![“[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)
Upper and middle school groups perform in annual Winter Concert
Upper school instrumental music teacher Chris Florio conducts the upper school orchestra during today’s Winter Concert. The group performed “Scherzo à La Russe,” by Igor Stravinsky, “Má Vlast” and “Vltava” by Bedřich Smetana, “Night on Bald Mountain” by Modest Mussorgsky, “Russian Easter Festival Overture” by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov and Arturo Márquez’s “Danzón No. 2.”
January 12, 2018
The upper school orchestra, lab band and jazz band as well as the middle school orchestra and jazz band performed in the annual Winter Concert held at the De Anza Performing Arts Center on Friday night.
The concert’s ensembles were directed by instrumental music teachers Mr. Chris Florio and Dr. David Hart and featured musicians from grade levels six through 12.
Jazz band opened the concert with “Struttin’ With Some Barbecue” by Lillian Armstrong and Don Raye, “Doodlin’” by Horace Silver, “My Funny Valentine” by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart, “Just Friends” by John Klenner and Sam M. Lewis and “Spain” by Chick Corea.
Jazz band singer Kelsey Wu (11), who was featured in “My Funny Valentine” and “Just Friends,” spoke of how she prepared for her performance.
“Singing is a little more intimidating, just because there’s emotion involved as well as an element of acting,” she said. “When we were rehearsing in class, I’d record the whole track and then I’d try to sing over it at home while also trying to use the instrumentals I found.
The group was followed by lab band, who played Thelonious Monk’s “Bye-Ya,” “I Mean You” and “Bemsha Swing,” along with “Cool Struttin’ by Sonny Clark, “Little Sunflower” by Freddie Hubbard and David Torres’s “Hey Bud.”
The orchestra performed “Scherzo à La Russe,” by Igor Stravinsky, “Má Vlast” and “Vltava” by Bedřich Smetana, “Night on Bald Mountain” by Modest Mussorgsky, “Russian Easter Festival Overture” by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov and Arturo Márquez’s “Danzón No. 2.”
Flutist Katie Li (9) commented on the level of the pieces that the orchestra played during the concert.
“Compared to last year at the middle school, there’s definitely been a lot more pressure this year in the larger upper school orchestra. The pieces are a lot more advanced, and everyone plays amazingly; it’s often hard to keep up,” she said.
Upcoming performing arts events include a choral concert featuring groups Acoustics, Bel Canto, Camerata, Cantilena and Guys’ Gig next Friday and the upper school’s annual dance production on Jan. 26 and 27 at the Blackford theater.
