Taft School is pleased to welcome alumnus Ezra Levy ’15 and renowned New York Botanical Garden (NYBG) scientist Dr. Damon Little to campus for an open lecture Friday, January 29, at 6:45 pm. The event is part of Taft’s ongoing New York Botanical Garden Lecture Series, and is made possible by the Yerkes Family Botanical Art and Science Speakers Fund. The program, entitled Internships in Bloom: The Thriving Collaboration Between Taft and the New York Botanical Garden, is free and open to the public; registration is not required.

For the past four years, Taft and NYBG have engaged in a collaborative, multi-faceted partnership that includes regular programs on both campuses, and summer internship opportunities that allow Taft students to participate in new and ongoing research with NYBG scientists. In 2015, Dr. Little mentored Levy as he worked to devise a rapid DNA extractor for use by botanists in the field. Isolating plant DNA usually takes place in a laboratory, where equipment, like the centrifuges needed to separate DNA from tissue, is readily available. Levy worked to develop a buffer solution that would defer the need for that equipment in the field by allowing scientists to sample plant DNA at collection, and preserve its stability for later sequencing.

“Researchers are always trying to find a more efficient way to do our research,” said Little. “The protocol that Ezra is developing will provide a faster and cheaper option.”

Dr. Little is the Cullman Associate Curator of Bioinformatics, Cullman Program for Molecular Systematics at NYBG. His research activities include: the application and development of novel bioinformatic tools to advance morphological, anatomical, DNA barcoding, and molecular systematic studies; and organismal studies focused on the systematics and character evolution of gymnosperms. Levy is currently a first-year student at Northeastern University in Boston, MA.

The lecture will begin promptly at 6:45 p.m. in the Laube Auditorium of the Hulbert Taft, Jr. Library on the Taft School campus, 110 Woodbury Road, Watertown; refreshments will be served. Parking is available in the school’s main lot on the corner of Route 6 and Middlebury Road. Shuttle service from the lot to the auditorium is available.

The New York Botanical Garden Seminar Series at Taft features unique lectures by NYBG scientists, and is made possible by a grant from the Yerkes Family Botanical Art and Science Speakers Fund. For more information, call 860-945-7751.

Taft is pleased to present Bolling You Over, an evening of jazz, featuring crossover musical suites composed by Claude Bolling. Part of our Music for a While performance series, the concert takes place at 7 pm Friday, January 22 in Walker Hall. The event is free and open to the public.

Claude Bolling is a French jazz pianist, composer, arranger, and actor. A child prodigy, he was working professionally by age 14, playing with well-known jazz greats, including Lionel Hampton, Roy Eldridge, and Kenny Clarke. He was a major part of the traditional jazz revival of the late 1960s, and has written music for over one hundred films, including a 1957 documentary about the Cannes Film Festival.

Bolling is also known for a series of "crossover" collaborations with classical musicians. Bolling You Over will feature his Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano Trio—a seven-movement mix of Baroque elegance with modern swing—and the six-movement Toot Suite, for Trumpet & Jazz Piano Trio.

Pianist Joe Jacovino describes Bolling You Over as“a lighthearted and fun program featuring virtuosic classical-style music with a driving jazz pulse.” Jacovino will be joined in the performance by guitarist Fred Krug, trumpeter Frank Tamburro, bassist John Mobilio, and percussionist Robert D'Angelo.

Walker Hall is located at 50 DeForest Street, Watertown, CT. For more information on this event, or any of our Music for a While performances, visit www.taftschool.org/concerts.

Members of the Taft community will once again honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with a series of programs, activities, speakers, and workshops built around a common theme: Listening to Learn, Learning to Listen: Engaging in a Dialogue on Race, Immigration and Religion in America.The tribute culminates with Taft’s annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day celebration Monday, January 18.

     Dr. James Bauer opened the dialogue during Morning Meeting this week, with his thoughts on the Dr. King’s legacy from the perspective of a bi-racial American, whose family history is one rife with rejection, segregation, and racism. Bauer’s white grandmother was the daughter of prominent German immigrants. After her husband was badly maimed in a train accident, she engaged in a series of extramarital relationships, three of them producing children, including Bauer’s father, James. On the June night in 1937 when James was born, violent race riots erupted in the segregated community of Palmyra, New Jersey. Enraged by the birth of this black child to a white woman, rioters tracked down and murdered James’s father.

     Throughout his childhood, James’s birthday was never celebrated. He was exiled to the attic on holidays, and shunned by his siblings. As an adult, his entire family, save for one brother, Harry, cut off all contact with James.

     In 2014, Dr. Bauer made contact with a first cousin he had never known; she was the daughter of one of James’s brother. They shared family stories and photos through phone calls and email. Until she, too, cut off contact, out of respect for her father’s beliefs.

     “I was heartbroken, yes,” said Dr. Bauer. “but never defeated…Hopefully the world will change one day, and all of mankind will embrace the essence of diversity. I will continue to utilize our family history as an instrument not of hate and distrust, but instead a syllabus of humanity, taught with the concepts of love and freedom…There’s hope; a testament to the hope that Dr. King has always professed. If we give change an opportunity to evolve within our lives—a change that will bend the light of freedom toward the dark corridors of hate, illuminating a path paved with love and togetherness…then maybe we can bridge the gap of discrimination.”

