Upper school vocal groups performed at their first showcase in the Rothschild Performing Arts Center today from 7 to 8:30 p.m.

Bel Canto, Cantilena, Camerata and Downbeat were among the groups performing in the new theater and were joined by Dynamics, Vivace and Harmonics from the middle school as well as Bucknall choir from the lower school. All three campuses’ groups also joined together to perform “Stand Together” by Jim Papoulis near the end of the concert.

In honor of the center’s opening, the singers ended with a dedicated performance of the Harker School Song and invited the audience to sing along with the lyrics provided in the concert’s program. As the house lights turned on, audience members were welcome to sing.

Singers from each group introduced their performances with a few sentences about their respective groups as well as the songs they would be singing. Bel Canto kicked off the high school’s set with “Cantate Domino” by Hans Leo Hassler, “Three Madrigals” by Emma Lou Diemer and “Morning Tide” by Stephen Leek.

They were followed by Camerata, who performed “Chili con carne” by Anders Edenroth, and Cantilena, who performed “Duo Seraphim” by Caterina Assandra and “Jerusalem Luminosa” by Abbie Betinis. Both groups were directed by vocal music teacher Susan Nace, who spoke about how she prepared her choirs for the performance.

“We [needed] to see how the space adjust[ed] to our sound, as well as our placement, and how we’re singing,” she said. “Every time you’re in a different space, it takes time to get used to it and hear how the room responds to you and how you respond to the room. It becomes sort of like an undercurrent conversation.”

Nace also spoke excitedly of her hopes for the new building itself.

“I really [looked] forward to finally being in a space where we could hear how amazing our choirs are. Where we’ve had to perform before, you just go ‘you know, that’s really good,’ but now you’re gonna go ‘woah, they’re really good!’” she said. “I’m just looking forward to the whole experience because I don’t know what to expect. Except, to be delighted. I expect to be delighted.”

Between Downbeat and the combined-choir numbers, there was a performance by Concert Choir, a mix of all of the middle school’s choir groups.

Downbeat was the last group on stage before the all-choir numbers, and they began with “True Colors” by Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly, a performance featuring soloists from all grades as well as Mathew Mammen (11) on guitar. Downbeat then finished with “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” by Don Raye and Hughie Prince, featuring sixth grade Dynamics singer Luke Mehta.

Tickets were sold online through the student portal. Since this show took place in the new performing arts center, concertgoers selected their seats individually while purchasing tickets. Seats in the front sections of theater were $25, and the rest of the seats were $15. Due to the seat selection process, tickets for the concert were not sold in front of Manzanita.

Although the groups have no upcoming performances taking place at Harker or at other concert halls, they will be performing at the California Music Education Association’s State Ensemble Festival later this school year.

Gallery • 9 Photos

Kathy Fang

Bel Canto sings Hans Leo Hassler's "Cantate Domino." The group also sang "Three Madrigals" by Emma Lou Diemer and "Morning Tide" by Stephen Leek.