The student news site of The Harker School.

Harker Aquila

The student news site of The Harker School.

Harker Aquila

The student news site of The Harker School.

Harker Aquila

An illustration depicting Rihannas half-time performance during Super Bowl LVII on Feb. 12. Her jumpsuit revealed her pregnancy, with a baby bump visible through the layers of red.

Light up the sky: A review of Rihanna’s half-time performance

by Emma Milner and Hima Thota March 8, 2023

After seven years away from the stage, Rihanna is back, at least for the Super Bowl.  Performing in an all-red jumpsuit, Rihanna’s performance to her hits also served as a pregnancy reveal with the...

Anwen Hao (9) poses in a dance routine to Albrecht’s Variation from “Giselle at this years Hoscars. The show, themed Oscars this year, took place on March 30 in the Rothschild Performing Arts Center and featured acts in singing, dancing, instrumental and more,

Back with a blast: the Hoscars return triumphantly to center stage

by Emma Gao, Co-Copy Editor April 17, 2022

“Before we start, let me assure you there will be no slaps and no punches thrown today. So sit back, relax and enjoy the show. Let the Hoscars begin!”  Associated Student Body (ASB) treasurer Aaditya...

Upper school’s first artist-in-residence Britta Clausnitzer advises students via Zoom on the Jan. 11 art workshop. Students had the opportunity to create painted paper masks at two workshops held by Art Club which they wore during the Tiger on the Loose performance on Jan. 19.

Upper school launches new visual arts endowment with first artist-in-residence

by Anika Maji and Catherine Wong February 6, 2022

Wearing brightly-colored decorative masks fashioned out of paper shapes, a cohort of students strides out of the art building. As they make their way across campus, stopping occasionally to pose for pictures...

Downbeat members Kris Estrada (11), Samvita Gautham (11) and Shayla He (10) smile as they introduce the performances at Santana Row on Tuesday. Upper school performing arts groups Downbeat, Kinetic Krew and Harker Dance Company traveled to Santana Row on Tuesday evening to perform festive routines filled with holiday cheer.

Harker performing arts groups dazzle at ‘Spirit of The Row’ show

by Sally Zhu and Alena Suleiman December 11, 2021

Three high school students, two jazzed up in glittery gold dresses and the other adorned in a navy-blue collared shirt with a gold tie and scarf, chatter animatedly on a stage in front of a 40-foot-tall...

Seniors Alice Feng, Arely Sun and Erica Cai watch Quadchella acts on Oct. 20 during long lunch. This years fall Quadchella has been divided into two parts, with the nine performances on Wednesday completing only the first Quadchella event of the 2021-2022 school year. Students and faculty can anticipate another Quadchella to come Nov. 4.

Fall Quadchella attracts students and faculty to enjoy music and talent

by Claire Bauschlicher, Reporter October 28, 2021

harkeraquila · Aquila Audible of "Fall Quadchella attracts students and faculty to enjoy music and talent" “How many of you check your grades every time you open your laptop?” Ritu Belani...

American jazz pianist Taylor Eigsti speaks on the effects of the pandemic on musicians. “To really understand the production of what goes on to put a show on, it really is a deep dive, since we kind of have to do this stuff ourselves now,” Eigsti said. “We have to wear a lot of hats; we have to learn how to be a sound engineer [and] a lighting person.”

All jazzed up

by Emily Tan, Features Editor January 27, 2021

In a broadcast of his 2018 Harker Concert Series performance, jazz pianist and composer Taylor Eigsti slides his fingers into place on the piano on the Patil Theater stage after a brief pause. With an...

Kinetic Krew dances outside during a section of their virtual White Flag performance. The video was shown during the school meeting on Dec. 3.

No retreat, no surrender

by Alysa Suleiman, A&E Editor December 11, 2020

In wartime, a white flag represents an ultimate, definite concession. It calls the surrender, requests the truce and cements the defeat. But now, the pandemic has waged a war against normalcy, threatening...

Members of the upper school all-male dance team Kinetic Krew perform during the annual BAD concert.

Annual BAD concert from student performers brings holiday cheer to all campuses

by Alysa Suleiman, Sports Reporter December 16, 2019

The luxuriously heavy crimson drapes slowly unfurl to the wings of the stage, revealing a vast ensemble of seated students, dressed in identical cream-gray sweatshirts, Santa hats or reindeer ears and...

Downbeat wraps up their tour last Friday with their final show of the day, at the upper schools Patil Theater. Their closing number, pictured here, was a dance number, Boogie Woogie Santa Claus, featuring soloist Henry Wiese (12).

Downbeat travels around the Bay Area during their annual Winter Tour

by Sriya Batchu , Reporter December 12, 2019

Last Friday, Downbeat went on their annual winter tour where they sang and spread cheer at six different stops. The group left the upper school around 9 a.m. and visited the preschool campus, where...

Jazz band performs Christmas songs outside the auxiliary gym today during lunch. Some of their songs included Christmas classics Winter Wonderland and Santa Claus is Coming to Town.

Jazz band performs Christmas renditions at lunch

by Lucy Ge, Asst. News Editor December 11, 2019

Members of jazz band performed renditions of Christmas songs during long lunch today outside the auxiliary gym. Songs they performed included Dizzy Gillespie’s “Manteca,” Michael Buble’s “Santa...

Nathaniel “Nash”
Melisso (12) strums
the ukulele as he
performs his original
song “Insight” during the fall Quadchella on Nov. 7. This Quadchella contained a total of four teacher acts and six student acts, along with face painting, popcorn, and tattoos on the side.

Fall Quadchella invites students, faculty to watch performances through informal talent show

by Sriya Batchu , Reporter November 16, 2019

Harker’s biannual Quadchella talent show invited students and faculty to watch an array of performances in the quad during long lunch on Nov. 7. This Quadchella contained a total of four teacher acts...

Composer David Amram, who will be visiting the upper school as this years artist in residence. His visit begins tomorrow and will last throughout the week, and he will host a number of workshops, lectures and talks for students to learn more about music and art.

Composer David Amram to visit upper school next week as artist in residence

by Kathy Fang and Jin Tuan November 3, 2019

Award-winning composer David Amram will travel to the upper school next week as this year’s artist in residence, bringing a series of music workshops, lectures and performances. A lifelong musician,...

Load More Stories