PALANTIR CELEBRATING THE ARTS
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PERKIOMEN SCHOOL
CELEBRATING THE ARTS In planning the magazine this year the Palantir staff researched the history of the publication. A literary magazine for the school dates back to the 1950's, however the name "palantir" emerges in the 1970's https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palant%C3%ADr#/media/File:Palantir_Stone.jpg
A palantĂr is a fictional magical artifact from J. R. R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings. The word was used by the elf characters in his series to mean "far-seeing". There were several types presented in his fictional world and each was described as a crystal ball, used for both communication and as a means of seeing events in other parts of the world or in the distant past.
presumably due to the popularity of the J.R. Tolkien series, Lord of the Rings. This year the staff relied upon the concept of the palantir as they organized each section of the magazine. Playing with the idea that the arts are a way of honoring the past and projecting into the future, connections were made between the artists and their medium for expression. The staff also discussed that with the addition of the Innovation Center the definition of what art is has expanded. For that reason we have included a section highlighting the exciting projects being generated from the Innovation Institute. It was our pleasure exploring all the ways that the arts are expressed on campus. We hope that you enjoy this year's publication.
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Palantir Staff - (front row, left to right: Ava Beale, Lynn Lui, Ms. Henderson. back row, left to right: Brianna Lyman, Sapphire Yang, Maddie Robinson and Rex Xu. Special thanks to Mrs. Diana Weir-Smith, Kimberly Gardner and Adeline Rong.
CELEBRATING THE ARTS In planning the magazine this year the Palantir staff researched the history of the publication. A literary magazine for the school dates back to the 1950's, however the name "palantir" emerged in the 1970's https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palant%C3%ADr#/media/File:Palantir_Stone.jpg
A palantĂr is a fictional magical artifact from J. R. R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings. The word was used by the elf characters in his series to mean "far-seeing". There were several types presented in his fictional world and each was described as a crystal ball, used for both communication and as a means of seeing events in other parts of the world or in the distant past.
presumably due to the popularity of the J.R. Tolkien series, Lord of the Rings. This year the staff relied upon the concept of the palantir as they organized each section of the magazine. Playing with the idea that the arts are a way of honoring the past and projecting into the future, connections were made between the artists and their medium for expression. The staff also discussed that with the addition of the Innovation Center, the definition of what art is has expanded. For that reason we have included a section highlighting the exciting projects being generated from the Entrepreneur Institute. It was our pleasure exploring all the ways that the arts are expressed on campus. We hope that you enjoy this year's publication.
(Cover photo: Patrick Henry)
Palantir Staff (front row, left to right): Ava Beale, Lynn Lui, Ms. Henderson. Back row, left to right: Brianna Lyman, Sapphire Yang, Maddie Robinson, Rex Xu. Special thanks to Mrs. Diana Weir-Smith, Ms. Kimberly Gardner, Adeline Rong.
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FINE ARTS One definition of fine art is "a visual art considered to have been created primarily for aesthetic and intellectual purposes and judged for its beauty and meaningfulness". In this section, we aim to discover the beauty of fine arts through original artists’ contributions, mostly focusing on drawings, paintings, and 2D designs. The power of fine arts exceeds its seemingly fixed form; it contains a variety of knowledge and thoughts novel to the audience, waiting to be interpreted. The insights varies depending on the visitor’s own experience. .Â
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"My Inner World" Every boy wants to be a hero, but many of us are too shy to express
this "heroic" self portrait to reveal my internal desire of being a true hero. I used colored pencils to portray the character's details and applied water color at the background to form more layers.
KRAPS
such feelings. I decided to draw
GNAHZ
"Let the good moments stay" When I took Ms. Thompson's class, I loved her dogs, especially Penny. As an artist, I am so lucky to have the capability to capture those good movements with Penny with just a pencil in my hand.
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JEFF XU Jeff used a similar style of Van Gogh’s Starry Night. With whirling clouds as the background for his self portrait, the whole portrait has added deeper and more interesting meanings. Looking more specifically at Jeff’s face, the right side of his face is darker than the left side of his face, which constructs a great comparison between the backgrounds. Overall, this piece of work is characterized by using the Van Gogh’s style as his background and adding on changes in color and brightness of his portrait.
This piece is black and white, aiming to fully show the power behind the eagle. The focus of the whole painting is the eye of the eagle, which is a very perfect circle. The way that Jeff draws the eye of the eagle makes the eagle look very strong and energetic. The eagle is focusing on something with full attention while being alert at the same time. The use of lines in the painting is masterful, smoothing the leather of the eagle and showing the clear shape of its mouth. page 4
L I L L I A N
P A R K
Reflection Lillian Park created this canvas painting titled “Reflection�. Lillian, a senior this year, has been a dedicated art student at Perkiomen throughout her academic career here. The creative art space in Kolbe Hall dormitory - The Park Room - is her namesake and inspires other prospective art students. In this painting, Lillian uses many shades of blue in order to give both depth, and life to her work in every brush stroke.
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Jerry Chen is a senior this year at Perkiomen School. He has been fascinated with photography for many years and finds it helps him know his surroundings. He takes his camera with him wherever he travels and finds that it helps him get to know each place.
Photography
POETRY Poetry is a place for the genuine. Hands that can grasp, eyes that can dilate, hair that can rise." ~ Marianne Moore Poetry has the power to reach the receiver in a very visceral way. Perhaps it is the fact that every word needs to count so the poet chooses carefully, wanting each line to transport the imagined reader. Poetry allows for imagination and individual expression. Poetry is like music in that many times the sounds of the words are part of the message. Each year Perkiomen School celebrates poetry during the month of April. Poems are read at Morning Meeting and special guests come to share their talents in celebration of the power of poetry. This section is a sampling of student and faculty poetry.
