Behind Stowe Spring 2015

Behind Stowe WA L N U T H I L L S C H O O L F O R T H E A R T S

Spring & Summer 2015

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Volume 5 Number 1

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Behind Stowe WA L N U T H I L L S C H O O L F O R T H E A R T S

Spring & Summer 2015

Volume 5 Number 1

Whether signing up for extra voice lessons, starting a fundraiser to help those in need, or coming together with friends to work on a collaborative artistic project (just for the fun of it)—Walnuts are always pushing themselves and learning from the experience. Given the remarkable things that seem to happen when our students take charge, it only made sense to let them take over this issue of Behind Stowe magazine, and we’re so glad we did!

In this issue, Walnut Hill students shine a light on every nook and cranny of the campus experience. You’ll read about the excitement of examining multiple viewpoints in the classroom, the rewarding challenges of capturing dancers on film, and the way a music master class can reveal new things about one’s peers. You’ll even hear about events from the perspective of the students who participated in them. As you flip through the pages, we hope you will feel proud to be a part of this amazing community where each individual student gets to make his or her own special mark!

MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE Betsy Blazar Director of Marketing & Communications Amanda Grazioli Director of Content Marketing DEVELOPMENT OFFICE Bruce Smith Chief Development Officer Jennifer TumSuden Director of Annual Giving Alicia Kim-Shen Data and Research Manager Lindsay Moncrieff Development Associate

EDITORIAL TEAM Judy Kiviat Editorial Assistant Betsy Blazar Design PHOTOGRAPHY Scott Bump Coffee Pond Liza Voll

2 FEATURE

On Art and Happiness 1

14

30

A NOTE FROM

A YEAR IN REVIEW

SAMUEL KURKJIAN

NORTH HOUSE

6 ON COLLABORATION

A look back at a year of art making

23

Hayen Kim ’16 on photographing dancers

MASTER CLASSES

8

26

CLASS NOTES

LOOKING FORWARD

12 IN HIS OWN WORDS

Sean Lammer ’15 on his trip to Paris

Yiming (Sebastian) Li ’16 on music master classes

Noah Carmel ’16 on Julie Faulstich moving on from the Hill

28 AFTER HOURS ON THE HILL

MEMORIAL EVENT

32 ALUMNI WEEKEND

34 MEET OUR NEW TRUSTEES

36 SEEN ON AND OFF THE HILL

Visiting artists and master classes

38 GRADUATION

© 2015 Walnut Hill School for the Arts. All rights reserved. Published by Walnut Hill School for the Arts, 12 Highland Street, Natick, MA 01760-2199 (tel) 508.653.4312 (fax) 508.653.9593 | Please send change of address to alumni@walnuthillarts.org

www.youtube.com/walnuthillschool | www.facebook.com/walnuthill | www.walnuthillarts.org | 508.653.4312

A NOTE FROM NORTH HOUSE

Live in the Moment

We often talk about success here on Walnut Hill’s campus. What does it mean to be an artist? What level of achievement do I have to reach to be considered great? How many more times do I have to fall and pick myself back up again? If I were asked to share advice with other students, I would tell them the following: What I have come to discover about success in the past four years is that in order to succeed in anything, you must make fun a priority! As students in our chosen fields, it is normal to feel overwhelmed and maxed out with the amount of work we are obligated to finish. We all have academic and artistic work to complete on a daily basis, and what’s crucial to making these assignments—or any assignment— enjoyable is to make sure that you are loving what you are doing every day.

By being accepted to Walnut Hill, you already have what it takes: the drive, the ambition, and the ability to dive right into the always-blossoming culture on campus.

You are prepared to succeed on whatever path you have decided to travel down— just make sure it is one that you are passionate about.

The moments that I will remember most after graduation are the ones that I shared with friends I have been fortunate enough to be surrounded by for four years.

The amount of joy, laughter, and most definitely tears that we have shed on these grounds are crucial to what makes the Walnut Hill experience so memorable.

Don’t forget to make time for one another as much as you possibly can. Don’t forget to enjoy glorious snow days with friends, to bask (safely) in the sun, to run around the field making a fool of yourself, to make new friendships outside of your social group, and most importantly to laugh every time you get the chance.

I am a firm believer in the relationships that I have made here on campus with my fellow artists, teachers, dorm parents, and administrative staff, and I know that they will carry on even after Graduation Day. These are the people who make Walnut Hill the very place it is. I will never forget what someone once said to me, “Wherever you end up in the world, you will never feel more accepted, more respected, and even more loved than you already are, as a part of this community.” So I say to soak up every moment you have left and strive to have the best, most heartwarming fun while traveling on your personal journey to finding success.

Chadam Pires ’15 Community Council President (2014–2015) Spring & Summer 2015

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ON ART AND HAPPINESS

by Gabe Braunstein ’16

2 | Behind Stowe

www.walnuthillarts.org

FEATURE

I

f I were asked to give only one word to describe Walnut Hill, I would choose joyous.

Beyond the engaging discussion in humanities classes, beyond the thrill of editing a poem or singing onstage, and beyond the fire lit in every student to be a creative, humanitarian individual, there is a certain soul of Walnut Hill that, on a daily basis, moves me to find peace and pleasure in my surroundings. Having now attended three high schools, I can say that even in institutions of great opportunity, this feeling of contentment, unique to Walnut Hill, fueled by committed faculty and bright-eyed peers, is hard to come by. Our commitment to processbased learning and the creation of art lays a foundation that allows each student to freely seek the joy of being alive. As I pass the murals in the academic building each day on my way to the Writing Studio, I often have to suspend my disbelief in the fact that I am lucky enough to be part of a community where people spend their days shamelessly and earnestly creating works of art to provoke new thought, or perhaps just to add beauty to the world. My days on the Hill have been few, and soon (as I head into my senior year) they will be numbered, but the School’s careful embrace of the entirety of each student— not just his or her performance, accolades, or intellect— will impact me for an immeasurable amount of time.

The true value in education is not learning what to think, but rather how to think. In some premier institutions, this important distinction is overlooked, but at Walnut Hill, it is paramount. As humans, we encounter an enormous amount of stuff each day—advertising, books, media reports, conversation, and lectures—and we tend to encounter it at face value without consideration. Because these “facts” are not questioned, we run the risk of subconsciously developing an incredibly specific and limited worldview that cannot be changed without true education. This phenomenon, although heightened by the technology of today’s world, is not a new one; its recorded history dates back to Plato, when he wrote of doxa, the things of life that shape a human being. There is an inherent curiosity in each student at Walnut Hill that faculty use as a foundation to form minds capable of recognizing doxa, seeing past it, and finally making OPPOSITE PAGE Justin Showell ,15, Alysha McCluskey '16, Sydney Shepherd ,15, Noah Carmel ,16, Mike Jin '17, and Olivia Blaisdell '16 in front of a mural in the Academic Technology Center RIGHT Gabe Braunstein ,16 and Samantha Pallat ,17 at the Massachusetts State House.

Spring & Summer 2015

an informed choice as to what to think about anything.

This rewarding practice was made clear to me when after reading selected passages on Andrew Jackson in a U.S. history class, my classmates and I were asked to make individual decisions about whether or not to regard Jackson’s presidency in a positive light. We were not examining objective facts, but were being asked to make an educated decision that was completely personal. This classroom experience was especially freeing for me, and I believe Walnut Hill holds such lessons to be incredibly important to participating in a true liberal arts education.

At Walnut Hill, we recognize that skills learned in a history class can seamlessly be transferred to a discussion of current events . . . or to a theater class. Perhaps what is most special about Walnut Hill is that beyond the decision to teach students how to think, the School also offers us the privilege to receive arts training, enabling us to create works that illustrate to an audience how to see past doxa themselves.

If there is one thing I have learned about writing at Walnut Hill, it is to embrace process. There is a part of developing your craft that requires revisiting pieces of work many times, just to imagine alternative directions they might take.

Writing is 10% creativity, 10% perspiration, and 80% editing.

This spring, I read a piece at Black on White, my department’s annual reading, that had its genesis two weeks into the school year, seven months before its first presentation.

TAKING IT OFF THE HILL In February, Gabe Braunstein ’16, Samantha Pallat ’17, and Director of Community Programs Alexis Liston attended a youth arts advocacy retreat led by MASSCreative. Afterward, the trio joined representatives of MASSCreative and the Hyde Square Task Force to present a message supporting arts funding, including 3,000 signatures backing the Arts in Action petition, to Massachusetts governor Charlie Baker.

Behind Stowe | 3

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“There are these two young fish swimming along, and they happen to meet an older fish swimming the other way, who nods at them and says, ‘Morning, boys, how's the water?’ And the two young fish swim on for a bit, and then eventually one of them looks over at the other and goes, ‘What the hell is water?’”

I am lucky to be with those who commit to study what is apparent around them, without taking anything for granted.

Learning to practice the arts in a classroom setting has given me the freedom to approach all facets of life with clear intent, while remaining aware of my impact and retaining the magic that initially draws me into studying or discussing something.

In David Foster Wallace’s 2005 commencement speech at Kenyon College, he opens with an illuminating anecdote on awareness, or the lack thereof:

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Never before would I have wanted to give that amount of time to any piece of art, nor would I have appreciated the nuance of syntax or select word choice. My newfound respect for the editing process has been due to the immense dedication the writing faculty have for their jobs. At Walnut Hill, teachers take their personal experiences as active artists and shape them into valuable advice. Had I continued to practice art in the shadows of a “typical high school,” I never would have developed the crucially important training of craft and deliberateness that is central to the arts curriculum at Walnut Hill. Learning to practice the arts in a classroom setting has given me the freedom to approach all facets of life with clear intent, while remaining aware of my impact and retaining the magic that initially draws me into studying or discussing something.

At Walnut Hill, we take the mundane, the everyday, and twist, chew, even spit on it until the hidden magic of it all comes into view. The importance of educating those who feel inclined to create lays apparent before me, because its practice has produced a lovely residue on everything I do. I am now prepared to pursue college as an intellectually empowered student, and I am also a fuller human, ready to beautify the world, to begin conversation with an audience, and to form my experience of the world into the most joyous one it can be. ♦

Gabe Braunstein is a Writing major from Arlington, MA.

ABOVE, CLOCKWISE: A sampling of Gabe's favorite spots for inspiration, described by him: This is really an assemblage of things that make me happy. Writers really love their things; they are where memories are stored. Who could beat Edie Sedgwick? Like it or not, she may be the most important influence on American pop culture in the last 55 years; Reading is perhaps the most important part of writing. I try to balance reading prose and poetry from the present and throughout history, but often get stuck with 20th-century novels. That said, Junot Díaz is one of the best-established writers who are publishing today; Some of my generative work begins in class, with my classmates, in the studio. It is always a pleasure to see what other writers are thinking about and to introduce them to new material for feedback. It goes without saying that members of the Writing faculty are seminal influences and without them I would have learned very little this year; Whenever I lose the thread of a piece, I always turn to absentmindedly playing music. I am inspired in my poetry to lyrically emulate artists like Bruce Springsteen, Lou Reed, and Frank Hurricane.

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www.walnuthillarts.org

TELETHON

Telethon On December 16, 2014, we hosted Walnut Hill's first-ever live telethon! In a single night, we raised $30,191 from 112 donors (including a generous trustee who matched the first $5,000 of gifts), all while enjoying a night of fun performances and laughs. Forty-four Walnut Hill students volunteered their time to make calls and share their talents, and the result was nothing short of amazing.