     Taft’s celebration of the life and teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. continue this week with a Morning Meeting talk by Dean of Global and Diversity Education Jamella Lee. On Saturday, January 16, students will enjoy WorldFest 2016, a carnival of cultural exhibits and international cuisine, followed by an international dance featuring music from across the world.

     On Monday, January 18 our Martin Luther King Day celebration begins with a Unity Breakfast, commemorating the ideals Dr. King put forth for a “beloved community of peace and unity.” State Senator Joan V. Hartley P’08 will be the featured breakfast speaker. James A. Joseph, Ambassador to South Africa under President William Clinton, will deliver the keynote address during the opening ceremony. Workshops and lunch dialogues will center on three films exploring race, immigration, and religion. The day concludes with our annual multicultural arts celebration, a program featuring students and faculty in a wide-range of multi-ethnic performances, including song and dance; poetry readings; jazz music; Taft’s Gospel choir; and, of course, our faculty band.

Watch Dr. Bauer's full Morning Meeting presentation here.

The talents of violinist Jennifer Jeon’17 and cinematographer Jack Elrad ’17 are on display in their recent collaboration, a powerful short film capturing Jennifer’s violin performance of Vittorio Monti’s Csárdás.

Extravagant and emotional, Csárdás is a concert piece written in 1904; it was originally composed for violin, mandolin, or piano, and both shares its name with and references a Hungarian folk dance. The dance, said to have been used in the 18^th century as a recruiting dance by the Hungarian army, is characterized by great variations in tempo. While many composers have referenced this folk dance in their work, Monti’s is the best known, and features seven pacing swings.

In the video, Taft music teacher TJ Thompson accompanies Jeon on piano. Elrad, widely known for his talents as a film director and producer, relied on exceptionally fine, precision-driven edits in crafting the final piece.

Watch the full film here.

See more of Elrad’s work here. 

     At its core, suggests Headmaster Willy MacMullen ’78, Taft’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Day initiatives are an extension of who we are, and what we do at Taft each and every day.

     “I would argue that a Taft education might be seen as a continuous, pervasive, and coherent effort to create moments where all of our perspectives are widened and all of our ideals are multiplied,” MacMullen told students during his MLK Day opening remarks. “Every day we try to make you view the world through a lens that is different than your own.”

     In doing so, Taft students gain perspective, understanding, and empathy. They develop awareness and compassion, that allows them to step outside of themselves and their circumstances, and to see themselves as one part of an inextricably connected whole.

     MLK Day keynote speaker Ambassador James A. Joseph, who worked with Dr. King when he was head of the civil rights movement in Tuscaloosa, Alabama shared with the Taft audience a concept of community that he came to know while living and working in South Africa; the concept called Ubuntu.

     “People are people through other people,” Joseph explained. “Which is to say my humanity is bound up in yours. What dehumanizes you, dehumanizes me. I belong to a greater whole, so I am diminished when others are diminished by oppression or treated as though they are less than they are. It is not 'I think, therefore I am,' it is 'I am because you are.'”

     And in that vein, Joseph notes, each of us has an “opportunity and obligation to contribute something as meaningful, significant, and extraordinary as the generations that preceded them. It is your generation that can best demonstrate that diversity need not divide. That pluralism, rightly understood and rightly practiced, is a benefit and not a burden, and that the fear of difference is a fear of the future. We need your generation also to help build a new sense of our connectedness as a people, both at home and abroad.”

     Taft’s Martin Luther King Day celebration began with a Unity Breakfast, commemorating the ideals Dr. King put forth for a “beloved community of peace and unity.” State Senator Joan V. Hartley P’08 was the featured breakfast speaker, which also included a performance by Taft’s Gospel choir. Workshops and lunch dialogues center ed on three films exploring race, immigration, and religion. The day concluded with our annual multicultural arts celebration, a program featuring students and faculty in a wide-range of multi-ethnic performances, including song and dance; poetry readings; jazz music; Taft’s Gospel choir; and, of course, our faculty band.

View photos from WorldFest 2016.

View photos from our Unity Breakfast and Opening Ceremony.

View Photos from our Multicultural Celebration.

Watch video of State Senator Joan Hartley P'08 and Taft's Gospel Choir at the Unity Breakfast.

Watch video of MLK Day Keynote Speaker Ambassador James A. Joseph.

Watch video of Taft's Multicultural Arts Celebration.

WorldFest 2016                                                    Ambassador James A. Joseph

Progressive broadcast journalist, investigative reporter, Daily News columnist, and author Juan Gonzalez recently visited Taft as part of the Paley Family Lecture Series.

   Born in Puerto Rico and raised in Harlem, Gonzalez has enjoyed a 37-year career in journalism. He has twice won the prestigious George Polk Award, and is a former president of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists. Gonzalez continues to chronicle daily events in urban politics, education, and race relations, the latter serving as a springboard for his Morning Meeting talk at Taft.

