Fall 2005 PDF - Milton Academy
Fall 2005 PDF - Milton Academy Fall 2005 PDF - Milton Academy
World-Class Musicians Performing in Straus LibraryThe Gratwick Concert Series celebrates 75 yearsNew students, faculty andfriends learn about Milton’sannual musical phenomenon—the Gratwick Concert—throughJean McCawley. For more thanfive decades, she has patiently,passionately explained that “theperformance series, a gift to theschool, was established byMitchell Gratwick, a formerAcademy faculty member, inmemory of his wife KatharinePerkins Gratwick, a cellist, Girls’School Class of ’24.” Fostered byfamily members, the series hascontinued unbroken for 75 years.Designated primarily to give studentsthe rare opportunity tohear world-class artists in anintimate setting, the concert isheld in Straus Library, wherehalf the room is reserved forstudents.Since her retirement from thefaculty in 1989, Miss McCawleyhas made a cameo appearance inthe music classrooms to preparestudents for the concert ahead.She can relate many tales ofinteractions with famous musicians,but her visits to studentmusicians prior to the concertset the tone and create enthusiasmand anticipation. MissMcCawley remains involved inthe selection of future musiciansand on the committee thatmeets each spring to administerthe endowed series.Part of Gratwick’s charm is itssetting: Straus Library is an elegantroom in a handsome andwell-proportioned Georgianstructure. Dark wood paneling,brass chandeliers, leather furniture,grand window casements,abundant floral arrangements,and a palpable sense of historyconspire to create the perfectatmosphere for music. The concertsare often on a Sunday afternoonin April with budding treesand the promise of spring justoutside the windows.Katharine Perkins Gratwick ’24, inspiration for 75 years of beautiful musicAfter experiencing their firstconcert, Milton students trulyunderstand the Gratwick opportunity.Stephen Wagner ’08, atalented musician, feels that “theGratwick Concert is a great experiencefor the students and facultyof Milton. The concert is achance for students in theorchestra to see what can beaccomplished on an instrumentthrough practice and perseverance,and for the Milton communityto gather and enjoy themagic of great classical music.The Gratwick concert is trulyone of the best events Miltonhas to offer.” The list of performersin the series has set anextraordinary example for aspiringMilton musicians throughthe years.Dr. Donald Dregalla, chair of theMusic Department, missed theGratwick Concert during his firstyear at Milton Academy (1980).“What struck me, when I lookedat my first program,” he said,“was the list of artists that hadperformed on this series.“From Piatigorsky and the TrappFamily Singers, through BennyGoodman and Lynn Harrell, Iwas amazed and quite frankly alittle embarrassed. How could Ihave missed last year? Sincethen, only my travel during twosabbaticals has kept me awayfrom concerts. The Gratwickconcerts are certainly one of themusical highlights of my year.“Over the past 25 years, I haveheard some wonderful music inStraus Library. I feel fortunateto work in a school that offerssuch events. Not only do theseconcerts offer students andfriends of Milton Academy thechance to hear great music, butalso to meet and chat with theserenowned musicians. Somemusicians have been friendlyand gracious, others less so, butall have beeen unique. I remembervividly holding AnnieFischer’s cigarette while she wasbarely able to walk up to thepiano and play. But then, boy didshe play! Taking the EmersonString Quartet for a late dinnerin Chinatown after their performancewas another more tangentialhighlight of these events.Last year the duo of Isserlis andHough played one of the bestconcerts that I can remember.Their vitality and energy infectedthe crowd around them. I canstill remember how they weregreeted as if they were rock starsby Milton Academy students atthe reception afterwards in PiehCommons.“For me these concerts are aboutone wonderful person and hisgenerous gift to our School. Dr.Gratwick must have been a personwho had a tremendous lovein his heart, both for Katharineand for Milton Academy. I lookforward to many more of theseyearly events. We continue towork hard to make sure that Dr.Gratwick’s gift is always showcasedat its best. We can do noless for such a gift from theheart.”While all the underlying elementsof the Gratwick experiencehave remained constant—Straus Library, excellence of performers,reception following theconcert, student emphasis—small details have changed toimprove the experience. Chairshave been rented to avoidsqueaky distractions, artists havebeen encouraged to hold a masterclass or discussion with stu-56 Milton Magazine
