Karl Kuehn, Harker dance teacher, has been featured on “So You Think You Can Dance,” the reality show juggernaut that features young, talented dancers who compete to win the prize of America’s top dancer. Kuehn, who has danced and choreographed his way around California, was one of the few dancers to it make to the end of the beginning round.
While he did not progress into the top 20 dancers, his success in the show is a testament to his talent and dedication to his craft. Monica Colletti, middle school performing arts teacher, in light of Kuehn’s appearance on the show, said, “I feel so proud to be working with so many talented artists, and Karl is the latest in a long line of professional successes we have had here at Harker. Congratulations, Karl!”
We’d like to echo the sentiments and congratulate Kuehn on his success.
Rising senior Jessica Lin has been recognized for her piece “The Road to Pieces,” contributed to the Alliance for Young Artists and Writers. Lin was awarded the national silver medal in the 2011 Scholastic Art and Writing Awards competition. The Alliance is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to identify “teenagers with exceptional artistic and literary talent and bring their remarkable work to a national audience.”
Lin can now count herself among distinguished company; the Alliance has recognized the work of many young artists who went on to become extremely successful, including revolutionaries such as Sylvia Plath, Truman Capote and Robert Redford. Out of the thousands of submissions it receives every year, the alliance has chosen to recognize Lin for her creativity, and so do we … congratulations!
Rising junior Vincent Yao appeared at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on June 14 to sing “The Star-Spangled Banner” prior to the Dodgers’ game against the Cincinnati Reds, and also to perform “God Bless America” during the seventh inning stretch.
Congratulations to rising junior Michaela Kastelman, a rising Junior, who has been accepted into the extremely prestigious and challenging California Summer School for the Arts in Valencia. This four-week intensive program is designed to help augment her dance and movement skills. After sending in her audition tape, she beat out other California applicants in grades 8 to 12.
At the camp, she will study dance history and choreography as well as refine her skills on the dance floor.
“This award is a particular favorite of the production team,” said Laura Lang Ree, performing arts chair and director of “Pippin.” “We are thrilled to receive it for the third time. This was the one award that I really wanted as it highlights the core philosophy of the musical theater department: no stars. The ensemble is the storyteller of a musical and the most important aspect of any show. I was happy!”
Top Honors judges adjudicate about 20 participating Bay Area high schools each year, providing feedback on their productions. Judges then nominate the top schools in a variety of categories and host a Tony-style evening of performances and awards. Harker was nominated for nine awards, including Best Show and Best Leading Actor (John Ammatuna and Daniel Cho, both now graduated, were nominated for Best Leading Actor) giving the cast the privilege of performing live at the awards.
The cast also was one of only five schools to perform at the awards as a nominee for Best Show, performing an awesome rendition of “Magic to Do” which was a huge crowd pleaser, according to Lang Ree. Ammatuna, as a nominee for Best Leading Actor, also performed live (nominee Cho was out of the country).
Judges noted, “This production’s standout star is the ensemble. The choral and background vocals in the songs were strong. As actors, the entire ensemble were constantly acting and reacting to the scene around them in a way that didn’t distract the audience but enhanced the scene enormously. Fantastic work from the entire ensemble.”
The comments went on: “Outstanding energy and animation … Excellent ability to express character and move story forward through dance. Excellent rendition of ‘Morning Glow’ and ‘Finale’ … The ensemble in this show had an incredible overall commitment to the pacing and energy of the show, which was especially evident in the opening number … The cast was a pleasure to watch from start to finish … Loved the energy, the concept, and the commitment that the cast brought to the show.”
Congrats to the entire Harker production team of Catherine Snider, musical director; Brian Larsen, sound engineer/production manager; and Paul Vallerga, scenic designer/technical director, as well as Lang-Ree and the whole student crew and cast!
Musicians from all three campuses gathered in early April to hold the most comprehensive concert yet. The Lower School String Ensemble opened with “Canon in D,” by Pachelbel, and “Joust” by Richard Meyer. The Lower School Orchestra then performed two numbers including Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 5 – Finale,” before being joined by the Grade 6 Orchestra for “Symphony No. 6 – ‘Pastoral,’” by Beethoven. “It was a delight to see students performing together on one stage,” said Chris Florio, upper school instrumental teacher, “as the groups usually practice separately.” The Grade 6 Orchestra then performed a trio of pieces including “Farandole” from “L’Arlesienne Suite No. 2,” by Georges Bizet.
The Grade 7-8 Orchestra rounded out the first half of the show with four pieces including “Variations on a Korean Folk Song, Var. I, II and III,” by John Barnes Chance. The orchestra opened its set with a lush and moving rendition of “Symphony No. 5” by Tchaikovsky. “From the strings, to the winds and to the brass, this piece displayed the vast range of talents in this orchestra,” said Florio.
Following intermission, The Harker School Orchestra, the upper school group, took the stage. This group was capping off a busy day, having been awarded their first Unanimous Superior at the CMEA festival at Wilcox High School that morning. The group opened with Brahms’ “Academic Festival Overture,” and “Suite No. 1” from the opera “Carmen” by Bizet. Anthony Fandrianto, grade 12, was guest conductor for “El Capitan,” by John Phillips Sousa, and the show wrapped up with “Elsa’s Procession” from Wagner’s opera “Lohengrin.”
