William K. Breckenridge Papers

William K. Breckenridge was born in Mercer, Pennsylvania, on February 24, 1867, to Joseph Calvin "Cal" Breckenridge (1843-1887) and Elizabeth Agnes Kilgore (1846-1946). He had six siblings: Bessie Louise (1870-1943), Lillian Bell "Lillie" (1873-1964), Zella M. (1875-1951), Joseph Ferris (1879-), James Lawrence (1884-1976), and Ruth Adelaide (1887-1964). He was one of five children, four of whom attended Oberlin College. Breckenridge earned a diploma in piano forte, organ harmony, and theory from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music in 1888, (A.B. 1906) which included a year of study in Leipzig, Germany. After graduation, he spent two years studying piano in Berlin, Germany. In 1890, Breckenridge began his teaching career at the Oberlin Conservatory as instructor of piano forte. There he continued to teach, along with Charles W. Morrison, George Whitfield Andrews (1861-1932), and Edward Dickinson (1853-1946), until his retirement 44 years later (1934). For years he was the pianist most frequently called upon to represent the Conservatory of Music in musical events; and, he appeared with many visiting artists as an accompanist as well. His love of historic music and instruments in their proper setting led to his production of a number of concerts in costume. He began the first consort of recorders in Oberlin, as well as the first group of Oberlin Madrigal Singers. The need for a harp teacher at the Conservatory was filled when he taught himself to play the harp. He was appointed Acting Professor of Harp in 1934-35, and he continued his other teaching assignments as well. Breckenridge’s cultural service activities and interests outside the Conservatory were numerous. He served as organist at the First Church in Oberlin, the Second Church, and at the Methodist Church for 54 combined years. As an inveterate student of foreign cultures, and a skilled linguist, he traveled to Europe 42 times, often to visit his personal friend Johannes Brahms (1833-1897). His collector’s instinct with a penchant for the exotic created a treasure-trove for campus theater and music productions, particularly those needing stage properties and costumes. His collection of sheet music, acquired in these travels, augments the Music Library at Oberlin College today. He published several textbooks about piano teaching. He was known as a “Good Samaritan” to an endless list of friends and strangers, students, townspeople, and faculty colleagues and was affectionately known as “Mr. Breck.” His special interest was the American Red Cross. A colleague described Breckenridge as “a doer of neighborly deeds, a talented master of many skills, and a man of the friendly heart to whom good impulses and action are one.” He continued his many interests well after his retirement. During these years he was a frequent concert-goer. He died on May 22, 1956, and was buried in Mercer, PA. He never married.

Note written by William E. Bigglestone.