Education

Stage x Studio x Education

The Big World Breaks Family is committed to leveraging the power of the arts, the significance of cultural collaboration and the vast resources within community and industry to innovate, design and provide high quality arts education.

With an expanding repertoire of original works, multi-media and cultural anthropology productions, workshops, award-winning residencies and curriculum commissioned for various arts and education entities; the BWB Family remains committed to learning from and collaborating with youth, families and community members who are most negatively impacted by institutional racism, economic oppression, bigotry, xenophobia and nationalism.

Educational Courses and Residencies:

Leschi Elementary School – Workshops / Arts-Infused Residencies / Multi-Media (2004-2016 / 2020-Present)

Washington Middle School – Drumline / Arts-Infused Residencies / Sectionals (2008-2016 / 2019-Present)

Arts Corps – Ensembles / Courses / Consulting / Arts-Infused Residencies (2008-2023)

Thurgood Marshall Elementary School – Percussion / Arts-Infused Residencies (2008-2009 / 2019-2023)

Garfield High School – Percussion / Arts-Infused Residencies / Sectionals (2009-2010 / 2020-2022)

Seattle JazzED – Ensembles / Courses (2010-2017)

Madrona Elementary School – Music / Dance / Arts-Infused Residencies (2010-2012 / 2017-2018)

Aki Kurose Middle School – Multi-Media / Percussion / Arts-Infused Residencies (2011-2017 / 2023)

O’Dea High School – Drumline / Jazz Ensemble Sectionals (2012-2018)

Bailey Gatzert Elementary – Multi-Media / Percussion / Arts-Infused Residencies (2014-Present)

BWB Drumline – Intergenerational Performance / Education / Community Engagement (2015-Present)

Spruce Street – Multi-Media / Percussion / Mentoring (2017-2020)

Interagency Academy – Multi-Media / Percussion / Arts-Infused Residencies (2017-2020)

South Shore Pk-8 – Percussion / Arts-Infused Residencies / Mural Production (2017-2022 / 2024-Present)

Meany Middle School – Drumline / Arts-Infused Residencies / Sectionals (2017-Present)

Madison Middle School – Multi-Media / Percussion / Arts-Infused Residencies (2018-Present)

Seattle World School – Multi-Media / Percussion / Arts-Infused Residencies (2020-2022)

Northgate Elementary School – Percussion (2020-2022)

Launch Learning – Multi-Media / Percussion (2020-2023)

Nova High School – Percussion (2021)

Kimball Elementary School – Percussion / Arts-Infused Residencies (2023-2024)

Floyd Bennett PS203K (Brooklyn, NY) – Percussion / Arts-Infused Residencies (2023-Present)

Alki Elementary School – Percussion & Dance Presentation / Arts-Infused Residencies (2023-Present)

Cleveland High School – Drumline / Percussion Residencies / Sectionals (2023-Present)

Hawthorne Elementary School – Percussion / Arts-Infused Residencies (2024)

John Muir Elementary School – Percussion / Arts-Infused Residencies (2024)

Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra – Sectionals (2025-Present)

North Beach Elementary School – Percussion / Arts-Infused Residencies (2025-Present)

Franklin High School – Percussion (2025-Present)

The BWB Drumline is an award-winning inter-generational collective honoring Pan-African music and culture from the Americas, the Caribbean and West Africa. By reconnecting our generations, they work to create tangible community progress through authentic sharing of wisdom, resources, knowledge, innovative models of collaboration and cultural preservation.

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To book Big World Breaks for any of your educational needs – please go here!

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“Aaron Walker-Loud and Big World Breaks have provided high quality and authentic music enrichment to my extended learning programs for over 4 years. Aaron is highly engaging, holds high expectations for scholars, and is incredibly responsive to our programmatic goals and the needs of our community. As a master teaching artist, Aaron and his BWB collaborators have established themselves as a trusted favorite within our school community; throughout the larger Central District and beyond.”

– Jaycee Coleman
(Bailey Gatzert Site Manager: SU: Center for Community Engagement)

“The work done by Mr. Walker-Loud (director of Big World Breaks) is in perfect alignment with our mission. He builds community through the arts, uses music to elevate and amplify the voices of marginalized people, and he honors the history and legacy of those that came before while helping his students create the future they want to live in. I have seen the way Mr. Walker-Loud fosters leadership in his students while holding them accountable to each other and to themselves. Working across generations with BWB’s programming takes that accountability to the next level, not pointing to problems within this group or that, but bringing all folks together to problem solve, to collaborate, and to create together. That’s just the way we need to address many of the issues that face us.”

