For the first time, choirs from all three campuses came together one March evening for the United Voices concert, which featured the lower school’s Bucknall Choir, the Gr. 7-8 singing group Vivace (both directed by Jennifer Cowgill) and the upper school groups Bel Canto, directed by Catherine Snider, and Cantilena, directed by Susan Nace. All four groups thoroughly entertained the evening audience at the Blackford Theater, each singing pieces in a number of different styles from cultures all over the world. Among the many highlights were the Bucknall Choir’s version of the Spanish folk song “Que Llueva,” Vivace’s rendition of Mozart’s “Luci Care,” a performance of the Mack Gordon and Harry Warren classic “At Last” by Bel Canto and the closing song, the American folk hymn “How Can I Keep From Singing?” by Cantilena.
The Senior Showcase in April was a fun tribute and tearful farewell to the graduating seniors who spent their high school years in the Harker Conservatory, as they finally received their certificates from the program. Each student performed a piece from the repertoires they’ve been crafting for four years before receiving their certificates in their disciplines (acting, dance, instrumental and vocal music, technical theater or musical theater). Graduating seniors who performed at or produced the showcase were: Nikita Agrawal, Natasha Chitkara, Priya Bhikha, Sarah Newton, Margaret Woods (Theater); Alison Axelrad, Veronica Hsieh, Valerie Hwa, Shanna Polzin, Adrienne Wong (Dance); Namrata Anand, Alexander Creasman, Scott Mohanram, Melinda Wang (Musical Theater); Erica Hansen, Jacob Schwartz, Scott Underwood (Technical Theater); Nicole Lindars, Anita Satish (Vocal Music); Sonya Huang, Carissa Jansen, Miriam Lee, Elodie Nguyen, Priya Sathaye, Julia Shim, Jacqueline Son, Elaine Song, Shizuka Tiernan (Instrumental Music).
The increasingly warmer weather provided the perfect atmosphere for the Songs Into Summer concert on April 30, featuring upper school vocal groups Bel Canto, directed by Catherine Snider, and Downbeat, directed by Snider and Laura Lang-Ree. The show featured several group performances, including Bel Canto’s versions of the Macedonian folk song “Tatkovina” and the African-American hymn “Bound for the Promised Land,” andDownbeat’s renditions of the Broadway standard “One” and the Billy Joel hit “River of Dreams.” Also singing Billy Joel was Downbeat soloist Christina Li, Gr. 11, who performed “And So It Goes,” and Anita Satish, Gr. 12 and James Seifert, Gr. 11, were crowd favorites with their duet, “The Prayer.” Towards the end of the evening, the graduating seniors featured in the show said their farewells to the audience before Downbeat performed the dramatic closing number, “Home” by pop star Chris Daughtry.
The kindergarten classes took their audience on a jungle cruise during the 2010 kindergarten show at the Bucknall Theater on April 22. Directed by lower school music teacher Louis Hoffman (who also played the part of Baloo the Bear), the production featured students from each class playing the roles of various wildlife, including elephants, tigers and bears.
Backed by a well-crafted set designed by Whitney McClelland and lighting that provided the ideal safari atmosphere, the students performed and sang songs that fit the event’s theme, such as “Banana Phone” and “Morgan the Monkey.” There were also several songs from Disney’s “The Jungle Book,” including “Elephant March,” “That’s What Friends are For” and “The Bare Necessities.”
A highlight of the show was a special song and dance number featuring the quintessential jungle anthem “The Lion Sleeps Tonight,” featuring choreography by lower school dance teacher Gail Palmer.
Technical director Danny Dunn and assistant technical director Ivo Salemink ‘04 (a former exchange student) received help from Dunn’s Gr. 5 technical theater students, who all played a key part in running the show.
Nearly 50 Gr. 7 and Gr. 8 students hit the Blackford stage in May for the spring production of the popular musical “Fiddler on the Roof,” directed by drama teacher Monica Colletti. The much-loved musical, which tells the story of a Jewish patriarch and his five daughters as they face the forces of social and political change in 1900s czarist Russia, was a hit with audiences at every show. The production’s famous numbers, including “Tradition,” “Matchmaker” and “Sunrise, Sunset” were sung and danced wonderfully by the young performers, who were supported by splendid musical accompaniment, directed by music teacher Roxann Hagemeyer.