TOP ROW Nancy Purdy P’16, Andrew Purdy ’16, Alley Ellis ’16, Zan Berube ’16, Carrie Berube P,16; Rachel Ravel ,15, Steve Durning, Jack Dwyer ,15; MIDDLE ROW: Student callers hard at work in the ATC; Zan Berube ,16, Chadam Pires ,15, Gabe Braunstein ,16, Nick Fuller ,15; Tias Volker ,17, Yan Diego Wilson ,16; BOTTOM: Students and Development Office staff celebrating the successful event with a new rendition of "Let It Snow"

Spring & Summer 2015

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O N CO L L ABO R AT IO N

Capturing Beauty

by Hayen Kim ’16

I

didn’t realize that I could capture so much movement and beauty with a film camera.

Taking 450 black-and-white photographs of the senior dancers in the fall was a memorable journey that challenged me and carried me to a new

level as a growing photographer. I had mixed feelings—both excited and nervous for the new experience—when I first heard about the project from Mara [Milner ’15] and Matthew [Gilmore ’15]. (Special thanks to Yan Diego Wilson ’16 for recommending me to them!) I should have realized that it was going to be an enormous project when I set out to purchase 18 rolls of film from Pauline in the Bookstore. In truth, I prefer film photography, which requires a lot of time and effort, for the depth of the atmosphere can be never shown in the instant photos.

The first challenges came in setting up the initial shots. I frequently lost my words as I tried to give directions to the dancers, especially since it was hard for me as a nonnative English speaker to find exact words in such

intense conditions. It also felt strange to be directing some of the students whom I did not know as well. Thanks to the models’ understanding and consideration, I was able to focus on capturing their beauty.

It was also difficult to imagine the dancers’ movements broken into fragments because I was so familiar with seeing them flow on the stage.

I had to remind the dancers continuously to stop and hold their positions.

This was a huge physical effort for them, and because I was working with film I was nervous that I would somehow ruin it and the dancers’ efforts would be lost. At the same time, I was very excited to see the scenes that I captured, especially because I would have to wait until the prints

ABOVE Clockwise from top left: Matthew Gilmore, Mara Milner, Sean Lammer, Carolan Norris and Noel Jensen, Emily Hug, Tess Voelker OPPOSITE Top to bottom: Moscelyne ParkeHarrison; Carolan Norris; Moscelyne ParkeHarrison, Sean Lammer, Mara Milner, Matthew Gilmore, Carolan Norris.

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paper and working in the darkroom for a couple of months incessantly.

As I told the dancers and others, I am honored to have had the

The dancers’ movements and poses gave the black-and-white photography, which could be stiff at times, a flexible vitality.

various subjects and models in the previous two years in Holly Worthington’s Photography class, but I had never seen my ability to push the limits until this collaboration project in the fall. Finally, in the beginning of November, I had the final prints and the incomparable experience in my hand in return for the challenges—both the earlier ones and those of going through at least 100 sheets of photo

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were developed in the darkroom.

The dancers’ movements and poses gave the black-and-white photography, which could be stiff at times, a flexible vitality. I had photographed

opportunity to work with such talented people and create art with them. Thanks to the senior dancers, especially Mara and Matthew, and to Holly, for allowing me to do such a wonderful project! ♦

A Visual Art major, Hayen Kim is from Busan, South Korea. She will serve as Community Council President in the 2015–2016 school year.

What happens when a stellar visual art student teams up with talented and passionate dancers?

Collaboration at its best.

Spring & Summer 2015

Behind Stowe | 7

CLASS NOTES

Class Notes at Walnut Hill Submit Class Notes online at walnuthillarts.org/alumni or email alumni@walnuthillarts.org.

We love including your photos in Class Notes.

Photos should be at least 300 dpi and no less than 5 inches wide. Please feel free to contact us with questions . . . we want to make sure your photos look terrific.

life, and travel skills that really made this European adventure possible for her and her family. Adrienne's advice to current students (and their parents): “Never underestimate the value of the experiences and education you are investing in at Walnut Hill. The benefits will be recognized throughout your life. Best of luck to the Class of 2015, and I wish all my past classmates and teachers a great reunion weekend! Keep in touch via Facebook or at adrienne.dueck@gmail.com.”

1987 1965

LISA CURRIER BATCHELDER , known as

Sandi Currier in the 1960s, is a new children’s author, having recently released two books with Halo Publishing. She is now singing in conjunction with storytelling to promote her books. She was invited to perform at the prestigious Southwest Florida Reading Festival in Fort Myers on March 21. Lisa enjoyed reminiscing with her classmates at their 50th Reunion (she cannot believe how long it has been!) this past spring.

1970

TERRY ATKINSON was sad

to miss out on her class's 45th Reunion this year! She finds herself in the sandwich generation in Greenfield, MA, as she cares for her 90-year-old mom, while trying to get a busy, but sleepy, 16-year-old out of bed in the morning! Terry is

8 | Behind Stowe

working as a Title I teacher for grades 2–6 in Bernardston, MA, and is part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Climate Stewards Education Project.

1985

Shortly after her 25th Reunion visit at Walnut Hill in 2010, ADRIENNE GURNETT DUECK together with her husband, Kevin, and their three kids (Drake, 12; Tess, 10; and Finn, 8), moved from Phoenix, AZ, to the tiny European country of Luxembourg for her husband's work. It's been an amazing journey—they enjoy traveling at every opportunity and in the past five years have visited cities in 25 different countries. They moved to San Jose, CA, this July and hope to never stop traveling and trying new things. Adrienne remains forever grateful to Jackie Sand, faculty emeritas, who gave her language,

TRACY MACDONALD re-

turned to campus in February and had a chance to catch up with STEVE DURNING and ANNE MURPHY , whom she had as teachers while she was a student. Tracy is a working filmmaker and mother of three—Esme, 17; Ella, 13; and Salvador, 4—which has kept her really busy, but the past couple of years have been especially exciting. She received four Emmy nominations for A Gulf Coast Journal and GO! Northwest, television shows that she produced for WEDU/PBS in Tampa, FL, and KOIN/CBS in Portland, OR. Currently, she and her husband, Matt

Zodrow (former creative director for PBS in Tampa), are producing their first independent feature-length documentary, WHITELANDIA, in partnership with the International Documentary Association and the Oregon Assembly for Black Affairs. Walnut Hill alum LUKE ROTHSCHILD ’89 will be scoring the film, and Tracy cannot wait to work with him. She and Matt were asked to speak about the film at a TEDx event at the University of Oregon—an amazing opportunity! Tracy was also lucky enough to have a visit with alum JENNIFER WELLS , who was in Portland visiting her sister.

1988

ADAM GRIFFIN recently

filmed a spot as the father in Johnsonville's Father's Day campaign for Droga5.

1989

BEVIN KELLEY was one

of three Rhode Island composers to be awarded a $25,000 fellowship from the Rhode Island Foundation. The program provides one of the largest nostrings-attached awards available to composers in the United States and will allow Bevin to compose and perform new works.

1990

ABOVE Tracy MacDonald ’87 and Steve Durning having coffee

Congratulations to CRISTIN GREGORY on the birth of her first child, August Quinn Gregory, in January 2015. Cristin continues to be busy with her acupuncture and herb practice in Davidson, NC.

www.walnuthillarts.org

1991

1995

performing with the Metropolitan Opera in Macbeth and Aida as a dancer.

Most recently, she choreographed a Broadway musical for the New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) and an episode for MTV’s show Awkward.

Since leaving Walnut Hill, Kelby performed with Hartford Ballet, State Ballet of Missouri, Pennsylvania Ballet, and Los Angeles Ballet, as well as with both LA Opera and New York’s Metropolitan Opera. He has had opportunities to work with Usher, Madonna, Lady Gaga, and Celine Dion.

Kelby also served as choreographer for the feature film Spring Breakdown and for the opening number of the Kids’ Choice Awards with Justin Timberlake.

and her longtime business partner, Brad Zeifman, were recently engaged to be married. In 2007, the two co-founded Shadow Public Relations, which represents some of the most influential names in luxury products and services, the world of beauty and fashion, retail business, and the restaurant and hospitality industry, as well as special events.

Lisette’s mother, JACKIE SAND , faculty emerita, is enjoying being a grandmother and remains an ac-

KELBY BROWN is currently

MELANIE ATKINS VARGA ,

former soloist and current children’s ballet mistress at Boston Ballet, was featured in an article in the Boston Globe for her involvement in rehearsing ballet students for Boston Ballet’s beloved holiday tradition, The Nutcracker.

1992

DESIREE SANCHEZ MEINECK

is currently the artistic director of Aquila Theatre, which is based in New York and tours both across the United States and abroad. The company has been in existence for over 20 years, performing classic works reinvented for modern audiences and with a very physical approach.

Spring & Summer 2015

LISETTE SAND-FREEDMAN

tive member of the Walnut Hill community. Lisette, Brad, and son Dylan are eagerly awaiting the arrival of a new member of the family—a daughter due in the fall.

Notes from the Hill Student and Faculty Accomplishments

1997

ZOE SCOFIELD was named

a 2015 Guggenheim Fellow for Choreography.

Fellows are chosen on the basis of prior achievement and exceptional promise.

Zoe is thrilled to be representing the Seattle dance community in this way.

1997 Jack McCollough’s women’s wear and accessories brand, Proenza Schouler, continues to lead the way in fashion, as showcased by Beyoncé’s gorgeous dress for the 2015 Grammys!

Writing, Film & Media Arts faculty member Ronan Noone had two of his plays professionally produced in the Greater Boston area in 2015. The Second Girl, a moving Irish drama set with Eugene O’Neill’s classic Long Day’s Journey into Night as a backdrop, made its world premiere at the Huntington Theatre Company. His comedy Scenes from an Adultery ran in the spring at New Repertory Theatre.

Early in 2015, The Center for Arts in Natick (TCAN) mounted an exhibition of work by Director of Visual Art Jim Woodside. The show featured paintings spanning 1988 to 1995, some of which had never been shown previously, and ranging in size from 12" x 12" to 6' x 7'!

Many members of the Walnut Hill community were able to attend the gallery closing reception and show their support.

After winning the 2014 Boston Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition, Chris Behind Stowe | 9

Notes from the Hill Rogers-Beadle ’15 joined conductor Thomas Wilkins and the Boston Symphony Orchestra for a performance of the finale from Bartók’s Viola Concerto.

A number of voice students from Walnut Hill competed in Powers Music School’s Peter Elvins Vocal Competition, including Teddy Edgar ’16 (First Place winner), Sara Hargrave ’17 (Third Place winner), Lydia Li ’15 and Annika Vlock-Drewitz ’16 (both Top 5 finalists), and Min-Seong Kim ’16 and Mats Roolvink ’16 (both semifinalists).

Mary Buckingham ’16, Teddy Edgar ’16, Lydia Li ’15, Erica Maul ’17, Maddy Meyer ’15, Olivia Mastorakos ’17, and Annika VlockDrewitz ’16 were selected as regional finalists in the Classical Singer Competition and went on to compete at the national level, where Edgar was named a National Finalist in Musical Theatre and a National Semifinalist in Classical (an award that comes with a full scholarship to Temple University).

