![“[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)
Choral groups perform in RPAC’s inaugural show
Seniors Anika Banga, Sameep Mangat and Markus Wong and sophomore Kenya Aridomi dance to “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy.” Downbeat was one of four upper school vocal groups performing in United Voices.
March 8, 2018
Upper school vocal groups performed at their first showcase in the Rothschild Performing Arts Center on Feb. 23 from 7 to 8:30 p.m.
The United Voices concert featured upper school vocal groups Bel Canto, Camerata, Cantilena and Downbeat, middle school groups Dynamics, Vivace and Harmonics and the lower school’s Bucknall Choir.
“We had a rehearsal [in Patil Theater] and we could each hear our individual voices as well as our voices in unison, and it was a really cool experience,” Cantilena member Aarzu Gupta (10) said.
The show started out with Bucknall Choir followed by Dynamics, Harmonics, Vivace, Harmonics and Vivace together, Bel Canto, Camerata, Cantilena, Downbeat and the middle school’s Concert Choir. All the performers returned to the stage for the final song of the concert.
“I loved the acoustics,” Downbeat member Rahul Bhethanabotla (12) said. “Everything sounds really nice, and there isn’t this heavy echoing feeling when you sing.”
After the finale song, “Stand Together” by Jim Papoulis, the house lights were turned on for a four-part rendition of the Harker School Song sung by performers and audience members.
“[The other choral directors] said, ‘We need somehow to incorporate the school song into our concert because we never sing it,’” vocal music teacher Susan Nace said. “They said we needed a really good arrangement of it, so I stepped up and said I’d do it.”
Because this show was one of the first in the new Rothschild Performing Arts Center, performers had limited time to prepare for the new space.
“We [needed] to see how the space adjust[ed] to our sound, as well as our placement, and how we’re singing,” Nace 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.”
For the first time, the sold-out show had reserved seating so audience members could choose their seats when buying tickets. The ticket prices varied depending on the seat, ranging from 15 dollars in the back to 25 dollars in the front.
This piece was originally published in the pages of the Winged Post on March 6, 2018.
