Annual HOscars performance dazzles audience with student talent
Senior Wendy Liu and junior Stellan Lindh opened the show with a hip-hop routine using desks as props. Following their performance, senior Mindy Truong and juniors Ethan Gu and Finley Ho performed a rendition of Billy Joel’s “Piano Man,” with Mindy on the piano and Ethan playing the harmonica. To end the first set of performances, senior Aditya Ramanathan and junior Megha Unny sang “Only Us” from the musical “Dear Evan Hansen.”
Sophomore audience member Eva Petrova appreciated how HOscars was able to spotlight all the different talents of the Harker community, pointing out Stellan and Wendy’s hip-hop routine specifically.
“I don’t get to see a lot of these performers in their prime on a daily basis,” Eva said. “Here, I’m able to see them be creative. I realize that certain people that I never see on campus or don’t know are all super talented, and it’s really amazing to see how I’m surrounded by this impressive talent.”
A multi-instrument performance of T-Square’s “Omens of Love” by seniors Jayden Rodriguez, Arturo Vilata, Rahul Sundaresan, Mikhil Kiran and Yash Sachdeva came next, followed by a piano and vocal rendition of Lewis Capaldi’s “Someone You Loved” by senior Kairui Sun. Frosh Sophia Xu’s contemporary dance, set to Taylor Swift’s “Willow,” closed this set of three acts.
Accompanied by her guitar, senior MacEnzie Blue sang her original song “Ashes and Ashes.” Senior Erika Wang then danced to Kanaria’s “Demon Lord,” waving light sticks in the darkened theater to create a dramatic effect.
After Amishi and senior student council member Nikhil Sharma bantered with each other, frosh Siddharth Hosakere performed a drum solo to Foo Fighters’ “Best of You,” while juniors Jessica Skylar Chen, Hannah Jiang, Jennifer Liu, Brianna Madrigal and Chelsea Xie performed Katseye’s “Debut” dance break.
“My favorite part about performing was really just the feel of interacting with a live audience,” Siddharth said. “I remember halfway during my performance, I did a random twirl with my stick and that moment was the one I got the most positive comments about. It’s interesting to see how the work you put in as a musician directly translates to the feeling that the audience receives.”
AP Art History closed the show with their annual tableau, where seniors Timothy Deng and Jessica Hu examined a depiction of the Alexander Mosaic from the House of Faun, Pompeii. Students donned costumes and props like horse heads, swords and blankets, creating an amusing backdrop to Timothy and Jessica’s analysis.
The Student Events Committee then presented each act with a mini Oscar trophy for unique awards like “Most Impressive Lights Out Performance” and “Voice That Rose from the Ashes and Captured Literally All of Our Hearts.”
“HOscars is something completely different than your average talent show or garage band performance,” Siddharth said. “It’s such an impactful way to share part of yourself to the Harker community most people don’t see. Having the entire school come together in one place really builds that supportive environment.”
