![“[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)
Middle and upper school orchestras perform at annual Spring Concert
From left, cellists Matthew Huang (12), Julia Wang (12), Kevin Kim (11) and Victor Weber (9) play during the Upper School orchestra’s performance of “The Firebird.” Matthew introduced “The Firebird” before its performance.
The upper and middle school orchestras performed in the annual Spring Concert at the Mexican Heritage Theater on April 10.
In the first half of the concert, the sixth grade orchestra performed, followed by middle school chamber ensembles, including two bass duets with middle school bassists and upper school principal bass Andrew Kim (11). The seventh and eighth grade orchestra performed afterward. The entire middle school orchestra, conducted by David Hart, then performed Georges Bizet’s “Prelude to Carmen.”
After an intermission, the upper school orchestra performed six pieces, each with an introduction by an orchestra member.
After beginning with Camille Saint-Saens’ “Danse Macabre,” the orchestra performed “The Firebird” by Igor Stravinsky.
“[The Firebird is] the most difficult work we’ve ever played,” music director and conductor Christopher Florio said. “It’s a very powerful, energetic piece that has some really tender moments to it.”
After “The Firebird,” the orchestra performed “La Paix,” by Leo Delibes, with principal viola Austin Lai (12) as a soloist, and the first movement of a violin concerto by Samuel Barber, with concertmaster Helen Wu (12) as a soloist. The orchestra then performed Alexander Borodin’s “Polovtsian Dances.”
Florio then recognized each senior orchestra member individually in a speech that preceded the last piece of the evening, Jose Pablo Moncayo’s “Huapango.”
The Upper School orchestra had also performed “Huapango” at a school meeting in the gym during the week of the concert. Florio commented on some of the challenges this venue posed.
“The way we are set up [in the gym], which is the only way we can set up, doesn’t allow the people in the back—the brass—to be able to hear the strings,” Florio said. “It’s really hard to line everything up, and it seems amazing they actually pulled it off as well as they did.”
The orchestra used instruments ranging from the harp to the xylophone during the concert. Percussionist and pianist Andrew Semenza (9) commented on the transportation of instruments to the theater.
“The morning of the concert […] we spend the class period moving mostly percussion instruments, and the piano as well, to the truck that holds all the big instruments,” Andrew said. “We have to package up the piano and package up the harp, and we have to get the timpanis loaded.”
“Huapango” and Camille Saint-Saens’ “Danse Macabre” were among pieces that the orchestra also performed in Portland, Oregon for the Northwest Orchestra Festival on March 7-8, where they won first place.
This piece was originally published in the pages of The Winged Post on April 22, 2015.
Praveen Batra (9) is a reporter for the Winged Post. He enjoys informative writing, design, and typography. In his spare time, he likes to write mobile...