A number of Walnut Hill students won Scholastic Art & Writing Awards this year, including Maeve Benz ’17 (Silver Key and Honorable Mention Awards in poetry), Gabe Braunstein ’16 (Silver Key and Honorable Mention Awards in poetry), Helli Fang ’16 (Silver Key Award in poetry), Samantha Mackertich ’16 (Silver Key Award for a dramatic script), Lucia Mulligan ’18 (Honorable Mention Award in poetry),

1 0 | Behind Stowe

PAULA WILSON works as a

freelance copywriter and dubbing/voiceover director. She adapts the scripts, does the casting, and directs the English-language dubs for foreign-language cartoons. She is also the creator and artistic director of The International Partner Dance Intensive (TIPDI), a summer dance program for adult dancers.

In between voiceover gigs, she writes for a celebrity gossip website, while also dancing and competing on the West Coast Swing circuit.

2000

STEPHANIE BRATNICK is liv-

ing in Mayto, a little beach village on the Pacific, where she runs a retreat center on a sustainable ranch and teaches yoga.

2002

JONATHAN PARKS-RAMAGE

left the Sundance Channel to pursue writing full-time.

He and his writing partner were selected for the Film Independent Screenwriting Fellowship, which was completed in the fall of 2014. They also recently had the opportunity to write for the CBS Diversity Showcase.

2003

ADRIANE POST is a violinist

with the Handel + Haydn Society in Boston. She recently performed with its period instrument orchestra in Mendelssohn's Elijah at Symphony Hall, along with her husband, cellist Paul Dwyer.

ADRIENNE WATKINSON HARMON and CHRISTINA MCGANN are both individu-

ally teaching violin and performing in Nashville, TN. They happened to bump into each other while performing with the Gateway Chamber Orchestra and ended up being stand partners. They have been having a blast reconnecting and catching up since their time together at Walnut Hill!

TY FREEDMAN created and

ABOVE Breanne Starke Clarke ,04, Russell, and baby Emma

2005

BRIGA HEELAN , former star

of NBC’s Ground Floor, will be starring with Sam Huntington as a married couple who moves to the suburbs in a new NBC comedy, How We Live.

ANTHONY PINA was

recently promoted to the rank of principal dancer with one of Europe’s most prestigious companies, Compañia Nacional de Danza in Spain.

stars in a web series titled Ty the Pie Guy!, a storydriven kids’ cooking show.

Additionally, the show is associate produced by SARAH WINSHALL and had recent artwork contributed

by ANNIE MOOR ’04 .

2006

2004

Artist and MassArt student JORDAN PIANTEDOSI was named one of 2015’s Most Stylish Bostonians by the Boston Globe. When asked by the Globe what “dress to impress” means to her, she stated, “I feel strongly about dressing in a way that I like, because when you do something crazy, it gives someone else who is scared permission to do the same.”

BREANNE STARKE CLARKE

and husband Russell Clarke, the Directors of Walnut Hill’s Community Dance Academy, welcomed their first child, Emma Eileen Clarke, on March 28. The Walnut Hill community is excited about the newest and cutest addition to the campus!

SAMANTHA CHAPLIN is

living in Cambridge, MA, and working at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center as a clinical social work intern while completing her M.S.W. at Smith College.

LEFT Adrienne Watkinson Harmon and Christina McGann, Class of 2003

www.walnuthillarts.org

CLASS NOTES

2007

2008

in France at a high school and a middle school in a small town about 45 minutes from Strasbourg . . . and absolutely loves it! Politically and socially, there’s a lot going on, so it’s been very interesting and eye-opening for her to watch all these events unfold. Also, not only has her French improved greatly, but her fellow teachers have really taken her under their wing, help-

NICHOLAS CHRISTOPHER,

EMILY MONICH is teaching

ABOVE Jordan Piantedosi ,06

Congratulations to mezzo-soprano CAROLYN SPROULE , who made her Metropolitan Opera debut as the Sandman in Hansel and Gretel this past winter!

Congratulations to

who played the roles of Boatswain and Spirit in Shakespeare in the Park’s production of The Tempest, which ran May 27 through July 5 at the Public Theater in New York City.

NICOLE RICHTER is the pro-

ducer for Parachute VFX, a boutique visual effects company working mainly in commercials and film.

Notes from the Hill Hannah Ortiz ’18 (Honorable Mention Award in poetry), Siena Rush ’17 (Honorable Mention Award for a critical essay), Lark Terry ’17 (Honorable Mention Award in poetry), Paulina Ukrainets ’15 (Gold Key, Silver Key, and Honorable Mention Awards in poetry), and Shawn Vazin ’16 (Silver Key Award for a personal essay/memoir).

2009

HOLLY RUDD graduated from

the Bienen School of Music at Northwestern University and received the Marandon Fellowship to study flute performance at the École Normale de Musique de Paris for the 2014–2015 academic year. She performed at the Aspen Music Festival this past summer and is currently pursuing her graduate degree at the New England Conservatory.

SCOTT SHEDENHELM

ABOVE Emily Monich ,07 in France

Just a few short months after joining San Francisco Ballet as a soloist, JOE WALSH was promoted to principal dancer. Joe was also featured in a Visa commercial with fellow company dancer and international star Maria Kochetkova.

ing her learn a lot about teaching over the past several months. Additionally, she is very excited to announce that she will be joining Teach For America in the 2015 corps as a special education teacher in Oklahoma. Needless to say, it’ll be quite a change from France!

Congratulations to BARRETT WEED on being cast to star as Sally Bowles, opposite Smash actor Wesley Taylor, in the production of Cabaret at the Signature Theatre in Arlington, VA.

Spring & Summer 2015

performed as Baby John in West Side Story at the Riverside Theatre in Vero Beach, FL, earlier this year.

EDWARD SPOTS, former

dancer with Alvin Ailey II, recently moved back to his hometown of New Orleans, where he took his first ballet class at the age of 13.

Though the dance scene in this city is not yet thriving, Edward sees immense potential there, and now that he is back it is his goal to build up the dance community in New Orleans. The interview “20 Questions with Edward Spots” was recently featured in a local New Orleans magazine.

Visual art students Xiaoxiao Yang ’17, Cynder Johnson ’17, and Hayen Kim ’16 had their ceramic works selected for the National K–12 Ceramic Foundation Exhibition, held in conjunction with the annual National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA) conference in Providence, RI. Only 150 of a total of 1,409 entries were selected for display. Kim received the top scholarship award from Kansas City Art Institute for her piece Moche Llama, and Johnson received an artistic merit award for her piece Moche Octopus.

After being named runnerup in the Anna Maria Island Orchestra’s 2014 Young Artist Competition, music student Shannon Ross ’18 was featured as a cello soloist in Continued on page 18

Behind Stowe | 11

IN HIS OWN WORDS

Stumbling Upon the Wonders of Paris

by Sean Lammer ’15 Simply, Paris was magical. Between the contagious energy of the city and the energy we Walnuts brought to the experience, one couldn’t help but think each passing day was the best of his or her life. Our adventures were led by Jordane Pineau, a native of Nantes, France, and to whom, I think it’s safe to say, we owe many laughs and memories. To note separately, Jordane, Madame Arseneau, and Madame Oakley teamed up in giving us all French nicknames, mine happening to be the “trébucheur,” deriving from the French verb trébucher, meaning “to stumble.”

T

hough the language department at Walnut Hill produces a very well-rounded French student, I still feared that my limited knowledge of the language would prevent me from communicating all that I was feeling while in complete awe of Paris during our recent visit there. I found there is something about learning a language that prohibits you from expressing your true self, as a personality can be lost in fear of making a mistake. It can be discouraging as you laugh before the punchline of a joke or hear toddlers using more advanced vocabulary than your own. Nonetheless, I found we were much more prepared to explore as Parisians for a week than we ever could have imagined. I am particularly excited to have the opportunity to formally share my experiences in this article, in English. I’m afraid my words will do neither the city nor the experience justice; however, here goes my best attempt.

{

(I imagine you don’t need further explanation as to how I came to be the infamous trébucheur). Like wideeyed ducklings, we followed Jordane willingly to and from school, where we had daily French lessons, as well as to all the essential sights: la Tour Eiffel, les Jardins du Luxembourg et des Tuileries, l’Arc de Triomphe, les Galeries Lafayette, Versailles, and Notre Dame. However, we were sure to be keen to our surroundings in hopes of being chosen to lead the group home after that day’s events.

I’m afraid my words will do neither the city nor the experience justice . . .

{

ABOVE Sean Lammer dancing RIGHT Carolan Norris ,15, Moscelyne ParkeHarrison ,15, Mara Milner ,15, and Lammer with a rooftop view from les Galeries Lafayette 1 2 | Behind Stowe

www.walnuthillarts.org

In Paris, it is so easy to be swept away by the beauty of a towering monument, but already by day two I found myself being swept further by the little moments that

made the trip so memorable. It isn’t just the sparkling Eiffel Tower that is ingrained in my memory, but the jaw-dropped expressions on the faces of the Walnuts next to me. Not only was it the beauty of le Château de Versailles that will stay with me forever, but the sheer joy I felt while biking through its gardens with no hands (for which I was obviously scolded

by Madame Arseneau): a feeling I wouldn’t trade for a million Gérard macarons.

On one occasion, we found ourselves dining with the Davins, a French family living in Montmartre, who welcomed us to a completely authentic French evening. We ate a delectable quiche dinner with baguette and a simple pineapple cinnamon dessert that I still dream about, accompanied by some great conversation and laughs. On another occasion, we found ourselves cooking a delicious duck dinner next to professional French chefs.

And on yet another, we found ourselves seated in an intimate theater, ready to experience our first French performance of Eugène Ionesco’s play La Cantatrice Chauve, after having taken a French ballet class earlier that day. One memory I am particularly fond of involves our ABOVE LEFT (L-R) ParkeHarrison, Rees Launer ,16, tour guide Jordane Pineau, Norris, Milner, and Lammer

returning to Jardin du Luxembourg, where I frolicked with two friends for a good hour, dancing, taking pictures, singing, and laughing at the sketches we had done there earlier in a drawing class.

So, there I sat, in seat 36F on our flight back from London to the United States, replaying highlights of our trip in my mind when my eyes welled with joyful tears that began rolling embarrassingly down my face (a rarity for me). Now, when I catch myself reminiscing, these little moments feel like they are the makings of our own little French film, which I will take the liberty of naming, in honor of my favorite nickname, “Paris, je t’aime” (Paris, I love you), forever set to the soundtrack of Edith Piaf’s “La Vie en Rose,” of course. I find comfort in knowing that my memories of Paris will stay with me for a lifetime, as it assures me that I’m never too far from my fellow Walnuts. ♦ Sean Lammer is a Dance major from Pennsylvania. He will be attending the Juilliard School in the fall.

INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL SCHOLARSHIP FUND The World Languages Department at Walnut Hill, under the leadership of Raymonde Arseneau, is a full-immersion program. In class, students speak only the language they are studying, no matter what the subject. Madame Arseneau, who is a fervent Montreal Canadiens fan, demands a great deal of her students, much as a hockey coach demands a great deal of her players.

This full immersion shows its impact when they place out of lower-level college language classes because of their rigorous preparation at Walnut Hill. They study and discuss current events, history, and literature at the highest levels so that they gain a real understanding not just of the language but also of the culture of countries where Spanish and French are spoken.

