![“I wasn't discouraged by some of the obstacles we faced. I learned a lot from the leadership. I found that different people need different ways of receiving feedback — you can't [just] tell them to do something and expect the best. [Some] people needed more incentive. A large part of my role was to figure out what worked for everyone and to figure out how to lead all these separate individuals as a team,” Suhana Bhandare (’26) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/SuhanaBhandare_JasmineHansra-1-1200x798.jpg)
![“This is actually from Randy Pausch Randy P. Brick: ‘Walls are there for a reason. You have to show how much you want to overcome them.’ You have to show how much you want something. That's what I've always been able to do with tennis, Link Crew and getting that internship [with Kushy Baby]. It’s important pushing through that — getting around that brick wall, climbing over it or clawing through it,” Yash Sachdeva (’26) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/YashSachdeva_RamBatchu-copy-1200x1002.jpg)
![“[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)
Soft, harmonious notes of oboe, bassoon and piano drift through the air, melting seamlessly together. Suddenly, an argument picks up. Mocking the pianist, the oboist emulates its notes, making derisive faces as the piano notes crescendo louder in retaliation. After a heated argument expressed through music, the pianist finally relents. Stark, angry chords of the piano give way to dulcet notes until the pianist mirrors the oboist and bassoonist, all three playing together in quirky harmony.
The Poulenc Trio and soprano Shawnette Sulker brought classical and playful chamber music to the Patil Theater on Feb. 28 as the finale for the Harker Concert Series.
Aleh Remezau, Bryan Young and Irina Kaplan-Lande, respectively, played the oboe, bassoon and piano. The Poulenc Trio performed solo at first, showcasing pieces by traditional composers like George Frideric Handel as well as modern ones like Viet Cuong.
Attendee Helen Gu (11) particularly resonated with the song “Explain Yourself,” which depicted the eccentricity and whimsy that the trio is known for. It featured many oboe multiphonics, a technique that produces multiple notes on a monophonic instrument.
“I like how the musicians have been interacting with each other on stage, and they’re really talented,” Helen said. “[Explain Yourself] is unconventional and playful, and that song highlights their relationship to each other and to their music.”
Classically-trained singer Shawnette Sulker performed alongside the Poulenc Trio, singing French songs from Francis Poulenc, the namesake composer of the instrumental group during the second half of the concert.
Prior to the concert, the musicians gave masterclasses to students in orchestra, band and select singers.
“One piece of advice I have for students is that you have to practice a lot for your own comfort so that when you go out on stage you don’t feel as nervous and you feel really solid,” Sulker said. “You know you’ve done the work behind the scenes so you can come out and have more confidence and feel the music and the good vibes.”
Lab Band member Michael Petrov (9), who attended two masterclasses and the open rehearsal, noticed that hearing the musicians speak helped to elevate his listening experience at the concert.
“They went through how they rehearsed and it was very helpful because it helped me understand more of what it’s like to be in a trio,” Michael said. “Also, because of the masterclasses, I had listened to some of the pieces, so I could listen to different things I had been told about. I found that very enjoyable, to be able to make connections during the concert.”
Helen, who attended a lunchtime masterclass with Sulker where she received feedback after performing a solo piece, found the advice to help with perfecting both her singing technique and approach to performance.
“She gave each of us very tailored advice and carefully worked with us to make sure that we improved a lot throughout the short 15 minutes,” Helen said. “Harker generally has more focus on instrumental masterclasses, so I feel like this vocal masterclass and concert series is really unique and I’m glad that such a wide variety of people are here to enjoy it.”