Gratwick Performersdents prior to the concert, andthis year, the Gratwick committeehas agreed to use part of thefund’s annual yield to providetwo Boston Symphony Orchestraseason tickets formerly given bya recently deceased alumnus.The tickets are dispersedthrough a careful system toallow the maximum number ofstudents to attend each year.Sharing musical enrichmenteven further is characteristic ofthe Gratwick family.Catherine L. Farrington,Director of Stewardship1930–31 Felix Salmond1931–32 Myra Hess1932–33 Albert Spalding1933–34 The New EnglishSingers1934–35 Edward Johnson1935–36 Gregor Piatigorsky1936–37 Richard Crooks1937–38 Joseph Szigeti1938–39 Bidu Sayao1939–40 Jan Smeterlin1940–41 Trapp Family Singers1941–42 Rudolf Serkin1942–43 Gregor Piatigorsky1943–44 Yehudi Menuhin1944–45 Roland Hayes1945–46 William Primrose1946–47 Witold Malcuzynski1947–48 Dame Myra Hess1948–49 Maggie Teyte1949–50 Pierre Fourier1950–51 Dorothy Maynor1951–52 Claudio Arrau1952–53 Michael Rabin1953–54 Nicole Henriot1954–55 Richard Dyer-Bennett1955–56 Leonard Rose1956–57 Adele Addison1957–58 Rudolf Firkusny1958–59 Andrés Segovia1959–60 The Festival Quartet1960–61 Isaac Stern1961–62 Cesare Valletti1962–63 Guiomar Novaes1963–64 Leslie Parnas1964–65 Marian Anderson1965–66 Benny Goodman1966–67 The Deller Consort1967–68 Claude Frank1968–69 Roman Totenberg1969–70 Beverly Sills1970–71 Christopher Parkening1971–72 Eugene Istomin1972–73 The Beaux Arts Trioof New York1973–74 Zara Nelsova – GrantJohannesen1974–75 Waverly Consort1975–76 Alfred Brendel1976–77 Czech Chamber Soloists1977–78 Barry Tuckwell1978–79 Tashi1979–80 Lynn Harrell1980–81 Benita Valente1981–82 Russell Sherman1982–83 Juilliard String Quartet1983–84 Heinz Holliger1984–85 Jaap Schroeder1985–86 Jane Gratwick Bryden andSt. Luke’s ChamberEnsemble1986–87 The Muir String Quartetand David Deveau, Pianist1987–88 John Miller1988–89 Benjamin Luxon1989–90 Annie Fischer1990–91 Joshua Bell1991–92 Mitsuko Shirai –Hartmut Holl1992–93 Rudolf Firkusny1993–94 The Amadeus Winds –Jane Gratwick Bryden,Robert Levin1994–95 Pamela Frank –Claude Frank1995–96 Beaux Arts Trio1996–97 Eduardo Fernandez1997–98 Richard Goode1998–99 Lorraine Hunt1999–00 Christopher Krueger2000–01 Garrick Ohlsson2001–02 Emerson String Quartet2002–03 David Shifrin2003–04 The Tallis Scholars2004–05 Steven Isserlis andStephen HoughDr. Katharine (Tinka) Gratwick Baker ’55 grew up understanding the special nature of her father’s gift toMilton and continues to shepherd the Gratwick fund in its 75th year.The Gratwick Concertsby Katharine Gratwick Baker ’55During my early childhood all Iknew about the Concerts (witha capital C) was that Mum andDad disappeared once a yearfor a weekend, took a long trainride to Boston, visited thePerkins family, and apparentlyattended a wonderful, mysteriousevent at Milton Academy inmemory of Dad’s first wife,Katharine Perkins (Class of1924), after whom I had beennamed. I knew that one Concerthad taken place on thenight my little sister, Jane, wasborn (William Primrose,November 9, 1945), but mybrothers and I were never invitedto go with our parents untilthey were sure we could becounted on not to wigglethrough a two-hour program.The first Concert we wereallowed to attend was DorothyMaynor’s recital in 1950, whenI was 12 years old. I dressed upin my best dark-red velvetdress, and my brother Harrywore an elegant suit and tie (atage 14). We got to sit in a big,deep, comfortable leather sofain the very front row withMompy (Katharine Perkins’smother and our “adopted”grandmother). Dorothy Maynorstood high above us in a brilliantgreen silk dress, pouringout songs in her warm intensesoprano. The dark paneledLibrary (now Straus Hall) wasfilled with old family friends,teachers, and many older highschool students all quietly andintently listening to her.Mompy had arranged a tall vaseof flowers that stood on thepiano. She sat back in the sofa,half asleep, occasionally hummingalong or loudly whisperingto me