Every Spring Break, Walnut Hill students have the opportunity to travel abroad for eight days. Traditionally the trips have alternated each year between France and Spain. Students are not allowed to speak English from the moment they land in the country to the moment they leave. The weeklong immersion catapults them to a new level as language learners.

The program, however, is not covered by Walnut Hill tuition, nor is it free.

This year, through the remarkable generosity of a family, Walnut Hill was able to offer scholarships to allow three deserving students to participate in the program. Students applied for the award, and were required to write an essay about the experience upon returning. The family wishes to continue to make this scholarship available next year and to encourage others to consider making a gift in support of the Travel Scholarship Fund. For more information, please contact Jen TumSuden in the Development Office at 508.652.7835. The award is reserved for students who receive financial aid to attend Walnut Hill and who have never been to the country before.

ABOVE RIGHT Eiffel Tower aglow at night Spring & Summer 2015

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A YEAR IN REVIEW

The All Night Strut!

October 24–26

Nice People Dancing to Good Country Music November 13–16

Laundry and Bourbon November 13–16

New Ink October 25

The Nutcracker December 9–20

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www.walnuthillarts.org

Anthology January 29

All's Well That Ends Well

Junie B. Jones

December 11–13

January 31–February 1

Voice Recital December 18

Winter Visual Art Show January 22

Spring & Summer 2015

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A YEAR IN REVIEW

Isn't It Romantic February 26–March 1

Black on White April 2

Spring Repertory Aprii 23–26

Scenes of Disguise and Deception April 11–12

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www.walnuthillarts.org

New Works May 30–31

Readings from The Blue Pencil May 31

Honors Chamber Concert May 19

Grease May 15–23

Spring Visual Art Show June 2 Spring & Summer 2015

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HEATHER STEBBINS recently

Notes from the Hill a concert of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s works with the Anna Maria Island Concert Chorus & Orchestra in Florida in February.

played Ariadne, with Kevin Ray as Bacchus, in Richard Strauss's Ariadne auf Naxos at Opera Philadelphia.

2010

KATE MAXTED just com-

Evren Ozel ’17 advanced to the semifinal round of the Cleveland International Piano Competition in May and performed a fantastic 45-minute recital of varied repertoire.

Theater major Alexandra Berube ’16 of Methuen, MA, was named Miss Massachusetts Outstanding Teen.

The Walnut Hill student string quartet Catalmadge Quartet, comprised of Caroline Joyner ’15 (violin), Erica Ogihara ’15 (cello), Chris Rogers-Beadle ’15 (viola), and Clare Walter ’15 (violin), was included in a radio broadcast of From the Top. The quartet was also accepted into the Fischoff Competition, which is a nationally recognized chamber competition held at Notre Dame University. They were one of 24 ensembles selected to attend the live round from a nationwide pool of more than 100 groups.

Beckett Azevedo ’17, Lydia Li ’15, Chris Rogers-Beadle ’15, and Tess Voelker ’15 all received recognition from the National YoungArts Foundation. Azevedo received a Merit

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pleted her second season dancing with Ballet San Antonio. For the company’s final performance of the year, Kate was selected to perform the principal female role in Balanchine's Donizetti Variations. Critic Tami Kegley noted in the Rivard Report: “Maxted— recently plucked from the corps de ballet especially for this role—is a natural.

She proved her mettle in this challenge. She is not only lovely, but quick and

ABOVE Heather Stebbins ,09 as Ariadne

strong, her hops en pointe light as a feather.” Kate has also recently begun the pursuit of her B.A. in arts management through UMass Amherst’s University Without Walls.

ABOVE Kate Maxted ,10 in Donizetti Variations with Ballet San Antonio

CONOR RYAN starred

with Kate Baldwin in an off-Broadway production of Andrew Lippa and Tom Greenwald’s John & Jen, which received rave reviews during its short run at the Clurman Theatre, directed by Keen Company artistic director Jonathan Silverstein. Spanning the years 1952–1990, John & Jen is a two-person show about the relationship between a brother and a sister, and the latter’s relationship with her son.

The two co-stars also hit the recording studio to lay down tracks for the show.

In his review of the production, theater critic Ben Brantley wrote that Conor “gives a witty, fluid and precociously assured performance that should have casting directors pricking up their ears.” Conor was delighted that Walnut Hill faculty and friends came to see him perform in NYC.

LEFT Mike Bucco, Joe Cabral, Conor Ryan ,10, Brent Wagner (Director of the Musical Theater program at the University of Michigan), and Kate Baldwin

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CLASS NOTES

2011

Congratulations to

EVANGELINE DELGADO for

being selected to speak on behalf of Barnard College’s Well Women program at the Avon Foundation’s Annual Gala.

ABOVE Rosemary Salvucci ,10 and Alexander Edelmann ,09 in Munich, fall 2014

ROSEMARY SALVUCCI is

getting her master’s in music performance (double bass) at the Hochschule für Musik in Basel, Switzerland.

Her best friend from Walnut Hill, ALEXANDER EDELMANN '09 , is pursuing the same degree at the Hochschule für Musik “Hanns Eisler” in Berlin, Germany. The two Walnuts got a chance to catch up in Munich in October!

EMILIE LERICHE was

named one of Dance Magazine’s “Top 25 to Watch." The 22-year-old is in her second season with Hubbard Street Dance Chicago.

AMELIA STURT-DILLEY, a May

2015 Juilliard graduate, is excited to join the Charlotte Ballet in North Carolina as a company dancer for the 2015–2016 season.

2013

AUDREY EMERSON recently

completed her sophomore year at the University of Southern California and travelled to Africa in June

2015 to conduct interviews for a documentary called “The Pamoja Project.” This short documentary film will tell the incredible story of three Tanzanian women working in the areas of education, microfinance, and health. In Swahili the world pamoja means “together.”

Together, alongside the women in these stories, Audrey will share their journey of hope, humanity, and empowerment as they work tirelessly to create real change for the people of Tanzania. She oversaw a successful fundraising campaign of over $25,000 to fund this project.

SAMANTHA SCHEIB par-

ticipated in a collaboration between Swarovski and SAIC this spring. She handcrafted a hat and

Notes from the Hill Award in Theater (spoken and musical theater), Li received an Honorable Mention in Voice (soprano), RogersBeadle received an Honorable Mention in Music (viola), and Voelker received an Honorable Mention in Dance (modern). Gabe Braunstein ’16 won the Third Place prize for Creative Nonfiction from the Sierra Nevada College High School Writing Contest.

As a result of his award, his prizewinning work, “Family on the Commuter Rail,” was published in the Sierra Nevada Review.

Samantha Mackertich ’16 had her writing published by Siblíní Art and Literature Journal and was named a finalist for the Helen Creeley Student Poetry Prize, awarded annually by the Robert Creeley Foundation of Acton, MA. “Thinning,” a poem by Maeve Benz ’17, was published in both the online and the print editions of Belleville Park Pages. Benz was also invited to attend the New England Young Writers’ Conference on the Bread Loaf campus, as was Siena Rush ’17.

Christah Porter ’15 was chosen to receive one of the John P. Garrahan Leadership in Diversity Awards from the Alliance for MetroWest Unity.

1992–2006 Yel Hee Kim ,97, Jin-Young Cho ,92, Ja Eun Baik ,94, JungAh Lee ,94, Ji-Su Han ,99, Lisa Kim ,97, Seung Jin Chung ,97, Ji Soo Yang ,06, Jin Hee Jee, Dong-Wook Kwak ,98, and Ju-Hyun Lim ,92 got together in Seoul, Korea, to catch up and reminisce about their Walnut Hill days.

Spring & Summer 2015

Dance major Amanda Black ’16 was selected from over 500 applicants to receive one of the 2015 Anthony Quinn Scholarship awards.

The Anthony Quinn Foundation Scholarship Program

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CLASS NOTES

Notes from the Hill

In Memoriam

We fondly remember the following members of the Walnut Hill community.

raises and distributes funds to young adults in high school for arts education pursuits.

Black’s scholarship will allow her to attend this year's Houston Ballet Summer Intensive program.

ABOVE Painting by Megan Tresca ,13

Visual art major Mikaela Dillon ’16 won the award for Best Cinematography at the Williston Film Festival for her music video Rembihnutur.

Writing, Film & Media Arts majors Siena Rush ’17 and Karen Morey ’18 and theater major Annie Palmer ’17 also received a Best Screenplay Award for both the written story and the actualization of their collaborative short film Bad Habits. Rush wrote the screenplay, and Palmer and Morey co-directed the project.

Music student Yiming (Sebastian) Li ’15 was selected as one of five Natick-area high school musicians to perform at the Anick 18th Young People’s Performing Arts Festival Concert in Marlborough, MA, this past May. In conjunction with this honor, he also received a scholarship and the Anick Award for Musical Excellence.

Maddy Meyer ’15 was named a finalist in the Schmidt Competition and Sara Hargrave ’17 was given the Encouragement Award. ♦

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three bags with Swarovski's product for the company's Launch Spring Summer 2016 event in New York and Los Angeles.

MEGAN TRESCA recently

completed her second year as a painting major at the Rhode Island School of Design. Since graduating from Walnut Hill, she has been commissioned for multiple murals at businesses around the downtown Providence area. Megan currently holds two teaching assistant jobs for first-year RISD students. She has recently been hired as an artist’s assistant to painter and Wellesley College professor Bunny Harvey, whom she assists with numerous painting process tasks in Harvey’s Providence studio.

ABOVE George Li ,13 performing at the 2015 National Piano Competition

GEORGE LI won the Third

Place prize of $20,000 at the 2015 National Chopin Piano Competition in Miami, FL. He was praised by classical music critic Lawrence Budmen, who wrote, "Clearly the audience favorite, Li took a big boned, quintessentially romantic approach to the score. He exhibited real affinity for the pulse of Chopin’s melodies and rhythmic curves. Li’s playing of the slow movement was dreamy and poetic and his incisive rhythm caught the dance-infused character of the finale.” ♦

ELIZABETH WEIL OBERDORFER ’35 died peacefully on January 4, 2015, surrounded by two generations of her family.

She was 96. Born in Montgomery, AL, she graduated from Walnut Hill and then Smith College and worked and lived in New York City. She married Louis Falk Oberdorfer in 1941.

After World War II, they moved to Washington, DC, and later to McLean, VA. Together, they enjoyed their beach cottage at Sussex Shores, DE. Elizabeth loved dogs, particularly her many generations of golden retrievers. Late in life, she earned her veterinary technician's degree from Northern Virginia Community College. She was an indefatigable tennis player and skier, an avid Washington Nationals fan, a skilled sculptor, a devoted Election Day poll watcher, a lifelong Democrat, and a passionate conservationist deeply committed to wildlife preservation and land conservation efforts in Yellowstone National Park and the Virginia Coast Reserve. Elizabeth loved hosting four-generation holiday gatherings and attending concerts and baseball games with family members. Predeceased by her husband, Elizabeth is survived by her sister, her four children, and her five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

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LOIS BREWSTER ROBERTS ’37 passed away on December 22, 2014, at the age of 95. She was a graduate of Vassar College.