By Gail Palmer
In late May 250 grade 1-5 students and 19 faculty and staff danced in the 10th annual Bucknall dance concert, “Music That Moves Us Too!” To celebrate, the theme this year was the same as the one used for the first show. The theme illustrates that music is a powerful medium that can move people both physically and emotionally.
Rather than selecting the music myself, I asked the faculty and staff to suggest a song that moves them and to describe why it moves them. The faculty and staff were videotaped telling the anecdotes, stories and memories about the songs and they were used as introductions to the dance routines. The introductions were inspirational, sentimental, funny, nostalgic and poignant. The variety of song suggestions illustrates that music has universal appeal, with lyrics that speak to us, voices that lift our spirits and rhythmic arrangements that resonate in our bodies.
Kathy Clark, librarian, suggested the song that was used for the opening number, “I’ve Got The Music In Me,” by the Kiki Dee Band. This song is special because 10 years ago it was the song used for the finale of the first dance concert, which led to a tradition that continues to this day, “Music at Lunch.”
To decide the finale for the show, I play three different songs for the Bucknall student body during lunches and students vote for the song they like the best. This year, appropriately, the chosen song was “Sing A Song … It Will Make You Dance,” by Earth, Wind & Fire.
The costumes were fit for a runway with the highlight being the “Monster in the Mirror” costumes by Marilyn Watts. Sesame Street came to life on stage. The faculty and staff were a highlight bringing disco back in style, dancing to “Night Fever” and ’80s Madonna with a routine to “Holiday.” The students’ hard work, energy and enthusiasm brightened the stage and moved the audience to want to dance, too!
The Upper School Conservatory raised money this spring in a novel way, a scotch tasting for Harker dads. The event allowed them to sample a number of different scotches and bond as a group, while helping raise funds.
The goal of the fundraiser was to help pay for the Upper School Conservatory’s summer performances of Pippin at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland. The fundraiser, a non-harker sponsored event, was generously hosted by Ashok Krishnamurthi and Deepa Lyengar. At their lovely home, local scotch expert and spirits buyer for K&L wines in Redwood City, David Driscoll, led the 15 Harker Dads on a tour the five distillery regions of Scotland by sampling their products.
According to Arne Lang-Ree, the event organizer and husband to Laura Lang-Ree, the K-12 performing arts chair, the event was a huge success and he is “already being asked when the next tasting will be.” The event, which was attended by a group of 15 people, raised $1200 for the conservatory. Be sure to monitor news.harker.org for updates on the conservatory’s performance at the festival in August.
The middle school grade 7 and 8 orchestras and Vivace choir performed impressively this spring, each earning awards at performing arts festivals. The orchestras performed at the California Music Educators Association festival in May and, for the first time, both of the orchestras were awarded Unanimous Superior ratings to recognize their skill and dedication their crafts. This double award has come after a year dedicated to improving all of the students’ individual abilities and their work as a group.
Vivace traveled to a middle and high school choir festival in Anaheim in April. The group performed three pieces in front of an audience and a panel of judges. Their performance of classical, jazz and traditional/spiritual pieces earned them high praise from the judges. Dave Hart, middle school music teacher, said, “I was blown away by their musicianship and ability to blend.” Hart wasn’t the only one the group impressed; the judges recognized them for their strong team effort, awarding them a gold medal and one of the highest middle school choir scores. After the performances, the groups were invited to celebrate their hard work at Disneyland.
Let’s congratulate the groups on a fantastic end to a year that, according to Hart, was dedicated to “learning music and having a great time.”
The San Jose Stage Top Honor Awards Program has recognized Harker’s spring musical, “Pippin,” with nine nominations for excellence. Harker received the fourth most nominations out of the participating schools, including a coveted nomination for Best Show, one of only six shows thus honored. This latter nomination means that the cast of “Pippin” will perform at the Tony Award-like ceremony in June.
Harker’s nominations are: Leading Actor – John Ammatuna and Daniel Cho, both grade 12; Overall Production; Chorus; Director – Laura Lang-Ree; Musical Director – Catherine Snider; Choreography – Katie O’Bryon; Costume Design – Caela Fujii and Mallika Dhaliwal, grade 12; Lighting Design – Natti Pierce-Thomson.
Fifteen high schools participated in the program this year, being adjudicated anonymously by a group of theater professionals including performers, designers and educators. The judges filled out an extensive review form after seeing the productions, and the results were calculated and nominations were awarded in 17 performance and production categories.
The Stage has partnered with Broadway San Jose to send the winners in the Best Actor and Best Actress categories to the National Musical Theatre Awards (The Jimmy Awards) in New York City, where they will compete with other regional performers. The winners of The Jimmy Awards will be awarded scholarships to New York University’s Tisch School for the Arts upon acceptance to that program.
The 2011 Stage Top Honors Awards will be awarded on June 6 at the California Theater in San Jose at 7 p.m. For more information and tickets please go to http://www.thestage.org.