about how much sheloved the music. In the programI read the words of MissGoodwin, who had introducedthe first Concert back in 1930:“Great music rendered in surroundingsso beautiful isexpressive of Katharine. Sheloved beautiful things andbrought beauty into all that shetouched.” I felt that beauty allaround me as a 12-year-old inthe Library with the music andthe flowers and Mompy’s smilingface.After that first moving experience,I went to all the Concertswith my family. And later, as astudent at Milton (1952 to 1955)and a music major at Radcliffe(1955 to 1959), I came to realizewhat an extraordinary opportunitymy father had given all ofus, as we have been inspired byworld-class musicians close upin a warm, musically vibrantsetting and have had a chanceto talk personally with thesemusicians after their performancesabout the meaning ofmusic in their lives.I have felt special family pridethat my sister, Jane GratwickBryden, soprano, has been oneof the performing artists threetimes (1974, 1985, and 1993)and that her husband,Christopher Krueger, flutist,was the artist in 2000. Janeand I, as well as members ofthe Perkins family, continue tobe involved with the Concertsthrough helping the schoolchoose future artists at a meetingin Milton each spring.As an adult I lived for manyyears in Washington, D.C., andalso overseas for periods oftime, but whenever possibleI’ve done everything I could toattend the Concert each year,bringing my own now grownsons when they have lived nearby,and thinking ahead to thetime when my grandchildrenwill be old enough not to wiggle,but can sit with me in oneof the big, deep, comfortableleather sofas and breathe in thebeauty.57 Milton Magazine
- Page 8 and 9: puter) and read a piece. Bored? Pro
- Page 10 and 11: decrease in the amount spent on res
- Page 12 and 13: “The biggest change is corporatei
- Page 14 and 15: Jesse Sarles ’93“It’s a flexi
- Page 16 and 17: Felicia Taylor ’82Ned Roberts ’
- Page 18: “I don’t go through a lot of me
- Page 21 and 22: This summer, Peter was in the midst
- Page 23 and 24: Ty Burr ’76“On one level what I
- Page 25 and 26: Later, she enjoyed stints at Workin
- Page 27 and 28: were what to get into at Milton. Ma
- Page 29 and 30: Charlie Riggs, Abby Padien-Havens,
- Page 31 and 32: They say that the tough part was th
- Page 33 and 34: Co-editors of La Voz, 2005:Emma San
- Page 35 and 36: In its three to four annual issues,
- Page 37 and 38: 6 Sam Minkoff ’06 andJamal Sabky
- Page 39 and 40: Student graduation speakers Tanner
- Page 41 and 42: The Robert L. Daley PrizeCreated by
- Page 43 and 44: 1 Llewellyn Howland ’552 Derick F
- Page 45 and 46: 11 Robin Robertson with the MiltonM
- Page 47 and 48: The Head of SchoolMilton’s Magazi
- Page 49 and 50: I began to inventory the sensations
- Page 51 and 52: Hadley Davis Rierson ’89speaking
- Page 53 and 54: Emmy Norris is a prowler for “cul
- Page 55 and 56: A collection of symbols, none more
- Page 57: Middle School Tackles Complex Probl
- Page 61 and 62: He changed his mind, though,soon mo
- Page 63 and 64: Creating Cityscapes:Third-grade stu
- Page 65 and 66: New Roles for Milton Faculty Member
- Page 67 and 68: Hugh R. SilbaughUpper School Princi
- Page 69 and 70: Academy. Jorge was singularlyfocuse
- Page 71 and 72: There are many variations foreach s
- Page 73 and 74: Class of 1950, front row (left to r
- Page 75 and 76: Class of 1955, front row (left to r
- Page 77 and 78: Class of 1980, holding banner (left
- Page 79 and 80: Class of 1990, front row (left to r
- Page 81 and 82: Class of 1995, front row (left to r
- Page 83 and 84: Margaret Creighton WilliamsMargaret
- Page 85 and 86: The Lexi Rudnitsky Poetry Projectsp
- Page 87 and 88: Milton AcademyBoard of Trustees, 20