   “Newspapers were for centuries regarded as the first draft of history—the incidents the media chose to report, their framing of events inevitably served as the raw material that was then mined by scholars who came decades or centuries later to chisel more comprehensive historical accounts,” Gonzalez explained.

   But from the start, that first draft of history (and the later, more chiseled accounts) favored “what happened in Europe, or among the European settlers descendants,” said Gonzalez. “The stirring immigrant saga of settlers conquering the west to create the world’s greatest democratic experiment somehow excluded those of us who had not come from Europe. Most importantly, the news media we grew up with kept depicting us as threats to society, rather than contributors.”

   Starting with the first issue of Publick Occurrences, the first newspaper published in the US and featuring five stories about the danger posed by Native Americans, Gonzalez walked students through a publishing history that “shed[s] more heat than light to public discourse when it comes to race… This issue of racial profiling and oppression by authorities in non-white communities is not a new phenomenon…”

   Gonzalez encouraged members of the Taft community to bring a “critical eye to the consumption of media. Consume as much news from different sources as you can—consider who is presenting, what their aim is, and then make your own independent decisions.”

Watch Gonzalez’s full presentation here.

The Paley Family Endowment, established in 2006 by Valerie and Jeffrey Paley '56 and their son Austin Paley '09, supports the Paley Lectures, an annual program of visiting speakers. Invited speakers address the school community on current issues of major significance, such as government, journalism, foreign affairs, environment, and civil liberties, in order to provide Taft students with the opportunity to be inspired by the value and dignity of lives filled with purpose and commitment.

Each year Taft awards students grant dollars to fund service-based summer travel. Those grants are generously funded by the Page and Poole families to memorialize their loved ones and to support students as they continue the important work done by Meg Page ’74 and Robert Poole ’50.

Grant recipients Emma Howie ’16, Julian White ’16, Tony Liu ’16, and Michael Wasserstein ’17 reflected on their service travel during a recent Morning Meeting. Emma traveled to Costa Rica to work at a native animal rescue/rehabilitation sanctuary; Julian completed a variety of service projects, ranging from construction to early childhood education, at sites throughout Panama; Tony Liu ’16 did field work for Heifer International 80 miles outside of Beijing; and Michael Wasserstein ’17 pedaled his way through Montana working on environmental and conservation projects with a group which relied solely on bicycles for transportation.

Meg Page '74 Fellowships

In memory of her commitment to compassionate health care, this fellowship is awarded annually to students who wish to explore an experience or course of study devoted to the provision of better health care in areas such as public health, family planning, medical research, mental health, and non-Western practices of healing.

Robert Keyes Poole Fellowships

Established in memory of Robert Keyes Poole '50, Taft master from 1956 to 1962. Awarded annually to enable Taft students to engage in travel or in projects consistent with Mr. Poole's lifetime interest in wildlife and the environment.

Taft’s novice debate team recently took home three prizes in Loomis Chaffee’s 34^th Annual Debate Tournament, including a first place award in the individual speaker category.

The debate was a switch-side, cross-ex, policy resolution debate. Everett Rutan, Executive Director of the Connecticut Debate Association, chose this year’s resolution, which centered on the December 2015 Climate Change Conference in Paris. Rutan also provided the research packet that accompanied that resolution. Teams had one hour to work together to prepare their cases using only the packet before the rounds of debate began. Competitors were judged on their ability to produce and defend cogent, persuasive arguments on both sides of the issue.

Robert Garcia ’18 earned first prize in the individual speaker category. Working with Aditya Balsekar ’18, Robert also earned a second-place finish in the two-person team category. Peter Oh ’17 and Leigh Sharpless ’18 joined the pair for the four-person team competition, in which they finished third.

The Ken Nigro Band returns to Taft School Friday, February 26 at 7 pm for an evening concert in Walker Hall. Part of Taft’s Music for a While performance series, the event is free and open to the public.

The eight-piece ensemble, which includes Taft music teacher TJ Thompson, is led by Ken Nigro and features vocal artist Stephanie Harrison. They will play both smooth jazz and jazz standards, as well as their exciting and unique vocal renditions of more contemporary songs, including selections from the Beatles, Chicago, Michael Jackson, Tower of Power, Average White Band, Stevie Wonder, Temptations, Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Harry Connick Jr., Aretha Franklin, Diana Krall, SuperSax, Doobie Bros, Brecker Bros, and Billy Joel. The concert will also feature many of Ken's arrangements and an original composition.

Ken Nigro is a talented multi-instrumentalist who has worked with such artists as Aretha Franklin, the Temptations, Manhattan Transfer, Nelson Riddle Orchestra, and Doc Severinson.  He recently performed with the national touring companies of Disney's Newsies and White Christmas, and has performed at the White Nights Jazz Festival (Russia), the Newport Jazz Festival, and the Kennedy Performing Arts Center. He is a featured soloist on the New Millennium Jazz Ensemble’s CD, which also features Bill Mays and Harvie Swartz.

Walker Hall is located at 50 DeForest Street, Watertown, CT. For more information on this event, or any of our Music for a While performances, visit www.taftschool.org/concerts.

