World-Renowned Artists on Campus

Millbrook students learn daily from some of the top experts in the world—our faculty! But sometimes it’s good to hear from new voices, so our teachers often dip into their deep industry networks to bring interesting and exciting guests to campus.

This spring, the community welcomed several guests, including a group of ceramics artists and the Millbrook Music Salon’s The Green Room Ensemble:

As the academic year came to a close, Millbrook artists were busy putting the final touches on their masterpieces. For ceramics class, that meant heating up the kiln to fire clay creations. To help with the intense process, which involves round-the-clock kiln stoking, Ceramics Instructor Owen Moon invited four artists—Andrew Castañeda, Johnny Arvizu, Anna Graef, and Tolley Rippon—to spend a couple of weeks on campus. Along with working the kiln, they spent time with students in class, leading a clay stomp project and giving artists talks.

The clay stomp was a collaborative project in which the students and guest artists walked barefoot across a large slab of wet clay laid out in the Holbrook Arts Center hallway. Used to molding clay with fingers, the students enjoyed sharing the tactile work with their toes. Symbolizing humans from diverse backgrounds walking together through time, the slab of clay will hang in the ceramics studio as a tangible representation of the deep sense of community Millbrook is known for.

Later in the day, class reconvened for artists talks from each of the guests. They walked the students through their artistic journeys, from college and mentorships to professional practice. Students benefited from technical tips on firing and glazing, and they were inspired by pictures of the artist’s work and travels.

Millbrook School is known for its gorgeous campus filled with everything students need to thrive. But the community around our campus is also filled with opportunities for service and enrichment. Our strong ties to the local community include students volunteering at food pantries, student-raised donations to nearby charitable foundations, and—most recently—an exciting Millbrook Music Salon performance on campus at the Chelsea Morrison Theater.

The chamber music performance by The Green Room Ensemble, part of its contemporary series “On the Edge,” was free to Millbrook faculty and students. The ensemble consists of five world-renowned musicians: violinists Nathan Meltzer and Ariel Horowitz, violist James Kang, cellist Sterling Elliot, and pianist Sophia Zhou. A two-hour affair, the concert featured a range of classical and modern compositions.

As the Millbrook Music Salon program explained, “This dynamite program traces a wide arc of chamber music, beginning with the wit, clarity, and conversational elegance of Joseph Haydn’s ‘Piano Trio in E major, Hob. XV:28,’ and moving through a series of bold, contemporary works that reimagine how sound, rhythm, and ensemble interaction can unfold.” The contemporary works included Misato Mochizuki’s “Brains,” Andy Akiho’s “The Prospects of a Misplaced Year,” and more.

This evening of culture is emblematic of the Millbrook experience. In addition to learning daily from expert faculty, our students are regularly inspired by luminaries such as The Green Room Ensemble, who generously share their experience and talent with our community.

Read about more notable Millbrook guests: