Mr. Brake started teaching music at Arcadia for the 2017-2018 school year. Mr. Brake teaches 4th and 6th grade general music, and band for grades 5-12.
Mr. Brake is a graduate of Lincolnview High School and grew up in Van Wert County. He is the eldest of 5 children in his family. One of his brothers works in Florida, another teaches for Lima City Schools, his sister works for a dance company in Fort Wayne, and his youngest brother is currently studying music at Berklee College of Music in Boston.
Mr. Brake received his Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from Bluffton University in 2012. While attending Bluffton University, Mr. Brake was a member of the jazz ensemble, concert band, Accent! men’s chorus, Camerata Singers, percussion ensemble, and Brass Society. Mr. Brake was the Audience’s Choice winner of the 2011 Bluffton University Young Artists Competition. Additionally, Mr. Brake studied musical composition and had one of his piano pieces debuted at Steinway Hall in New York City.
Prior to teaching at Arcadia, Mr. Brake was the K-12 music teacher and band director at St. Wendelin Catholic School in Fostoria from 2013 until the spring of 2017.