Members of Taft’s Honors Model UN class traveled to Boston recently for the sixty-third session of Harvard’s Model United Nations (HMUN), a four-day international relations simulation. HMUN 2016 attracted more than 3,000 high school delegates from over 35 countries, with Taft’s delegates rising to the top field.

      “I am a very proud teacher of a scholarly, hard-working group of students,” said Jamella Lee, Taft’s Dean of Global and Diversity Education. “They performed exceptionally well negotiating, debating, and collaborating on some of the most pressing issues facing our world.”

      HMUN delegates assume the roles of UN representatives and members of other international bodies and national cabinets. This year, Taft students represented Uzbekistan. The simulation encourages an in-depth examination and resolution of critical world issues, while emphasizing process over product. Students must balance national interests with the needs of the international community, while managing the powers and limitations of international negotiation. Moderators guide debates in accordance with the formal rules of parliamentary procedure.

      Leon Vortmeyer ’16 was named Best Delegate, a first place award, for his work with the Special Summit on Biotechnology committee. His work included position papers on genetic testing and privacy, and on international standards for research ethics and access.

      “Leon led a fierce committee in negotiating resolutions on the topics in front of his committee,” notes Lee. “His diplomacy, poise, self-confidence, scholarly acumen, political astuteness, emotional intelligence, mastery of the rules of procedure, mental toughness, and negotiating skills were second to none—impeccable to say the least.”

      Tawanda Mulalu ’16 garnered verbal commendations for his work on the HMUN General Assembly’s World Health Organization committee. Tawanda wrote position papers considering research on human subjects, and healthcare in penal institutions. Tawanda and Zygimantas Jievaltas ’17 were also among the top 10 finalists in the Harvard Impact Initiative Essay Contest.

      Honors Model UN students, who received additional coaching from Headmaster Willy MacMullen’78 and attorney Nancy Kinsella, will travel to Ithaca, NY in April for Cornell University’s Model UN event.

The photographic works of Taft seniors Emma Howie and Maggie McNeill will be on display in Potter Gallery from February 12 through March 2. An opening reception will be held in the Gallery Friday, February 12 from 5-7 pm. The event is free and open to the public.

     Maggie’s collection, Mnemosyne, is her representation of memory. Dedicated to her mother, Holly McNeill, each photo in the series immortalizes sensations and emotions within its four borders, and documents her family’s journey—their memories.

     “Mnemosyne is more than our story,” says Maggie, “it is a reflection on memory, what it means to me, and, when you look at it, what it might mean to you.  These photos were made during a tumultuous, transitional period of my life after my mom passed away. Through the use of geometric shapes throughout the composition and with a focus on my family, the order created in my images reconciled the structure I strove for in my life.”

     Incanto, Emma’s collection, draws its name from the Latin incantare—to chant, charm; enchantment.

     "I have always been enchanted with light," notes Emma. "It draws me to my subjects and centers my attention. In those fleeting moments, I am overcome with fascination as I attempt to capture the brilliant light and the vivid colors that catch my eye...This collection shows a world I have explored through my teenage years; one filled with gratitude, confusion, exploration, and joy. With each image comes a memory or experience, but looking at each adventure allows me appreciate my journey. Incanto celebrates the enchanted world through my eyes."

     The Gallery is located on the Taft School campus, 110 Woodbury Road, Watertown, CT, and is open Monday through Saturday from 8 am to 5 pm. For more information, visit TaftSchool.org/PotterGallery

"What's done cannot be undone," wrote Shakesepeare, and what is done, now, at Taft is the 2016 annual lower mid Macbeth recitation.

"It is one of my favorite nights of the year," said Headmaster Willy MacMullen '78, "a packed house in Laube, great performances and lots of wild applause."

In congratulating all of the the lower mids on another successful event, English teacher Caitlin Hincker noted that the recitation was, "perhaps the best night of overall performances the English department has ever seen in this contest's history."

Taking home top honors were:

1st place: Max Fossland for the porter's speech the morning after Duncan's death
2nd place: Andrea Gura for her "fabulous Lady Macbeth,""What beast was it..."
3rd place: Julia Dawson for "an equally fabulous Lady Macbeth,""Was the hope drunk..."

The following students also competed and won in their English classes:
Caroline Coia
Fiona Connolly
Julia Dawson
Max Fossland
Brady Grustas
Andrea Gura
Kayla Robinson
Eleanor Streit
Claire Vithoontien

This year's team of judges included last year's winner, Natalie Bonilla, and faculty members Will Shotwell and Linda Saarnijoki. Special thanks to all the lower mid English teachers,  Bob Campbell, Micaela DeSimone (teacher of this year's winner), Idara Foster, Pam MacMullen, and Steve Palmer.

Taft students hit the campaign trail on the eve of the New Hampshire primary for a firsthand look at our nation’s political process.

      “The New Hampshire primary is arguably the most important event of the presidential election season,” notes Taft history teacher Rachael Ryan, who traveled north with just over 30 AP Government students. “The state of New Hampshire plays a pivotal role in our political process.”

