![“[Building nerf blasters] became this outlet of creativity for me that hasn't been matched by anything else. The process [of] making a build complete to your desire is such a painstakingly difficult process, but I've had to learn from [the skills needed from] soldering to proper painting. There's so many different options for everything, if you think about it, it exists. The best part is [that] if it doesn't exist, you can build it yourself," Ishaan Parate said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/DSC_8149-900x604.jpg)
![“When I came into high school, I was ready to be a follower. But DECA was a game changer for me. It helped me overcome my fear of public speaking, and it's played such a major role in who I've become today. To be able to successfully lead a chapter of 150 students, an officer team and be one of the upperclassmen I once really admired is something I'm [really] proud of,” Anvitha Tummala ('21) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Screen-Shot-2021-07-25-at-9.50.05-AM-900x594.png)
![“I think getting up in the morning and having a sense of purpose [is exciting]. I think without a certain amount of drive, life is kind of obsolete and mundane, and I think having that every single day is what makes each day unique and kind of makes life exciting,” Neymika Jain (12) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Screen-Shot-2017-06-03-at-4.54.16-PM.png)
![“My slogan is ‘slow feet, don’t eat, and I’m hungry.’ You need to run fast to get where you are–you aren't going to get those championships if you aren't fast,” Angel Cervantes (12) said. “I want to do well in school on my tests and in track and win championships for my team. I live by that, [and] I can do that anywhere: in the classroom or on the field.”](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/DSC5146-900x601.jpg)
![“[Volleyball has] taught me how to fall correctly, and another thing it taught is that you don’t have to be the best at something to be good at it. If you just hit the ball in a smart way, then it still scores points and you’re good at it. You could be a background player and still make a much bigger impact on the team than you would think,” Anya Gert (’20) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AnnaGert_JinTuan_HoHPhotoEdited-600x900.jpeg)
![“I'm not nearly there yet, but [my confidence has] definitely been getting better since I was pretty shy and timid coming into Harker my freshman year. I know that there's a lot of people that are really confident in what they do, and I really admire them. Everyone's so driven and that has really pushed me to kind of try to find my own place in high school and be more confident,” Alyssa Huang (’20) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AlyssaHuang_EmilyChen_HoHPhoto-900x749.jpeg)
First all-choir concert showcases diverse talents
Senior Jonathan Cho exhibits his tap-dancing skills in a performance by Guys’ Gig. This event served as the final performance for many seniors as a part of their respective choirs.
May 5, 2013
Upper School singers performed in the first choral concert exclusively featuring Bel Canto, Cantilena, Camerata, Downbeat, and Guy’s Gig on Friday, May 5.
The concert, held in the auditorium, showcased the talents of each group to a crowded audience and included a variety of songs pertaining to different themes.
Beginning with foreign songs, Cantilena and Camerata performed Kungala, an Australian piece meant to evoke “uplifting, joyous, and vigorous” feelings. Junior Anna Kendall provided an instrumental accompaniment with the didgeridoo, an Australian wind instrument that created deep throaty noise which added to the imagery of the Australian wilderness depicted in the song.
“Incorporating cultural songs into the event made it more interesting and enjoyable to watch and hear songs that [I] know and enjoy,” Renu Singh (11) noted.
The next theme, Distant and Imagined Times, incorporated a mix of songs discussing notable characters and novels.
Guys’ Gig performed an animated and lively rendition of “Brave Sir Robin” and “Back and Side” that included tap dancing by Jonathan Cho (12) and narration from David Grossman (12). Junior Stephan Pellissier followed with a solo performance of “Silent Noon.”
Cantilena then performed “The Hanging Tree,” a dark song from the novel Mockingbird of the Hunger Games series. Senior Apurva Tandon narrated the story, which at first seems to be a tale of two lovers trying to secretly meet, but actually discusses a much more morbid theme of death.
The third segment featured popular songs, including those by artists such as the Beatles, Keane, and Sting. The “Beatles in Revue” piece also included choreography developed by sophomore Cantilena members Caroline Howells, Madeline Lang-Ree, and Zoë Woehrmann.
The final set, Songs into Summer, featured Bel Canto in African folk songs and Downbeat in a variety of pieces.
“We sang in sectionals to learn [the songs] and then worked our way up to practicing in Nichols for the week before the concert,” Bel Canto member Gwen Howard (9) said. “I’m happy with how the performance went.”
Downbeat’s rendition of “Some Nights” by the artist Fun. featured Shawn Murali (11) on guitar and Rohan Desikan (9) on drums.
“The experience of performing with Downbeat […] was fun because they were amazing […] despite only having collectively practiced twice before,” Rohan said.
The performance also served as a “senior night” for the 12th grade participants; during intermission, Cantilena director Susan Nace honored Rebecca Liu, Nina Sabharwal, Pooja Shah, Alice Tsui, and Lydia Werthen with a small token in a red bag.
Following the performance, Downbeat directors Laura Lang-Ree and Jennifer Sandusky also awarded the group’s graduating members with personalized cards and gifts.