Active in her Plymouth, MA, community, she served on the League of Women Voters, the Pilgrim Society, the Antiquarian Society, the First Parish Church choir, and the Black and White Club. She was also an active member of the Eel River Beach Club and the Plymouth Yacht Club. She worked in the lab at Jordan Hospital for 25 years. At her father’s funeral, she came across Willis Roberts, a childhood friend and neighbor who had moved away from their street at age 15. They kept in touch and were married in 1999, when she was 80. They lived primarily in Naples, FL, but also spent many summers in Harwichport, MA. Lois had unlimited patience and kindness, especially with her children and grandchildren.

In addition to her husband and children, she leaves her brother and sister, eight grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren.

DOROTHY BRAUDE EDINBURG ’38 died peacefully on January 5, 2015, in Brookline, MA. A Boston native, Dorothy studied art history and French at Wellesley College.

Her parents collected 18th-century French furniture, Chinese porcelain and furniture, and livres d’artistes (books illustrated by artists). While still a student at Wellesley, Dorothy began purchasing Chinese art. From a young age, she began to collect works on paper reflecting

Spring & Summer 2015

the major artistic movements of the first half of the 20th century. As the chance to travel improved after the war, she began to broaden her scope to include prints and drawings of the 15th through 20th centuries, and Chinese ceramics of the Tang and Song Dynasties.

She had the highest standards and thoroughly researched all works that she considered for acquisition. Her collection has been considered “one of the most important private collections of its kind in the United States.” Although a supporter of a number of Boston-based institutions, in the past two decades she developed a strong relationship with the Art Institute of Chicago, giving it more than 1,500 works of art between 1991 and 2014.

She was predeceased by her husband, Joseph M. Edinburg, an executive with the Boston-based Chandler & Farquhar hardware and machinists' supplies dealer, and their daughter Hope.

She is survived by her daughter Jo-Ann Edinburg Pinkowitz ’66 and son John Edinburg, four grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.

FRANCES “FRANKIE” FULLER CONNELLY ’39 of Suffield, CT, passed away on November 10, 2014, at home surrounded by her loving family. She was 93.

After graduating from Walnut Hill, she attended Mt. Holyoke College. Frankie’s irresistible radiance caught the attention of William H. Connelly on New Year’s Eve 1944. They shared the next 70 years growing a most extraordinary love for each

other. Frankie was warm and welcoming to all she encountered, whether providing coffee and donuts on the front porch on Memorial Day, hosting exchange students from Suffield Academy, or singing merrily at the annual Christmas picnic. Summers at Circle Beach on the Connecticut shore, where generations of Fuller progeny continue to gather, hold magical memories exemplifying Frankie’s devotion to family. She was a lifelong member of the Second Baptist Church, where she enjoyed teaching Sunday school and serving on the Calling Committee, and volunteered at the Suffield Emergency Aid for many years. Besides her husband, she is survived by her four children (two of whom are alumni Nancy Connelly Truesdell ’66 and Amy Connelly ’70), a brother and a sister-in-law, 11 grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.

Among the family members who predeceased her was her sister, Nathena Fuller ’37.

gardener and an enthusiastic bird-watcher. Concerned about our environment, she documented the seasonal count of loons on Lake Damariscotta for the Maine Audubon Society for a period of over 10 years. She kept active with swimming, waterskiing, snow skiing, and cross-country skiing well into her 70s. She volunteered in every community in which she lived, and served on the board of Easter Seals while in Chappaqua, NY, and Happiness House, a project for the handicapped in Sarasota, FL. She is survived by her three daughters and two sons, 11 grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren.

SHIRLEY “SHIRL” LITTLE HAZELWOOD ’41 passed away on March 5, 2015.

Born on October 12, 1923, in Hinsdale, IL, to Jessie Fulton Little and John Shirley Little, Shirl grew up in Westfield, NJ. After graduating from Smith College with a B.A. degree in chemistry, she worked at Polaroid in Boston, where she was part of the research team that developed the Land Camera. She loved nature, especially hiking in the woods to identify wildflowers. She was a

KATHARINE "KAY" VEASEY GOODWIN ’45 passed away at her home of over 60 years in Merrimacport, MA, on March 26, 2015. She was 86. Katharine graduated from Sweet Briar College in 1949. She is survived by her husband of 64 years, David Webster Goodwin; her children and their spouses; and nine grandchildren.

KATHERINE “KATCHY” MURPHY MALONEY ’41 of Westwood, MA, and formerly of Waban and North Scituate, MA, died on February 12, 2015. She was mother to 10 children and their spouses, and she had 18 grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews.

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CLASS NOTES

SHIRLEY CHANDLER ZUCCARDI ’47 passed away on August 20, 2014, in St. Augustine, FL, at the age of 84. She was born in Natick, MA, the daughter of the late Perry and Edith (nee Sutherland) Chandler. She was a graduate of the Katharine Gibbs School in Boston and later became a flight attendant for American Airlines. After raising a family, she returned to American Airlines as the first female sales representative for the company in Boston at Logan International Airport.

Her position took her to various locations in Europe and Hawaii. In 1986, she moved to St. Augustine and held the same position with American at Daytona International Airport until her retirement in 1991.

Preceded in death by one brother, she is survived by her loving husband, Jim; her other brother and her sister; and her two daughters, four stepdaughters, 13 grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.

JOAN DECKER PATTON ’48 passed away peacefully on September 2, 2014. Born in Fall River, MA, on November 2, 1930, she was the daughter of Captain Irwin S. Decker (USN) and Marion Y. Decker. Joan’s family moved to Washington, DC, in the 1940s when her father relocated for employment with the U.S. General Accounting Office. She attended Holton-Arms Junior College in DC and later worked as a civilian employee at the Bolling Air Force Base, where she earned sustained superior performance awards. She was married to James Ross

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Patton Jr. for 40 years, until his death in 2000. Joan was a proud, resilient woman who believed in strong family bonds and fostered the sisterly bonds among her three daughters. She loved the beach and spent many summers in Tiverton, RI. Joan is survived by her daughters, six grandchildren, and a much-beloved brother.

JUDITH MOORE JAWOREK ’49 of Mt. Airy, MD, died peacefully in her home on March 8, 2015, at the age of 83. Born in Gardner, MA, she was the daughter of the Honorable Judge Myron Alan Moore and Esther Moore. The beloved wife of Walter Gibson “Gib” Jaworek, Judy lived most of her married life in the Washington metropolitan area. She retired in 1997 from the National Institutes of Health, where she was the administrative assistant to the associate director of the Cancer Biology and Diagnosis Branch of the NCI. She was a selfless, independent woman who went out of her way to help those she loved and extended that love into the community, volunteering for numerous organizations and being very active in her church. Judy is survived by her children and their spouses, three grandchildren, and a sister.

PEGGY O’HEARN DENBY ’50 died on December 23, 2014. She attended Smith College, where she excelled in her studies, was an excellent athlete, and arranged and performed with the Smiffenpoofs, the oldest women’s a cappella singing group in the country.

She married Peter Denby while working at Davis Polk in 1956 and raised two children. In her early days, she volunteered at the Carnegie Museum, Three Rivers Arts Festival, and Garden Club of Allegheny County, and worked on the George H. W. Bush Election Committee. In 1993, she moved to her home and retreat in Boca Grande, FL, where she developed a passion for tarpon fishing and became a skilled angler, winning many tournaments.

She was active on the island, supported the works of many local artisans, and organized an annual tarpon fishing tournament. Predeceased by her husband, Peggy is survived by her children, a stepson, six grandchildren, and a sister and brother.

MARGUERITE SCHNEIDER JABLONSKI ’52 of Kennebunk, ME, died on February 18, 2015, at age 81. She was born in Passaic, NJ, the daughter of Albert and Marguerite (Ley) Schneider. Marguerite earned her bachelor’s degree in education from Lesley College and taught in the Rutland, MA, public school system until the birth of her first son. It was then that she enjoyed her second career as a full-time mom.

Marguerite loved spending time with her children and grandchildren. She made beautiful quilts for her family and friends, and she would often donate quilts to raise funds for various charities.

She was a great cook, loved to garden, and enjoyed socializing and spending time with friends at Dinner Club events. Marguerite is dearly

missed by her husband of over 60 years, Frank M. Jablonski Jr.; her three children and their spouses; her four grandchildren; her brother and sister-in-law; and many nieces and nephews.

VIRGINIA “GINNY” ROUSE LIPPETZ ’63 of Midlothian, VA, passed away on February 23, 2015, at age 68. Ginny was born in Miami, FL, and moved to Tate City near Clayton, GA, in the 1950s, where she spent the remainder of her childhood.

She went on to graduate from Smith College with a degree in economics. She first worked in the information technology field as a programmer, then moved into various IT management positions with AT&T in New York, American Can and James River Paper in Connecticut, and Overnite Transportation in Virginia.

Ginny loved the beauty and tranquility of her home in the Georgia mountains and returned frequently to attend family gatherings. She loved animals, owning many horses, dogs, and cats during her lifetime, even raising a litter of abandoned squirrels. She enjoyed adventure and travel, taking memorable trips with family and friends, including to exotic places like the Okefenokee Swamp and the Alaskan wilderness. Most importantly, she was a devoted daughter, wife, mother, grandmother, and friend. She is survived by her husband, Eric Lippetz; a son and daughter-in-law; two grandchildren, two stepchildren and a stepgranddaughter; a sister and half-sister and their spouses; and a niece and nephew. ♦

www.walnuthillarts.org

MASTER CLASSES

Masterful Music Classes

By Yiming (Sebastian) Li ’16

G

enerally speaking, as a student in the Music Department, I feel confident in saying that the master classes that we had this year have been great. I took pleasure in sharing my music, hearing other talented people play, and being involved in the discussion afterward, which to me always abounds with insights into whatever matters are being discussed.

Indeed, many thanks to Ms. Elowitch [Director of Music at Walnut Hill School for the Arts] for coming up with these marvelous master classes!

I had the honor of playing in one of the master classes featuring Max Levinson, a renowned pianist. For me, this special occasion possessed a mystic ability to convert pressure and stress into energy and power. Both the teachers and the students were graciously supportive.

Mr. Levinson really helped me explore the rhythmic gestures of some of the hard passages and also taught me some technical things to make the music sound better in a live performance. I believe I did my very best when playing Beethoven’s Third Piano Concerto for him at this class.

Watching others play at master classes is quite different in many aspects. I love doing this because there are always students whom we don’t get to hear so often in our lives. When they play at our Master Class Series, relatively reserved students are able to exhibit their talents and offer the listeners something new about

{

. . . this special occasion possessed a mystic ability to convert pressure and stress into energy and power.

{

themselves. I’m always impressed to see my classmates do so exceptionally well. During such events, we can truly benefit from a sense of mutual support, which I believe has a great value in our development now and for years to come. ♦

Yiming (Sebastian) Li is a Music major from Guangdong, China.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT Yiming (Sebastian) Li playing at a piano master class with Max Levinson; Magdalena Richter giving instruction to Mary Rzepczynski ,16 at a violin master class; the Catalmadge Quartet (Claire Walter ,15, Caroline Joyner ,15, Chris Rogers-Beadle ,15, and Erica Ogihara ,15) taking notes from conductor Hugh Wolff Spring & Summer 2015

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G I V E D AY

GIVE DAY : MAY 20, 2015 285 GIFTS FOR 285 STUDENTS In the Development Office, we are fond of saying that there are 285 reasons to give to Walnut Hill—each of our extraordinary students. So, it seemed fitting to make 285 gifts our Give Day goal. We thought we might have overshot— after all, this was over 100 more gifts than we have ever received on Give Day. But with a little magic (and with the incentive of some challenge funds), we thought it just might happen. And it did! Our community came together and blew past our goal. In 24 hours, we received 381 gifts and pledges, amounting to $117,997.