      Ryan invited students to weigh in on which New Hampshire events would be most interesting and educational to attend, not necessarily those tied to candidates they support; the majority opted for rallies featuring Republican front-runner Donald Trump, and Democrat Bernie Sanders, then-favored to win the state.

      “In 2008 we were able to see and meet both Hillary Clinton-D and John McCain-R, the eventual winners of the primaries,” said Ryan. “This year, only one of the students’ two choices—Donald Trump— was holding a rally the day of our trip.”

      Students prepped for the event by watching video and reading news accounts of earlier Trump rallies and political gatherings. Many were surprised by the tone, the rhetoric, and the perceived lack of substance.

      “I had two expectations going in,” says Liana Hickey ’16, “one was to see if the crazy, sound-bite kinds of things we all hear about are just media hype, and the other to learn more about his policies. The actual experience fell somewhere in the middle: His speech was inconsistent, like a series of loosely strung together thoughts seemingly designed to ignite the crowd; and unfortunately I did not learn much about his policies at all.”

      “The few things we did hear about his policies,” adds Ryan “reflected a rather liberal stance.”

       Tyler Dullinger ’16 agrees. “Donald gave a very rambling, but engaging speech calling for campaign finance reform, saving social security, lowering military spending, and removing US troops from Syria—all very liberal positions that mirror that of Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders.”

       The event was well attended by press from around the world; many news outlets took a particular interest in the Taft contingent. They were interviewed by CNN, Time magazine, and some international news organizations, and rubbed elbows quite memorably with Jordan Klepper of “The Daily Show.” Their thoughts were also captured on a video produced by “Now This Election,” a web-based news outlet.

      “Trump seems to appeal to a very specific demographic—many of them a bit older than ourselves, many of them men” said Hickey. “The press was quite interested in why we were there and in whether or not we were actually Trump supporters.”

      And while Hickey and Dullinger felt that many in the crowd were not, in fact, Team Trump, but simply those curious about the “spectacle” presented in the media, his “true believers” did help fill the auditorium.

      “I was shocked by the crowd,” says Maggie Luddy ’16. “It was surprising to me that there were people there who felt so strongly and reacted with such intensity to Trump’s words and ideas. Still, I had been following all of the rallies very closely, and based on overall attendance numbers, it was clear that not everyone at the rally voted for Trump—the percentages did not add up.”

      In the end, says Ryan, the “unfortunate downgrading of the political discourse in this country,” was not lost on Taft students.

     “It was somewhat disheartening,” says Hickey. “But I think the fact that Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump were the front-runners in New Hampshire shows just how polarized America is.”

In 1998, University of Wyoming student Matthew Shepard was brutally murdered in Laramie, Wyoming. Shepard was gay, and his murder was denounced as a hate crime. In the aftermath, the absence of state and federal hate crime laws came into clearer focus. The case drew international attention; public reaction was widespread and often contentious. In 2000, The Tectonic Theater Project produced a three-act play that probes that reaction. The play draws on hundreds of interviews conducted by the theater company with residents of the Laramie, company members' journal entries, and published news reports. The Laramie Project, as the three-act play is known, comes to Taft in March.

            “A few seniors approached me saying that they longed to do a show that really says something,” says the shows producer Maggie Luddy ’16. “They want their last performances at Taft to truly speak, and to do so powerfully.”

            Under the guidance of advisor and Taft’s Performing Arts Technical Director David Kievit, Luddy and The Laramie Project director Emily Axelberg ’16 have given new life to one of Taft’s most storied traditions, Masque and Dagger.

            “Masque and Dagger has probably been around almost as long as the school has,” says Luddy. “When you look at the images in the stained glass in the dining hall you see Masque and Dagger represented. But it has not really been active since the 80s. We wanted to bring it back, and to bring it back as a forum for discussing issues though art.”

            Which, Luddy notes, made The Laramie Project a natural choice: “It is such a relevant topic, and one that needs to be discussed not only on our campus, but throughout the greater community.”

            The Laramie Project opens Thursday March 3 at 7:30 pm in The Black Box Theater, with additional performances at 7:30 pm March 4 and 5. The cast and crew will hold open “talk back” sessions after each performance, inviting the audience to engage in open dialogue about the subject matter, and the staging of the show at Taft. To learn more about Matthew Shepard, visit MatthewShepard.org

John Kilbourne ’58 traveled to Taft this week to hear from four seniors who spent a portion of last summer living the arts, thanks in part to grants from the Kilbourne Summer Enrichment Fund. The students shared their stories during Morning Meeting on Tuesday.

      Maggie Luddy attended a US Performing Arts Camp intensive on the Georgetown University campus. Maggie, currently co-head of Masque and Dagger and one of the leads in Taft’s fall production of Hairspray, has already utilized, she says, the skills and training learned during her time in DC, which included monologue, dance, and vocal instruction.

      A serious anglophile with a passion for all-things Shakespeare, Kayla Kim traveled to England to study at Oxford University. And while her experience was heavy on Shakespeare, the setting and coursework also allowed a look at the likes of Lewis Carroll, C.S. Lewis, and other authors who lived and worked in and around Oxford. (Not to mention visits to Harry Potter film sites!)

