Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, January 23, 1993 TAG: 9301230055
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: JEANNINE RELLY SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES & WORLD-NEWS
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium
WIDOW TO SING THE LOVE SHE FELT FOR NEW VIRGINIANS CO-FOUNDER
Catherine Breske wants to celebrate her husband's life and their love for each other in a benefit performance Friday for the Paul Breske Scholarship."If I had thought more about it, I would have set the date for Valentine's Day," Breske said. "People ask me, `How can you do this?' It's such an honor for me to do this. I miss him. Singing his music means a lot to me. It was great knowing him."
Paul Breske, who came to Virginia Tech in 1969 to work with the Men's Glee Club, died Jan. 26, 1992, of a brain tumor. He was 52. He had retired in 1990.
He and Stan Kingma founded the coeducational pop music group The New Virginians in 1972 from the Tech Showmen, an all-male group. They also formed the Stage Band, the all-female Techmates and the coed University Singers.
Breske was conductor-arranger for The New Virginians throughout his associate professorship at Tech. He also taught music theory. Kingma resigned from the group in 1978 to take a corporate job in New Jersey.
Breske said her husband was loved by his students. After he died, she received many letters from them.
She met her husband when she was a student with The New Virginians. She said Paul Breske loved being a technical musician, writing scores for other instruments. He played the piano well but didn't perform much until he met her.
"I think he performed with me because I liked to sing. His playing was like a gift to me," Breske said.
Throughout their 14-year marriage, the couple performed with Paul Breske producing, conducting and playing piano for their One Woman Show.
"The most memorable performance for me in our time together was a Valentine show while he was sick. He hadn't performed for a year. The goal of putting shows together during his two-year illness was having something to look forward to," Breske said.
"It was a challenge for him. He'd had radiation, minor surgery, bad times. He told me he was feeling scared about performing. He was so courageous. I felt he was doing it for me. I was doing it for him," she said.
"His music was such therapy for him while he was sick. He played the piano all the time. It was wonderful hearing him."
Breske learned she was pregnant with their fourth child at the beginning of her husband's illness.
"I was afraid he wouldn't be with him. But he was there when I gave birth. They did have some time together."
Their son Michael was 1 1/2 when Paul Breske died.
Breske said her husband was the kind of person she wishes everyone knew. With this in mind, she will sing the love songs she sang to him and with him during her benefit performance.
"The whole theme of the show is songs we did together - pop songs, Broadway and jazz. Robert Elkins helped me put this together. If I didn't have him to play the piano, I wouldn't be able to perform."
Marvin McNeill will play drums; George McNeill will play bass. The trio will play a few songs with the University Jazz Orchestra.
Nancy McDuffie, a guest performer, will sing what may be the last song Paul Breske arranged. It's a whimsical combination of two songs titled "Nina." Catherine Breske will sing "Nina" - a Spanish Tango and McDuffie will sing "Nina" - an Italian opera.
Proceeds from the concert will go to the Paul Breske Scholarship endowment for the Virginia Tech music department.
Friday's performance in McBryde Auditorium starts 8 p.m. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for students.