The set design by Paul Vallerga uniquely recreated the quaint village of Anatevka, and lighting by the always-dependable Natti Pierce-Thomson once again gave the production an evocative atmosphere.
In March, the lower and upper school jazz bands presented an Evening of Jazz at the Blackford Theater. Directed by lower school music teacher Louis Hoffman, the lower school ensemble performed the John Coltrane standard “Blue Trane” and a special arrangement of the Deep Purple classic “Smoke on the Water.” To further liven things up, Hoffman and several members of the ensemble donned eye-catching and often silly hats. The Harker School Jazz Band, directed by Chris Florio, played a variety of tunes from greats such as Count Basie, George Gershwin and Arthur Hamilton. Running the gamut from rousing, upbeat swing numbers to slow, soulful ballads, the US band performed their set with equal parts subtlety and aplomb.
Orchestras from all three campuses played together in April during the spring concert, held in the Bucknall campus gym. Louis Hoffman led the Lower School String Ensemble and Lower School Orchestra through classic pieces by composers such as Pachelbel, Bach and Tchaikovsky, while Chris Florio conducted the Gr. 6 Orchestra and Gr. 7-8 Orchestra as they performed selections from Beethoven, Debussy, Vaughan Williams and more.
At this event the lower school and Gr. 6 orchestras collaborated on a rendition of “Ancient Aires and Dances” by Ottorino Respighi. Later, the upper school Harker School Orchestra, under Florio’s direction, performed works by Mendelssohn, Stravinsky and others. Highlights of this portion of the program were solo performances by two graduating seniors, violinist Sonya Huang on Camille Saint-Saens’ “Dance Macabre, Op. 40” and cellist Julia Shim on Edward Elgar’s “Cello Concerto in E minor, Op. 85.”
Eric Nelson, computer science teacher at the upper school and advisor to the robotics club and competitive program, has been named a Claes Nobel Educator of Distinction by the National Society of High School Scholars. Nelson was nominated by one of his students “for being a great role model, a positive influence and someone who has made a difference — in short, a great teacher,” according to the accompanying letter.
Nobel is a senior member of the famous Nobel family and his award recognizes teachers who have made a lasting difference in classrooms by encouraging students to strive for excellence.
Middle school Latin teacher Lisa Masoni has been named ACE / ACCG Teacher of the Year. The Ancient Coins for Education and Ancient Coin Collectors Guild organizations join forces to encourage Latin studies at the middle and high school levels.
“We have been so impressed by the way you have obviously inspired your students in the study of Roman coins and history,” said Souzana Steverding, director of ACE, in her award letter to Masoni. “When we see how your students … have really been working so hard, devoting obviously a lot of time and energy to researching such varied niches in Roman history as Gallienus, the early adoptive emperors and beliefs in the ancient world, then we know what a fine teacher these students are lucky to have. A huge thank you for your devotion and hard work and the inspiration which you pass to your students,” the letter concluded.
Masoni received a certificate and a commemorative ancient coin, minted in the first century A.D., with the award.
Middle school Latin teacher Lisa Masoni has been named ACE / ACCG Teacher of the Year. The Ancient Coins for Education and Ancient Coin Collectors Guild organizations join forces to encourage Latin studies at the middle and high school levels.
“We have been so impressed by the way you have obviously inspired your students in the study of Roman coins and history,” said Souzana Steverding, director of ACE, in her award letter to Masoni. “When we see how your students … have really been working so hard, devoting obviously a lot of time and energy to researching such varied niches in Roman history as Gallienus, the early adoptive emperors and beliefs in the ancient world, then we know what a fine teacher these students are lucky to have. A huge thank you for your devotion and hard work and the inspiration which you pass to your students,” the letter concluded.
Masoni received a certificate and a commemorative ancient coin, minted in the first century A.D., with the award.