      Natasha Cheung participated in a three-week, visual arts intensive at Cornell University. And intensive it was: each week, Natasha notes, was the equivalent of one month of traditional study at Cornell. Natasha explored mediums new to her, like screen-printing, and expanded her view of art as solitary experience through the many collaborative projects she engaged in while at Cornell.

      Carey Cannata spent six weeks on the campus of Chicago’s Northwestern University studying film and video through the renowned National High School Institute. Carey focused on filmmaking and screen acting, solidifying his determination to pursue a career as a screen actor. He also studied avante garde film and the art of the long take, which formed the basis of his culminating film project, The Seven Deadly Sins.

Watch all four grantees and Cannata’s film here.

Kilbourne Summer Enrichment Fund

Established by John Kilbourne, Class of 1958, in memory of his parents Samuel W. and Evelyn S. Kilbourne, provides students with opportunities in the summer to participate in enriching programs in the arts.

Ciara Connolly ’17 was relatively new to the art of drumming when she arrived at Taft as a lower mid.

     “I started playing drums in sixth grade, when a lot of schools first have students choose an instrument. I chose drums,” Ciara says, “and so did about 20 other kids. By the time I got to eighth grade, there were only two drummers left, and my playing had evolved from a pad, to a snare, to a full kit.”

     Today, Ciara is a highly regarded and versatile drummer at Taft. She plays in the jazz ensemble, is in the orchestra pit at many of Taft’s shows, and travels whenever and wherever the beat takes her, which on Sunday afternoons, is Columbus Circle in New York City: Ciara is a member of the prestigious Jazz at Lincoln Center (JALC) Youth Orchestra.

            As a lower mid, Ciara traveled with Taft musicians to Portugal. It was there that her passion for jazz was first ignited.

            “The students at the Lisbon Music School are just insanely talented—super tight.” Ciara says. “Their music was hugely influenced by Miles Davis; that made an impact on me. Later, at a jazz club, there was a band playing called the Wild Bunch. I was so amazed by their drummer—he was fantastic and inspirational. I bought their CD because I wanted to replicate his sound. I had played all kinds of music before, but decided then that I wanted to move deeper into jazz.”

             And opportunity followed. In the spring of her mid year, Ciara traveled to Memphis and New Orleans with Taft’s Jazz Ensemble. The group visited venues like Preservation Hall, a well-known spot in the French Quarter dedicated to preserving Traditional New Orleans Jazz. Music teacher T.J. Thompson also arranged for them to play a variety of popular and historic music venues, including Buffa’s.

            “We had been playing “Sing, Sing, Sing” throughout our tour,” said Ciara. “It’s such a classic. That night at Buffa’s everything came together; I felt it was the best I had played it.”

            Buffa’s owner agreed: She offered Ciara a scholarship to a Traditional Jazz camp in New Orleans.

            Says Ciara: “It is really a camp for adults—people older than myself just doing what they love.”

           At the camp Ciara worked and played with drummer Gerald French, leader of the famed Tuxedo Jazz Band. In its more than 100-year history, the band has only had five leaders; French took the helm in 2011. It was the first jazz band to play at the White House in 1953, and produced some of the best-known musicians of the past century, including Bob French, Octave Crosby, and Louis Armstrong. The camp also got her on stage at Preservation Hall.

            Ciara left for Memphis and New Orleans the same day she auditioned for the Jazz at Lincoln Center Youth Orchestra. The rest, as they say, is history. Each Sunday she spends one hour in “jazz language” classes, followed by three hours of rehearsal—two with her big band group, one with combo. Ciara, along with the other members of her JALC Specialized Big Band ensemble, recently took top honors in the 8^th Annual Charles Mingus Competition.

            “One of the staples of Mingus’s music is abrupt changes in feel, style, and meter,” notes Ciara. “We really built on that in our performance of “Moanin’”—we flowed in and out of mambo and jazz in a kind of a different and exciting way. I think it embodied all that Mingus tried to do in all of his arrangements, and that the judges felt that was a really pleasant surprise.”

          Mingus is widely regarded as one of the most important figures in 20^th-century American music; his legacy is showcased each year during the three-day festival. Mingus’s widow, Sue, co-produces the annual high school competition at the Manhattan School of Music (MSM).

“Jazz bands from all over the country submit recorded auditions,” Ciara explains. “Those auditions are used to make the first round of cuts. Only three or four groups in each of the four categories are actually called to MSM to compete.”

          Ciara’s JALC ensembles were invited to compete as finalists in both the Specialized Big Band and Specialized Combo categories, where they placed first and second, respectively. The festival included rehearsal time, jam sessions, films, and a performance by Mingus Dynasty, a jazz ensemble made up of Mingus’s one-time band mates, colleagues, and contemporaries. Ciara also participated in a clinic with Mingus Dynasty drummer Adam Cruz.

          “It was an amazing experience; he’s just incredible. That is how I want my music to sound,” says Ciara.

          And it is that—that finding inspiration and working to fulfill it—that has driven Ciara to the top of her game.