World-Class Musicians Performing in Straus LibraryThe Gratwick Concert Series celebrates 75 yearsNew students, faculty andfriends learn about <strong>Milton</strong>’sannual musical phenomenon—the Gratwick Concert—throughJean McCawley. For more thanfive decades, she has patiently,passionately explained that “theperformance series, a gift to theschool, was established byMitchell Gratwick, a former<strong>Academy</strong> faculty member, inmemory of his wife KatharinePerkins Gratwick, a cellist, Girls’School Class of ’24.” Fostered byfamily members, the series hascontinued unbroken for 75 years.Designated primarily to give studentsthe rare opportunity tohear world-class artists in anintimate setting, the concert isheld in Straus Library, wherehalf the room is reserved forstudents.Since her retirement from thefaculty in 1989, Miss McCawleyhas made a cameo appearance inthe music classrooms to preparestudents for the concert ahead.She can relate many tales ofinteractions with famous musicians,but her visits to studentmusicians prior to the concertset the tone and create enthusiasmand anticipation. MissMcCawley remains involved inthe selection of future musiciansand on the committee thatmeets each spring to administerthe endowed series.Part of Gratwick’s charm is itssetting: Straus Library is an elegantroom in a handsome andwell-proportioned Georgianstructure. Dark wood paneling,brass chandeliers, leather furniture,grand window casements,abundant floral arrangements,and a palpable sense of historyconspire to create the perfectatmosphere for music. The concertsare often on a Sunday afternoonin April with budding treesand the promise of spring justoutside the windows.Katharine Perkins Gratwick ’24, inspiration for 75 years of beautiful musicAfter experiencing their firstconcert, <strong>Milton</strong> students trulyunderstand the Gratwick opportunity.Stephen Wagner ’08, atalented musician, feels that “theGratwick Concert is a great experiencefor the students and facultyof <strong>Milton</strong>. The concert is achance for students in theorchestra to see what can beaccomplished on an instrumentthrough practice and perseverance,and for the <strong>Milton</strong> communityto gather and enjoy themagic of great classical music.The Gratwick concert is trulyone of the best events <strong>Milton</strong>has to offer.” The list of performersin the series has set anextraordinary example for aspiring<strong>Milton</strong> musicians throughthe years.Dr. Donald Dregalla, chair of theMusic Department, missed theGratwick Concert during his firstyear at <strong>Milton</strong> <strong>Academy</strong> (1980).“What struck me, when I lookedat my first program,” he said,“was the list of artists that hadperformed on this series.“From Piatigorsky and the TrappFamily Singers, through BennyGoodman and Lynn Harrell, Iwas amazed and quite frankly alittle embarrassed. How could Ihave missed last year? Sincethen, only my travel during twosabbaticals has kept me awayfrom concerts. The Gratwickconcerts are certainly one of themusical highlights of my year.“Over the past 25 years, I haveheard some wonderful music inStraus Library. I feel fortunateto work in a school that offerssuch events. Not only do theseconcerts offer students andfriends of <strong>Milton</strong> <strong>Academy</strong> thechance to hear great music, butalso to meet and chat with theserenowned musicians. Somemusicians have been friendlyand gracious, others less so, butall have beeen unique. I remembervividly holding AnnieFischer’s cigarette while she wasbarely able to walk up to thepiano and play. But then, boy didshe play! Taking the EmersonString Quartet for a late dinnerin Chinatown after their performancewas another more tangentialhighlight of these events.Last year the duo of Isserlis andHough played one of the bestconcerts that I can remember.Their vitality and energy infectedthe crowd around them. I canstill remember how they weregreeted as if they were rock starsby <strong>Milton</strong> <strong>Academy</strong> students atthe reception afterwards in PiehCommons.“For me these concerts are aboutone wonderful person and hisgenerous gift to our School. Dr.Gratwick must have been a personwho had a tremendous lovein his heart, both for Katharineand for <strong>Milton</strong> <strong>Academy</strong>. I lookforward to many more of theseyearly events. We continue towork hard to make sure that Dr.Gratwick’s gift is always showcasedat its best. We can do noless for such a gift from theheart.”While all the underlying elementsof the Gratwick experiencehave remained constant—Straus Library, excellence of performers,reception following theconcert, student emphasis—small details have changed toimprove the experience. Chairshave been rented to avoidsqueaky distractions, artists havebeen encouraged to hold a masterclass or discussion with stu-56 <strong>Milton</strong> Magazine
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