Thanks to a generous anonymous match from a trustee and parent, we received $25,000 for reaching our participation goal. We also met a bonus leadership gift goal ($25,000 in gifts of $1,000 or more) to receive another $25,000, and alumni snagged a surprise $5,000 from another anonymous donor by boosting their numbers during the late afternoon. Altogether, we raised $172,997.

Thank you to the 126 ALUMNI, 73 PARENTS, 62 STUDENTS, 60 FACULTY/STAFF, 33 FRIENDS, and 27 PARENTS OF ALUMNI who made gifts on May 20. We are grateful for your commitment and generosity to Walnut Hill. Together, we can accomplish anything. We already can’t wait for Give Day 2016 next spring!

SENIOR CLASS REACHES 100% PARTICIPATION IN ANNUAL FUND!

Justin Showell and Chadam Pires, along with a committee of volunteers, led the Class of 2015 to reach 100% participation in the Annual Fund.

Full participation is now officially a senior tradition, as the Class of 2015 is the third class in a row to reach this milestone. Thank you!

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www.walnuthillarts.org

OH, WH AT A W I NT E R !

We Survived a Winter with . . .

110.6 Inches of Snow

4 Snow Days, 2 Late Starts 7+ Days Campussed 28 Consecutive Days of 20ยบF or Colder

Spring & Summer 2015

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LOOKING FORWARD

Taking Chances: Julie Faulstich on Moving on from the Hill by Noah Carmel ’16 Middlebury, CT, where she will assume the role of Head of School. Although her decision to leave Walnut Hill was not an easy one, she explains that she is excited to begin this new chapter of her administrative career.

W

ith a B.A. in history from Smith College and an M.F.A. in writing and publishing from Emerson College not too far out of reach, in December of her final year of graduate school Julie Faulstich found herself broke, unable to pay her rent, and knee-deep in the quintessential life of a struggling artist. Amidst it all, she happened upon an ad in the newspaper for an employment opportunity at the Walnut Hill School as a Dorm Parent. Desperate for money and with nothing to lose, she applied for the job and was offered the position during her interview.

Now, nearly two decades later, no one could imagine Walnut Hill as it exists today without her.

From Dorm Parent to Assistant Head of School, Ms. Faulstich has done it all and seen it all. However, one thing that has continued to stand out for her about Walnut Hill is the unwavering sense of spirit and community that seems to set it apart from the other schools of its kind. “I think that the arts mission attracts a really special kind of person,” Faulstich explains, “and that we all value each other and have respect for one another as artists.”

Despite her love and pride for the School, Ms. Faulstich will be leaving the familiar sights of Natick at the end of the 2014–2015 school year and transferring to the Westover School in 2 6 | Behind Stowe

Born and raised in Waltham, Massachusetts, Ms. Faulstich has been familiar with and partial to the Greater Boston area for her entire life. In describing her childhood, she notes that her mother was an elementary school teacher and that her father was a human resources manager, the combination of which Ms. Faulstich believes led her perfectly to the life of a high school administrator.

During her own teenage years, Ms. Faulstich attended Waltham High School. “I was a total show choir girl,” she adds, reminiscing about the days when she and her high school friends would go to concerts and watch cult movies together.

One of the crucial differences between most high schools and Walnut Hill is how the administration and the students interact on a day-to-day basis.

“We take kids seriously.” Ms. Faulstich states, explaining how at her high school, it was rare that any student knew an administrator, let alone interacted with one frequently.

As an administrator at Walnut Hill, Ms. Faulstich says that she has found great joy in effecting positive change.

She explains how, over the course of her time at the School, the community

has managed to retain a core spirit of artistic values, yet simultaneously grown by becoming more professional and efficient.

As for the future of Walnut Hill, Ms. Faulstich hopes that it will continue to flourish and to prosper once she has moved on. “I will always be grateful to the School,” she adds, “because it’s the kind of place where, as an adult, you can be given a chance.” In addition, she hopes that it will be possible for the students of Walnut Hill to be able to explore the art forms of the other majors at the School as time goes on. “I don’t know what it would look

like,” Ms. Faulstich explains, “but I find the idea of young arts students collaborating together to be very exciting.”

However, as her time comes to a close at Walnut Hill, Ms. Faulstich feels both prepared for what lies ahead and thankful for everything that her time at Walnut Hill has taught her.

“I’ll miss this place.” she says. And, on a personal note, I think she means it. ♦ Noah Carmel is a Theater major from Keene, NH. ABOVE LEFT Circa 2000, clockwise from top left: Sara Copeland ,01, Chandler Braley ,01, Ashley Liberty ,01, Julie Faulstich, Eric Hayes ,01, Matan Chorev ,01, Zoe Rabinowitz ,01, Lauren Bisio ,01, Brooke Lieberman ,01 ABOVE RIGHT Michael Owen, Ben Gregg, and Julie Faulstich at Gala 2014

www.walnuthillarts.org

Congratulations to the Class of 2015 for a Truly Impressive Acceptance and Matriculation List!

American Musical and Dramatic Academy American University Art Center College of Design Atlanta Ballet Bard College Bard College Conservatory of Music Barnard College Binghamton University, State University of New York Boston College Boston Conservatory Boston University Brandeis University Brenau University Bucknell University Butler University California College of the Arts (San Francisco) California Institute of the Arts California State University, Fullerton Camberwell College of Arts Carnegie Mellon University Cazenovia College Central Saint Martins College of Arts and Design Charlotte Ballet Cleveland Institute of Music Coastal Carolina University Colburn School of Music Colgate University College of Charleston Colorado College Columbia College Chicago Connecticut College Cornell University DePaul University Dominican University of California Drexel University Duke University Spring & Summer 2015

Eastman School of Music Elon University Emerson College Emmanuel College Emory University Eugene Lang College Fashion Institute of Technology Fisher College Florida State University Fordham University George Washington University Goucher College Hampton University Hofstra University Hope College Indiana University Bloomington Ithaca College Joffrey Ballet Juilliard School Kenyon College Lake Forest College Lawrence University Lewis & Clark College Loyola University Chicago Loyola University New Orleans Manhattan School of Music Mannes College of Music Maryland Institute College of Art Marymount Manhattan College Massachusetts College of Art and Design Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts McGill University Michigan State University Muhlenberg College Newbury College New England Conservatory of Music New School for Drama New York University Northeastern University Oberlin College

Oberlin Conservatory of Music Oklahoma City University Otis College of Art and Design Pace University, New York City Parsons The New School for Design Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University Pennsylvania State University, University Park Point Park University Pratt Institute Purchase College, State University of New York Regent’s University London Rhode Island School of Design Rice University Richmond Ballet Richmond,The American International College in London Rider University Ringling College of Art and Design Rollins College Roosevelt University Royal Academy of Music Royal College of Music San Francisco Art Institute Sarah Lawrence College Savannah College of Art and Design School of the Art Institute of Chicago School of Visual Arts Shenandoah University Simpson College Skidmore College Smith College Southern Methodist University St. Edward,s University Suffolk University

Syracuse University Texas Christian University Texas State University Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance – Dance Faculty University of Arizona University of California, Davis University of California, Irvine University of California, Los Angeles University of California, Riverside University of California, Santa Barbara University of California, Santa Cruz University of Cincinnati— College-Conservatory of Music University of Hartford University of Massachusetts Amherst University of Miami University of Michigan University of Minnesota Twin Cities University of Rhode Island University of Richmond University of San Francisco University of South Carolina University of Southern California University of Texas at Austin University of Utah University of Vermont University of Washington Virginia Commonwealth University Wagner College Wake Forest University Washington University in St. Louis Webster University Wheaton College (MA) Behind Stowe | 27

After Hours on the Hill

by Rachel Ravel ’15 and Jack Dwyer ’15 On April 18, Walnut Hill hosted over 100 parents, trustees, and faculty for an Annual Fund fundraiser, After Hours on the Hill. For one night only, the Dining Hall was transformed into a cool, happening 1920s speakeasy.

Jack Dwyer ’15 and Rachel Ravel ’15 had the distinction of hosting the cabaret and live auction. Guests were treated to a night full of laughs and extraordinary student performances. The evening grossed nearly $74,000 for Walnut Hill.

As theater majors, we’ve been trained for nearly everything that can happen on a stage, but a live auction was truly a new experience. Being an auctioneer was terrifying! You can’t rehearse or practice for it. It’s like skydiving—you just jump. There is no way to fully prepare oneself. While it was stressful, it was also very exciting.

Walnut Hill has prepared us for a life on the stage, and a life beyond it. But a career at Sotheby’s or any other auction house probably won’t be in our future. (Editor’s note: They rocked the auction, and had several offers to work as auctioneers at other events! We could not have been more proud.) Yet After Hours on the Hill and the telethon earlier this year helped us feel very comfortable raising money. As future working artists, this is a huge skill for us to have gained.

The performances at the event were very different from the typical musical theater songs heard in the Keiter Center.

Students sang songs from the ,20s and original works, things they’d never done before. We believe Walnut Hill is all about being creative and exploring your artistic range, so we are proud to have been a part of a night that showcased that.

2 8 | Behind Stowe

www.walnuthillarts.org

AFTER HOURS ON THE HILL

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It was great to be in a space with people we knew, and to get them excited about supporting Walnut Hill.

—Jack Dwyer ’15

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OPPOSITE PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Jack Dwyer ’15 and Rachel Ravel ’15; Frank and Susan Fama P’18, Michelle and Neal Freedman P’17, Jeffrey Gilmore and Mindy Grodofsky-Gilmore P’15, Carrie Berube P’16, Tim Hansen P’17; Visual representation of silent auction items; The audience erupting in laughter during the live auction, Lori Place P’14/’17, Betsy Kessler P’14 (center); Sydney Shepherd ’15 and Caleb Smith ’16 performing an original song written by Caleb THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Mary Gordon P’15, Julieanne Dwyer P’15, Nicole Gakidis ’81, P’18; Jenny McAuliffe P’15, Maura Shea, Sandra Delbridge P’00/’05, Maria Freda; Hana Gottlieb ’16; Andy Kessler P’14, Antonio Viva, Betsy Kessler P’14; Lena Skeele ’15; Lindsay McAuliffe ’15, Kevin Delbridge P’00/’05, Jenny McAuliffe and Tony McAuliffe P’15; David Edelman and Miriam Adams P’18; Jennifer and Lester Grinnings P’16.