         “All of these opportunities have been about learning. The camp in New Orleans, the Berkelee summer program, JALC—it has all been about working with these amazing, inspiring people who give me so much direction and so much to work on. For me, that’s what its all about.”

The arts are alive at Taft with two different Parents Weekend performances.

Under the direction of Performing Arts Technical Director David Kievit, Taft students mounted a powerful production of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Gerry Calles ’18 and Camila Papadopoulo ’16 filled the title roles, with Zachary Ailes ’18, Raymond Bai ’18, Ian Chiang ’17, Lauren Fadiman ’17,Tawanda Mulalu ’16, Mihir Nayar ’19, Felicity Petruzzi ’16, Ryan Rothfuss ’16, and Ms. O’Shea rounding out the cast. Students worked with former high school English teacher and professional actress Blythe Coons in advance of the show, learning to reinterpret Shakespeare’s intent by translating his text cues into physical components of their performances. Taft English teachers Ken Hincker, Linda Saarnijoki, and Will Shotwell also assisted with dramaturgy.

The show must go on, even when Taft’s dance teacher Sarah Surber is out on maternity leave. Science teacher and talented dancer and choreographer Dr. Amanda Benedict stepped in to lead Taft’s Dance Ensemble through a moving and diverse winter concert, which was dedicated to Surber’s newborn son.

“All of the students, as well as the producers and directors of these shows, worked hard to put together these incredible performances,” said Arts Department Chair Bruce Fifer. “Amanda Benedict was able to lead students through a tremendous show in Sarah Surber’s absence.”

            The dance concert featured pieces like “Formidable,” originally choreographed by Surber, and “Portrait,” adapted from a piece by Carolyn Dorfman, whose company, Carolyn Dorfman Dance, was in residence at Taft last fall. In addition to several pieces choreographed by students, Benedict, who danced classical ballet with the Vermont Contemporary Ballet Company at the Vermont Conservatory of Ballet in high school and double majored in Chemistry and Dance Performance in college, brought “Old Girl” to life on the Black Box stage.

Click here to view the dance concert in its entirety.

Taft’s Music for a While performance series continues Friday, March 4 with pianist Andrew Armstrong and his guests, violinist Livia Sohn and cellist Ani Azanavoorianm. The concert begins at 7 pm in Walker Hall, 50 DeForest Street, Watertown, CT. The event is free and open to the public; no tickets are required.

            The program will feature classical and chamber selections including Haydn’s “Gypsy Trio,” perhaps his best known piano trio featuring a rousing Rondo finale in Hungarian style; the rhapsodic “Tzigane,” composed by Ravel and first performed in London in 1924; and select pieces by Paganini and Brahms.

            “We are fortunate to be able to welcome an amazing group of performers to Taft, who have put together a great musical program,” notes Taft Arts Department Head Bruce Fifer.

            Armstrong is well known for his “passionate expression and dazzling technique.” He has performed solo recitals and appeared with orchestras in Asia, Europe, Latin America, and the United States, including performances at Alice Tully Hall, Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, the Grand Hall of the Moscow Conservatory, and Warsaw's National Philharmonic. Armstrong has worked with some of the most recognized conductors in the world, including Peter Oundjian, Itzhak Perlman, Günther Herbig, and Stefan Sanderling, and has collaborated violinist James Ehnes, and cellist Robert deMaine. Armstong has performed with the Elias, Alexander, American, and Manhattan String Quartets, and was a member of the Caramoor Virtuosi at the Caramoor International Music Festival, and the Jupiter Symphony Chamber Players in New York City. Armstrong is devoted to outreach programs and playing for children. In addition to his many concerts, his performances are heard regularly on National Public Radio and WQXR, New York City's premier classical music station.

            Hailed by Opus Magazine as “a stunning musician,” violinist Livia Sohn performs widely on the international stage as concerto soloist, recitalist, and festival guest artist. She has been a guest soloist in the United States with the symphony orchestras of Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Seattle, Milwaukee, Edmonton, Rochester, Austin, Phoenix, New York Chamber Symphony, Boston Pops, and Brooklyn Philharmonic, to name a few. Internationally she has performed with, among others,  the Budapest Philharmonic, Berlin Symphony, Cologne Philharmonic, Iceland Symphony Orchestra, Mexico City Philharmonic and Boca del Rio Philharmonic in Mexico, Hungarian Radio Philharmonic, Orchestra del Teatro Marrucino di Chieti in Italy, and the Czech National Symphony Orchestra. National Public Radio’s “Performance Today” hosted Sohn as an Artist-in-Residence.