– Aaron Counts
(Co-Director / Lead Engagement Artist: Creative Justice)

“Big World Breaks is simply an outstanding community partner. Aaron and his team are fully committed to the music and the culture, integrity in character and values, crystal clear communication, and the ability to connect creatively, professionally, and quickly with young people. Making music with Big World Breaks is just an absolute joy!”

– Daniel Pak
(Executive Director: Totem Star)

“I’ve had the pleasure of working with Aaron (director of Big World Breaks) since 2012… He is without question one of the strongest teachers/teaching artists I’ve met because he makes such great relationships with kids, his content knowledge is second to none, and he is passionate about teaching all students in a very diverse environment of learners while meeting a variety of student needs. His work includes leveraging the arts and arts education while addressing institutional racism in our communities. He gives students a voice to share their experiences while being part of a team that helps them celebrate new common experiences as well. Aaron has a very professional, yet conversational style and really gets to know his students. He leads great discussions and has students excited to talk about music and history. He’s familiar and effective working with a diverse group of learners in a low-income neighborhood. He also brings a professional background of being a producer and musician into our classroom, which leads to a much deeper understanding of our local history and music told through the lens of somebody who has studied it and been a part of it as opposed to somebody who just read about it in a text.”

– Mike Kreiger
(Educator: Aki Kurose Middle School / Madison Middle School)

“Aaron (director of Big World Breaks) brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to his teaching. He is a respected community leader with a commitment to equity and social justice. He approaches his teaching with the same level of responsibility and excellence he puts into his professional artistic work. His engagement with young people focuses on persistence, accountability, self-confidence and empowerment. He meets young people where they are at, and creates a safe container for them to gain new skills, collaborate and shine.”

– Tina LaPadula
(Arts Education Project Manager: Seattle Office of Arts & Culture)

The Youth Tutoring Program x Big World Breaks present:

“WORDS ON FIRE: The Art of Rapping, Story Telling and Freestyle”

2018 Summer Arts Residency at Bailey Gatzert Elementary School

Residency Designer and Lead Teaching Artist:
Aaron Walker-Loud

Guest Teaching Artist: Khingz

Photos courtesy of The Elite Collective

MOHAI in partnership with 50 Next: Seattle Hip-Hop Worldwide, Big World Breaks, Aki Kurose Middle School & The Town Entertainment presents:

“INNOVATION IS HIP-HOP”
2016 Spring Arts Residency

featuring:

Youth: 6^th Grade History Students from Aki Kurose Middle School

Partner Educator: Mike Kreiger

“The Legacy of Seattle Hip-Hop” Exhibit Curators & Teaching Artists

Dance Choreographer and Guest Teaching Artist:

Maxie Jamal

Generous support provided by the Institute of Museum and Library Services and The Boeing Company, Seattle PEACE Coalition and Seattle Education Foundation.

Photos courtesy of MOHAI

6-15-15

Big World Breaks x Aki Kurose Middle School present:

“I’m Ready”

– An Interactive Workshop for 6th Grade Students –

featuring: Yirim Seck, Gabriel Teodros, Mikaela Romero and Ariel Loud

Funded in part by:
King County Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention Program,
WA State Department of Social and Health Services, Neighborhood House and SE Seattle PEACE Coalition

Images by Ariel Loud

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6-10-15

Big World Breaks x Arts Corps x Leschi CDSA present:

“Beat Our Future – Vol. 1”

– an Interactive Community Workshop –

featuring: Washington Middle School Drumline

Funded in part by:
King County Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention Program,
WA State Department of Social and Health Services, Neighborhood House and SE Seattle PEACE Coalition

Images by Ariel Loud

7-26-14

In partnership with the Creative Advantage (Seattle Office of Arts and Culture), Capitol Hill Block Party and Big World Breaks, the Washington Middle School Drumline and select students from the Seattle JazzED Summer Ambassadors were brought together to form a super group, kicking off the show opening for Northwest Hip-Hop artist Sol. This unique collaboration, which was designed to launch public awareness of the Creative Advantage initiative in Seattle, was directed by Aaron Walker-Loud and assisted by Ariel Loud.