Spring & Summer 2015

Behind Stowe | 29

SAM UEL KUR K JIAN M EM O R IAL EVENT

Choreographing a Legacy

by Victoria Grinnings ’16 Unfortunately, I never had the pleasure of meeting Sam Kurkjian. But from what I saw at the April 25th Samuel Kurkjian Memorial Performance, Mr. Kurkjian’s success in life extended well beyond dance and choreography. The pre-show scene in the lobby of the Keiter Center for the Performing Arts was lighthearted as people from all over the country connected with old friends and teachers, while sharing fond memories of Mr. Kurkjian and their time at Walnut Hill. Yet the evening itself was charged with emotion. Throughout the performances and intervening speaker vignettes, many laughs and tears were shared. Valse Presto lead Mara Milner ’15 had this to say about her experience with Mr. Kurkjian’s choreography: “I think one thing that I found from dancing in Mr. Kurkjian’s piece is that the movements are very flowy. He really emphasizes the movement quality and the inner story. It’s more than just technicality. We were able to communicate a story, which is something Rees [Launer ’16, the Valse Presto male lead] and I really focused on. It was a testament of love.” She also shared how the event impacted her personally: “As a senior, it was very fascinating to see alumni come back and create work. It was amazing to share the stage with such talented people and to see the influence Mr. Kurkjian had on his dancers.” In Summer’s Wind lead Amanda Black ’16 similarly related her views on Mr. Kurkjian’s choreography: “In Summer’s Wind is by far my favorite ballet to perform. I never thought a ballet could be so involved. During my short breaks between movements, I thoroughly enjoy watching the other dancers perform. Mr. Kurkjian’s pieces have always been very fluid, or in my case full of jumps, making the choreography very interesting to observe and execute.”

The evening was a true testament to Sam Kurkjian’s legacy, underscored by the fact that his creativity lives on through his students and their work. Walnut Hill senior Sean Lammer ’15 found preparing for the performance a moving experience, having this to say: “At this point, I've danced two of Mr. Kurkjian’s ballets but never actually had him as a teacher and only ever saw him once in a crowded audience at a Boston Ballet performance. The process of working with Levi [Marsman ’05] and performing with other alums to honor Mr. Kurkjian’s life was very special to me; it was more than just another performance, it was a way for me to get to know him on a more personal level. Though we never spoke a word, Mr. Kurkjian has certainly made his impression on me.”

My father is fond of saying, “Always leave a place better than how you found it.” And while he is usually stressing the importance of cleaning up after myself, I think it’s safe to say that Sam Kurkjian—with all of his compassion, his artistry, and the profound impact that he had on so many students and colleagues—left this world a better, more beautiful place than he found it. For that, we are all thankful.

Victoria Grinnings is a Dance major from Newburyport, MA.

3 0 | Behind Stowe

www.walnuthillarts.org

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The evening was a true testament to Sam Kurkjian’s legacy, underscored by the fact that his creativity lives on through his students and their work.

OPPOSITE PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Melanie Atkins Varga ,91 rehearses with Mr. Kurkjian at Boston Ballet (image courtesy Sabi Varga); Amanda Black ,16 and Sean Lammer ,15 performing in Sam Kurkjian’s In Summer’s Wind; Memorial event leaders Kate Hutter ,00 and Pixley Schiciano ,78 THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Katie Kozul; Students performing Voices, choreography by Levi Marsman ,05; Kate Hutter ,00 and Nicholas Heitzeberg performing in Hutter’s Unravel; Michael Owen and Levi Marsman ,05; Students performing in Sam Kurkjian’s Valse Presto Spring & Summer 2015

Behind Stowe | 31

Thank you to everyone who came back to the Hill!

Mixed Nuts Meet Mischords by Chloe Savit ’17

A

s soon as Lindsay McAuliffe ’15, Caleb Smith ’16, and Beth Canterbury, Director of the Mixed Nuts, explained the details of our next performance, I was thrilled. We would be singing the piece “Me and My Shadow” at the Head’s House during Alumni Weekend, where Walnut Hill’s former a cappella group, the Mischords, would be performing the song as well.

The alumni could not have been more welcoming—we walked into a room full of smiles. The 1965 Mischords performed their rendition of the piece first, as the Mixed Nuts stood near the stairwell and watched in awe. We were all getting emotional over how beautiful this moment was—alumni who were reunited and performing with their classmates from 50 years ago. Their sound quality was magnificent, and I was astounded at how quickly this a cappella group had been able to rehearse the song. (The Mixed Nuts need two weeks minimum to muster up a piece to perform!) Then, the Mixed Nuts performed “Me and My Shadow,” as well as the Beatles’ “In My Life” and the School song. We could not stop grinning throughout the entire performance. I felt proud and fortunate to be singing in front of these alumni and fellow artists.

The piece “Me and My Shadow” really resonated with me. For the first time, the past was meeting the present in the song and in the moment. I am aware that a lot of aspects of Walnut Hill have changed over the course of the last 50 years, but there are many ways in which the School has remained the same. After 50 years, an a cappella group is still prominent on campus. It is truly special that these two groups could unite as one to perform this piece.

I have thoroughly enjoyed my first year as a Mixed Nut. I have had the opportunity to meet wonderful people whom I would not have had the chance to meet otherwise through my academic and arts classes. I made new friends and strengthened existing friendships as well. I only hope that I am invited back to sing at my reunion in 50 years. I would be honored to participate in a Mixed Nuts reunion, and I look forward to performing alongside Walnut Hill’s future a cappella group at our Alumni Weekend.

Chloe Savit is a Theater major from Needham, MA. 3 2 | Behind Stowe

www.walnuthillarts.org

ALUMNI WEEKEND

ROBERT E. KEITER AWARD FOR DISTINGUISHED SERVICE

In honor of her 50 years of leadership, Betsy Paine McClendon ’65 received the Robert E. Keiter Award for Distinguished Service.

Betsy began her volunteer efforts with Walnut Hill as a Class Agent in 1966. She joined the Board of Trustees in 1994 and has served as its President for thirteen years. Thank you, Betsy, for your leadership and loyalty.

OPPOSITE PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Class of 1965; Libby Fryling Lechner ’65, Anne Winslow Carlson ’65, Betsy Evans ’65, Judy Brooks Gold ’65, Lana Pollack Harper ’65 enjoy the Mixed Nuts; Mixed Nuts; ’65 Mischords with Laura Haney ’90 THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Allan Reeder and Allison Avila-Olivares ’13; Holly Worthington, Melinda Delgado P’11, Vangie Delgado ’11; Anne Morgan and Betsy McClendon ’65; Zoe Tobin ’00, Melissa Cassel, Vangie Delgado ’11; Diane Arvanites and Laura Haney ’90; Class of 1950 with Antonio Viva; Alumni from three decades—’70s, ’80s, and ’90s; Holly Worthington, Jim Woodside, Helaine Langelier P’95, Nicole Langelier ’95, Linda and Ken Tighe; Class of 1955 with Antonio Viva Spring & Summer 2015

Behind Stowe | 33

ON CAMPUS

Meet Our New Trustees Trustee KAREN MCKEEL CALBY

Karen McKeel Calby retired in July 2014 from a career in consulting and investment management. Most recently, she was a Managing Director with Guggenheim Real Estate and was previously with FFTW and Oliver, Wyman & Company.

Retirement has provided more opportunity to travel with her children, Chris and Liz, and to focus on a variety of Board and volunteer activities. Karen is on the Leadership Council of the Roundabout Theatre Company in New York and a Trustee with the Darien Land Trust. She also is on the Board of Visitors for the Tucker Foundation of Dartmouth College, a member of the Dartmouth Athletic Advisory Board, and a former President of the Dartmouth Alumni Council.

Karen graduated from Dartmouth College in 1981 and holds an M.B.A. from the Wharton School of Business.

STEVEN FAVREAU

Unbeknownst to me, I had been working my way to Walnut Hill for 30 years. As a high school theater student in Milford, Massachusetts, I longed to attend Walnut Hill. I knew it was the place for me and that I would thrive in an environment that promotes individuality, excellence, critical thinking, and collaboration. In the days before the Internet, Natick, Massachusetts, seemed on the other side of the planet. As happens, life took me in a parallel yet different direction. After attending the Boston Conservatory of Music with a major in musical theater and dance, I moved to New York City to pursue my career. Twelve years passed and armed with a successful career that took me to the Moulin Rouge, where I was a soloist for an incredible year; to Hawaii, where I was Cruise Director for American Hawaii Cruises, and to many stages from New York City to Amsterdam, I returned to New York City to study interior design at the Fashion Institute of Technology.

But what I treasure most and have reaped the rewards of time and time again in my career now, as President of a successful interior design firm on both coasts, is the competitive advantage my training and career in theater gave me: confidence, focus, leadership, creativity, and pizzazz.

So 30 years later, seemingly a lifetime, I have come full circle. I am, at last, a Walnut and treasure that privilege every day.

3 4 | Behind Stowe

www.walnuthillarts.org

ROBERT GORDON

I am a 1983 graduate of Wesleyan University and a 1986 graduate of the University of Michigan Law School. After clerking for the Honorable Bruce M. Selya on the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit in 1986–1987, I joined the law firm of Ropes & Gray LLP in Boston. I was an associate in Ropes & Gray's Litigation and Labor Departments between 1987 and 1995, and in 1995 became an equity partner in the firm. I remained a Ropes & Gray partner until February 2013, at which time I was appointed by Governor Deval Patrick to serve as a Justice of the Massachusetts Superior Court.

I have lived in Wayland with my wife, Martha, and two boys, Michael and Nathanael, for nearly 20 years.

For the 10-year period between 1997 and 2007, I served as an elected member of the Wayland School Committee, twice serving as Chair.

The daughter of my oldest friend, Hugh Gelch, spent four years at Walnut Hill that were nothing short of life-changing for her. In the experience of this special young woman, I saw up close the transformative power of a school whose educational mission is so clearly understood, deeply felt, and splendidly executed. Walnut Hill,s commitment to nurture artistic excellence even as it educates the whole person places the School among a handful of elite institutions that can be considered true treasures. I was very eager to be a part of Walnut Hill, and delighted and proud to join its Board of Trustees.

KATE HUTTER ’00

Kate Hutter is co-founder and Artistic Director of the L.A. Contemporary Dance Company (LACDC). Kate is an alumnus of Walnut Hill and a graduate of the University of Southern California with a B.F.A. in Theatrical Design. Kate also holds an M.F.A. in dance/choreography from Purchase College, SUNY. Kate has presented her choreography at prestigious venues throughout L.A., including the Broad Stage, Celebrate Dance at the Alex Theatre, Ford Amphitheatre, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, L.A. Theatre Center, Diavolo Dance Space, and Highways Performance Space. She has been a visiting teaching artist at USC, UCLA, Loyola Marymount University, Santa Monica College, Chapman University, CalArts, and Wayne State University. Kate is thrilled to return to Walnut Hill as a member of the Board and support the school that truly was the foundation for her choreographic career and lifelong curiosity in the arts.

BETSY KESSLER P,14

Betsy Kessler was introduced to Walnut Hill when her daughter Emily (,14) asked how far Natick was from their home in Wellesley.

Reluctant to graduate from the Walnut Hill community when her daughter graduated from the School, Betsy instead joined the Board of Trustees and enjoys the opportunity to stay close to the intersection of arts and education. In her off-Hill life, Betsy is a real estate agent with Rutledge Properties in Wellesley. She lives with her husband, Andrew, their two children, and Gilbert the wonder dog.