            Ani Aznavoorian is in demand as a soloist and chamber musician with some of the world’s most recognized ensembles. She has appeared with many of the world’s leading orchestras including the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Boston Pops, the Tokyo Philharmonic, the Helsinki Philharmonic, the Finnish Radio Symphony, the International Sejong Soloists, the Indianapolis Philharmonic, the San Jose Symphony, the Juilliard Orchestra, Concertante di Chicago, and the Edmonton Symphony.  She has also appeared as recitalist and chamber musician throughout the United States, Italy, France, Finland, Yugoslavia, Japan, Korea, Australia, Taiwan, and Canada. This season marks Aznavoorian’s fourth year as principal cellist of Camerata Pacifica.  She has also been a member of the distinguished music faculty at the University of Illinois in Champaign/Urbana. Aznavoorian has earned many prizes and awards for her work, including the prestigious Bunkamura Orchard Hall Award for her outstanding cello playing and artistry. She is a Presidential Scholar in the Arts and performed as soloist at the Kennedy Center.

            For more information about the Taft School Music for a While performance series, visit www.TaftSchool.org/concerts.

“Come, my friends, 'T is not too late to seek a newer world,” former congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) told Taft students, invoking the words of Alfred Lord Tennyson to share his message of hope and optimism.

The oldest of seven children in a family of limited means, Kucinich rose to prominence first as the mayor of Cleveland, Ohio, then as a seven-term member of the U.S. House of Representatives, where he was known for his hard work, passion, and liberal views. Kucinich also sought the Democratic presidential nomination in both 2004 and 2008.

At each turn in his life, Kucinich told Taft students, his successes came from always looking—and moving—forward.

“Where you see yourself has incredible power,” said Kucinich. “The thing about life is, you take a step at a time toward a journey—you keep those dreams, you hold fast to them, they are like stars that you sail by.”

Still, there may be obstacles on that journey. None, Kucinich noted, should be seen as insurmountable—therein lies the hope for Tennyson’s “newer world.”

“I have found that there is kind of a physics to change. We look at a certain reality and say, well there’s nothing I can do about it,” Kucinich said. “But as you know from studying physics, everything is in motion. And when you keep in mind that even solids are in motion, that even in any event that appears unchangeable there’s something in it, some interstitial space where you can literally reach in and envision another reality—describe it, call it forward, and make it happen—it becomes possible that we can change the world.”

Watch Kucinich’s full Morning Meeting talk with student Q & A here.

Congratulations to all Taft athletes on another fine season of competition. A listing of Winter 2015-16 Founders League All-Stars and special award winners follows, along with the names of our 2016-17 captains-elect.

 2015-2016  WINTER SPORTS - SPECIAL ATHLETIC AWARD WINNERS

The Boys’ Ski Racing Award                                 Cashen J. Keeler ’16

The 1978 Girls’ Varsity Basketball Cup                 Helen R. Hofelt ’16

The Boys’ Squash Award                                        Tristan W. Chaix ’16

The 1986 Girls’ Squash Award                                Eleanor S. Carroll ’16

                                                                                  Eliza K. Dunham ’16

The Patsy Odden Hockey Award                           Madeline R. Leidt ’16

The James Painter Logan Memorial Basketball    Karlens A. Joas ’16

The Coach’s Hockey Award                                    William J. Dittrich ’16

                                                                                   Carter M. Taft ’16

The Angier Hockey Trophy                                    Andrew M. Farrier ’17

The Harry F. Hitch Wrestling Award                     Tennant B. Maxey ’16

                                                                                   Sean F. Sullivan ’16

The John L. Wynne Wrestling Award                     Royal Lockett Mcgee ’16

                                                                                   Frederick O. Robertshaw ‘16

The Girls’ Ski Racing Award                                   Kimberly V. Amelsberg ’16

2015-2016 WINTER SPORTS – FOUNDERS LEAGUE ALL-STARS

Boys’ Varsity Basketball                                         Patrick J. Ford ’16

                                                                                   Ludvig Swanström ’16

Girls’ Varsity Basketball                                          Samantha A. Manfreda ’17

                                                                                  Lauren E. Pelosi ’18

Boys’ Varsity Hockey                                              Andrew M. Farrier ’17

Girls’ Varsity Hockey                                              Rebecca A. Dutton ’16

                                                                                  Katherine M. Tewksbury ’16

Boys’ Varsity Squash                                               Brandon M. Salvatore ’16

                                                                                  Kyle Salvatore ’17

Girls’ Varsity Squash                                               Madison J. Chiulli ’17

                                                                                  Paige B. Whittemore ’16

Varsity Wrestling                                                     Michael C. K. Hennessy ’17

                                                                                  Nikhil S. Wadhwa ’16

2016-2017 - WINTER CAPTAINS ELECT

Boys’ Varsity Basketball                                        Darius T. Chester ’17

                                                                                  Zavier R. Rucker ’17

Girls’ Varsity Basketball                                         TBD

Boys’ Varsity Hockey                                             Andrew M. Farrier ’17

Girls’ Varsity Hockey                                             Anna Bridger ’17

Natalie B. Lima ’17

                                                                                 Assistant Captain: Anna K. Rasmussen ’17

Varsity Ski Racing                                                  Madeleine R. Savage ’18

                                                                                 Michael L. Wasserstein ’17

Boys’ Varsity Squash                                              Kyle Salvatore ’17

Girls’ Varsity Squash                                              Madison J. Chiulli ’17

Varsity Wrestling                                                    Michael C. K. Hennessy ’17

                                                                                 Hunter N. Ramee ’17