you’re lucky enough to learn from her. She didn’t just prepare me for a career as a professional performing artist; she prepared me for life. Music education plays a crucial role in the overall development of students. Claudette Laureano is the reason why.”
Zoey Preston ’11 , former professional opera singer and current copywriter
“I think the secret to Claudette Laureano’s amazing success as an educator and conductor is her ability to instill a sense of music as a lifetime pursuit — a vocation that you can take with you, even if you aren’t bound for the professional stage (which in my time, most of us weren’t). She sets the bar high and inspires you to always, unequivocally, give your very best.”
Mike Mattison ’87, musician and vocalist of the Grammy Award-winning blues rock/soul group, the Tedeschi Trucks Band
“Working with Claudette Laureano at Breck was invaluable to my career as a violinist. Her meticulous, dedicated, and joyful approach to teaching helped shape my teaching identity, and I strive to share those same values with my colleagues and students at every level.”
Julian Maddox ’15 , violin faculty at the National Orchestral Institute and Festival
Breck Chamber Players at the Ordway in 1986.
Spring 2025 Performing Arts Events
february 13 Minnesota Music Educators Conference
Breck Chamber Players Minneapolis Convention Center 11:15 a.m.
february 21–22
Musical Theater Cabaret
Upper School
Cargill Theater 2/21 and 2/22 at 7:00 p.m.
april 25 Dance Concert
Upper and Middle School
Cargill Theater 7:00 p.m.
april 29 Choir Concert with BATO BATO!
Upper School Chapel of the Holy Spirit 7:00 p.m.
april 30 Stringfest
Upper and Middle School Orchestra
Cargill Theater 7:00 p.m.
may 2 Jazzfest
Upper School Upper School Dining Room 7:00 p.m.
may 6 Band Concert Middle School Chapel of the Holy Spirit 7:00 p.m.
may 8 Choir Concert Middle School Chapel of the Holy Spirit 7:00 p.m.
may 16–18 Spring Musical
Disney’s High School Musical, Jr.
Middle School
Cargill Theater 5/16 and 5/17 at 7:00 p.m. 5/18 at 2:00 p.m.
may 22 4th Grade Celebration
Cargill Theater 9:30 a.m.
may 30 Closing Concert
Lower School Chapel of the Holy Spirit 9:00 a.m.
This fall, new furniture was installed in Salas Commons to enhance learning and encourage collaboration. The Breck Fund made this — and so much more — possible.
Make your gift today!
Students at the annual Skate with the Mustangs event in November.