Spring & Summer 2015

Behind Stowe | 35

SEEN ON AND OFF THE HILL

A Special Opportunity Twelve theater students performed selections from the School’s fall musical revue, The All Night Strut!, at the annual National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) Conference for an audience of 5,000 people at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston. Theater major Ted Gibson ’16 shared his thoughts about the experience:

Being given the opportunity to present what we learned from Kirsten [McKinney, choreographer and director] in front of such a large crowd was so rewarding. It was great to relive previous material and take such a large and welcoming crowd “into the world” that we were creating with Kirsten. While it was not the entire cast who attended and performed, we had certainly as much excitement performing the same numbers as we did here at Walnut Hill. Thinking in the broad scheme, this was also such a great experience to be able to add to our résumés. I mean, how many people can say they performed for 5,000 people in high school?

In addition, it was incredible to attend this conference and appreciate the beautiful art created by other schools. As we stood backstage, preparing to go onstage, we heard a school’s jazz band playing Ozzy Osbourne's Crazy Train! Our enthusiasm was overwhelming, due to our natural theater-major exuberance, and we got in turn a very positive response and embracing congratulations from other students. This was such a special opportunity for aspiring artists our age because we appreciated the broader spectrum of art in Massachusetts besides what we experience at Walnut Hill. I would never hesitate to participate again.

Theater students volunteered to facilitate drama workshops with students at the Tobin Afterschool Program in Natick, MA. Read more about their experiences on our website at: tobin.walnuthillarts.org.

Accompanist and adjunct faculty member Elaine Smith-Purcell and theater students pose with Andrew Lippa (fifth from the left).

Six of our theater students were selected to participate in a master class with American composer, lyricist, book writer, performer, and producer Andrew Lippa. Lippa is well-known 3 6 | Behind Stowe

for his work on musicals, including The Wild Party; You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown; Big Fish; and John & Jen. One of the student participants, Hana Gottlieb ’16, shared these thoughts: “It was truly amazing to have the opportunity to work with one of my favorite composers so upclose and intimately. Although singing a composer’s work when the person is sitting five feet away from you is incredibly intimidating, it’s one of those really special experiences that are few and far between, especially as a high school student. I realize how lucky I am and I remain extremely grateful!”

Music students enjoyed a special performance by The Fourth Wall, a hybrid arts ensemble comprised of three multiarts musicians: flutist Hilary Abigana, trombonist C. Neil Parsons, and percussionist Greg Jukes. Showing their trademark versatility, the

The Fourth Wall performing in Boswell Hall

group performed 20 unconventional pieces in 60 minutes. Read more about the event on our website at: fourthwall.walnuthillarts.org.

Twelve music students performed at the Kimball Farms retirement community in Lenox, MA. Kimball Farms was once home to the late Walnut Hill alumna Betty (Rathbone) Scudder '28, and musicians from the School have been performing there annually for the past 17 years. www.walnuthillarts.org

Martin Luther King Jr. and challenged our community of artists to see the difference between intelligence and intellect, information and insight, as well as to seek intolerance for injustice.

Noragh Devlin ,09 speaking with voice students

Noragh Devlin ’09 visited with voice majors in January and shared her experiences as an aspiring opera singer in her final semester at Manhattan School of Music, where she recently sang the role of Susan B. Anthony in MSM’s production of The Mother of Us All.

Dance students with Michael Owen, Director of Dance at Walnut Hill, and Wendy Whelan (fourth and fifth from the left)

Through our strategic partnership in dance with The Boston Conservatory, a group of Walnut Hill dance students were invited to participate in a master class with Wendy Whelan at the Conservatory at the very end of February.

Dr. Jonathan Walton at the Keiter podium

On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Walnut Hill hosted guest speaker Dr. Jonathan Walton, a professor at Harvard Divinity School and minister of Harvard’s Memorial Church. Dr. Walton spoke about the legacy of Spring & Summer 2015

Bion Tsang teaching a master class to music students

Bion Tsang, professor of cello at the University of Texas at Austin, visited Walnut Hill in March for a special master class. Participant Wangshu Xiang ’17 commented on this unique opportunity: “Learning from different teachers broadens my view of music.

Mr. Tsang’s class was helpful because of the detailed advice he gave me. He emphasizes how important the intonation and dynamics are in music. I really took his advice and improved my playing.”

Levi Marsman ’05 spent a lot of time at Walnut Hill this spring setting a new piece titled Voices on student dancers who performed the work at Spring Repertory and the Samuel Kurkjian Memorial Event at the end of April. Zoe Scofield ’97 and Tommy Neblett, Assistant Director of the Dance Division at The Boston Conservatory, also stopped by early in the second semester to work with students, and Scofield performed as part of the Samuel Kurkjian Event as well. (See page 30 for more details!)

South African–born and Montrealbased dancer and choreographer Ami Schulman taught a modern dance master class for Walnut Hill dancers in late winter. Ross Freeman ’16 had this to say about the experience: “Where I am from, an internationally lauded teacher does not come in and teach a master class. However, where I am now

[at Walnut Hill], that is just the case.

After simply meeting and talking with our resident choreographer Diane Arvanites, Ms. Schulman decided to teach a master class that Thursday.

Without hesitation, Ms. Schulman started to pick apart the technique of everyone in the class. Her goal was to make sure that we left her class uprooted, and full of new perspectives in terms of structure and pure cultural musicality. When I left Studio 2, I knew she had accomplished that goal and provided a learning session that was as enjoyable as it was profound.”

Visual Art faculty member Richard Schwartz took students to an artist reception for Chris Gustin at the Dedee Shattuck Gallery in Westport, MA. The exhibit, Slow Breath, was part of the National Council for Ceramic Arts (NCECA) Tour. Seung Hyun (Samantha) Oh ’17 shared her impressions of the visit: “I think the trip to the Shattuck Gallery and meeting Chris Gustin was a nice experience and an inspiration to us as students. He told us he uses lots of chemistry for the glazing and firing process, and this made me realize that chemistry can be used to make such interesting and amazing artworks.”

Joe Cabral offering feedback during a workshop

Director of Theater Joe Cabral taught a master class in New York for students from the Independent Theatre Workshop—a program run out of Dublin, Ireland—in which he worked with them on musical theater songs and scenes.

Continued on page 40 Behind Stowe | 37

Congratulations to the Class of 2015 COMMENCEMENT ADVICE: HEAR THE SIRENS, AND DON'T FORGET TO MOISTURIZE Walnut Hill celebrated its 121st Graduation on June 6.

Seventy-four about-to-be alumni marched from Stowe Circle to the First Congregational Church in Natick, accompanied by underclassmen, faculty, staff, and trustees to the friendly cheers of neighbors along Walnut Street.

The Class of 2015 was remarkable for its artistic achievements, which we have come to expect from every class at Walnut Hill, but perhaps what most will remember about this group of young people is their spirit of optimism, their care for one another, and their shared sense of possibility.

Writing, Film & Media Arts major Nick Fuller was funny, generous, and thoughtful in his address to his classmates.

He described Walnut Hill as a place where “the sirens [of academic work, performances, test prep, and college applications] are going off all the time,” whereas most schools only have that intensity of effort for one or two years.

Knowing his audience included hundreds of parents and grandparents, he sagely recommended, “On your birthday, make time for your parents. They waited nine months for you; it’s important to them too.”

Dr. Jennifer Caudle ,95 was the commencement speaker. Of her Walnut Hill experience, she said, “I learned how to be brave, to have chutzpah. Walnut Hill taught me how to get up and go. And not to be afraid to redefine who you are.” In preparation for her remarks, she asked members of the Facebook group “I went to Walnut Hill in the ,90s” what advice they had for the Class of 2015. Answers ranged from “Stay curious—the boundaries of what is possible will shift” to ”Do things that scare you the most” and ”Yes, you will miss the gazebo.” Finally, Dr. Caudle advised: “Moisturize. Those 10- and 20-year reunions will come around faster than you think.”

TOP Dr. Jennifer Caudle ,95 delivering keynote address at Graduation on June 6, 2015 BOTTOM Graduating Class of 2015 3 8 | Behind Stowe

www.walnuthillarts.org

GRADUATION

Community Award Winners: ARNOLD C. TAYLOR AWARD FOR ACADEMIC AND ARTISTIC ACHIEVEMENT: MARA MILNER ’15 HESTER R. DAVIES CITIZENSHIP CUP AWARD: JUSTIN SHOWELL ’15 FRIENDSHIP AWARD: EMILY HUG ’15 CATHY T. CHAN AWARD: HAYEN KIM ’16 JOANNA RAPPAPORT ʼ96 AWARD: HSIANG (RYAN) CHOU ’15

ABOVE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Nick Fuller ,15, Graduation

speaker; Walking to church; Chadam Pires ,15 and Sydney Shepherd ,15 celebrating; Musicians playing; Betsy McClendon ,65, Dr. Jennifer Caudle ,95, Antonio Viva RIGHT Celebrating post–Awards

Ceremony: Emily Hug ,15, Hayen Kim ,16, Hsiang (Ryan) Chou ,15, Antonio Viva, Justin Showell ,15, Mara Milner ,15 Spring & Summer 2015

Behind Stowe | 39

SEEN O N AND O F F T H E H IL L

Continued from page 37

National Geographic photographer and filmmaker Maria Stenzel guided students through a photo intensive this winter and spring that incorporated images captured both at Walden Pond and on campus with quotes from Thoreau’s journals and the students’ own writing.

Later in the spring, documentary filmmaker and producer Jocelyn Glatzer visited the Walnut Hill

campus to screen two of her films, The Flute Player and My Country, My Country, and engage in a discussion about her work. Writing students also enjoyed a visit from writer Kate Leary and musician Andrew Malone, who read, performed, and discussed their collaborative work The River’s Bend Sessions, a collection of songs written by characters in Kate Leary’s novel-in-progress.

In February, Walnut Hill hosted Vice President for Education Programs at Interlochen Center for the Arts Ted Farraday, Head of School at Idyllwild Arts Academy Doug Ashcraft, and Principal of Chicago Academy for the Arts Jason Patera for a campus experience that included a meeting with Walnut Hill Head of School Antonio Viva, visits to arts and academic classes, and a networking reception.

A Visit from Sybarite5

“

EdEx, a string quartet of four students from Interlochen Arts Academy accompanied by their teacher Renee Skerik, visited Walnut Hill in April to collaborate with Laura Thielke and Walnut Hill musicians on a performance called QuartetFest. During this special event, each ensemble performed on their own and then the groups played together the prelude to Shostakovich’s Octet.

Artwork by Amelia Mulligan ,17

This past semester, I was lucky enough to participate

in a master class with the members of the music group Sybarite5. In this master class, I learned how to effectively communicate while working in a chamber group. Through their performing and teaching, I was able to get a look into what it might be like to perform in a professional ensemble. I am thankful to our chamber coach, Laura

Works by Walnut Hill Printmaking and Books as Art students were on display at the SOWA Art Walk in May. The projects included tunnel books, etchings, books made in collaboration with Walnut Hill writing students, and prints made as part of an exchange with students from the Technical College of Reykjavik. ♦

Thielke, and the Head of the

“

Music Department, Jennifer Elowitch, for presenting us with this opportunity.

—Emily Munstedt ,15 Concert Sponsored by Linda and Peter Ross P'18 4 0 | Behind Stowe

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FROM THE ARCHIVES Some students inquire about Walnut Hill at an early age! MarĂ­a Ibarra Del Villar '17 is seen in the top photo visitng the campus with her father, Benny Ibarra DeLlano '89, for his 10th Reunion. Twenty Years later, in the fall of 2014, MarĂ­a's parents couldn't be prouder to be dropping her off at the School to begin her own amazing adventure here.

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