Photo credit: Rebecca Durham
"Happiness" by Pauline Ngo Bayiha Happiness! That word, that place, that feeling we are all looking for. Happiness is sometimes a feeling that makes us feel complete and unstoppable. We sometimes forget that our happinesses could be just in front of us and we don’t even know. We sometimes forget that happiness is " found in those little moments you spend
"What Greed Hath Winter"
with friends, teachers who later become family. Happiness is sitting with you friends in
"What Greed Hath Winter"
Robbie’s and gossiping about the latest. Happiness is going to Weis, McDonald’s with your friends listening
What greed hath winter,
to music and dancing on the road. Happiness is seeing them smile after you said something stupid during class.
Stealthy the light
Happiness is the relation you have with the teacher at Perk, mostly when they
From us unprivileged northerly folk
cook, hahaha! Happiness is sitting in class, listening to
The issue is not that we fear the cold
your teachers crazy stories and their advice at the end.
We fear the dark of the night.
Happiness is thinking that without Perkiomen, you would have never met people, those people that changed your
But as the slender moon Hides its vulgar shades,
life for the best. Those people that make you laugh so hard, those people that even though you act strange,
We know the intense wait is over a soft clang on the metal roof of an icicle melting and,
they’re with you and complete your craziness.
the snow, washed away I can see the doves.
Those people that were there for you throughout your stay at Perk. Those people that cried, laughed, screamed, when you needed them more.
By Danila Pasiada
Those people that hold you “I gotchu” and they meant it.
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"Birthdays"
When I was a little girl my life was a birthday card that rarely came on time. Separation is never easy but if you don't really have something are you really separated from it? My mother took role of father in stride trying to give my young creative mind the support it needed because the person I called dad left his shoes vacant in the hallway. Memories that were once drawn using every color in the crayon box dulled until grays and whites were the only colors he was made of and soon they became non existent wiped away by an expo eraser. A puzzle usually consists of more than two pieces but somehow my mother and I made it work most times except when another piece between us would have worked so much better. Winter mornings were spent trudging through the slush with the golden promise of a card like the golden ticket that awaited Charlie, waiting for me sitting at the corner of fourth and main, the post office like a candy shop. Snowflakes fell like powdered sugar just like my hopes of getting a birthday card that wouldn't come too late. I would think up excuses as to why it might not be there it's simply the weather, he just forgot to send it before the Christmas rush, the factory was running behind on shipments because candy bars were selling out so fast, he just hasn't gone to the store yet he wanted to pick the perfect card for his little girl, the mailman put it in the wrong P.O. Box.
Cheyenne Valstar Cheyenne Valstar has been a committed artist from the beginning of her time in sixth grade at Perkiomen. When asked to choose one of her poems for the magazine, she replied, “You can choose which ones you want to publish. I can’t pick, that’s like picking a favorite child and I can’t do that.” .
This Father's Day was the first time in a long time that I bought a card. I know it is not a golden ticket that will travel thousands of miles to reach the recipient who awaits it with the bubbling excitement of a child waiting outside the post office in the snow but I like to think it will mean just as much. My father’s shoes now stand in the hallway and I am thousands of miles away from home, but he is now there and birthday cards come on time. .
"Broken Pieces" By Tara McFalls May I see your broken pieces? May I hold your trembling hand? Always, I have loved the abandoned Those who declare their spirits an eternal wasteland A wasteland of uncherished hope The sacred unrecognized But may I see your broken pieces? Don’t allow the pain, the fear, the sorrow to metastasize. Jagged are the pieces that surround the rejected heart Though I stand whole before you, inside I too have been torn apart. A legacy of shadows, of secrets we no longer claim Those broken pieces consume our past, our present, our future Shattered glass etched with hallowed reflections of our shame. Alone the abandoned peer out, afraid someone will or perhaps won’t see That somewhere amidst those broken pieces, there lies what longs to break free. For the Phoenix rises above the flames But in darkness, one’s hope hides amidst the ashes May I see your broken pieces? For I must remind you, I too have those gashes The gashes that have left scars Scars that tell a story Stories that whisper there is depth here Entangled in this hollow pain and suffocating fury. So may I see your broken pieces? I promise I will refrain From giving you a label An appendage that screams your soul is stained. The wounds that we carry The fear that controls The dreams we abandon The shadows we uphold
May I see your broken pieces? I am no longer afraid to expose mine They are sacred fragments of my triumph Transformed by that which is more divine. More divine than our shadows Superior to the words that wound Frozen strength encased in amber I promise I won’t accept this tomb. This tomb that buries my smile This cave that gags the light This dread that faceless roams Subjecting my soul to eternal night. Stop hiding your broken pieces They are no mark of encumbered shame They are your song, your peace, your glory That which ignites your soul aflame. May I see your broken pieces? May I hold your fragile hand? Always, I have loved the abandoned. As it is their tragic truth For which they are willing to take a stand. So may I see your broken pieces? May I hold your formidable hand? The beautiful life you embody My broken pieces most sincerely understand.. .
Photo by Patrick Henry page 10
"I Want To Be Free" By Ava Beale I want to be free Maybe surrounded by big trees Where I could be Myself and only me. No one would judge Anything physical or mental No one would hold grudges Or care if I got sentimental. I crave the place Where I can show true face It will have lots of space Where nothing is misplaced. I can take a rest from drudge Treat myself only with gentle Touch and without other’s nudge I would build myself incremental. I long to be free Always by the trees Myself as happy as could be Don’t come find me.
"Finding Ourselves" Collaborative poem from Mrs. Gleason's Senior English class At the end of the day we are all trying to find ourselves. Because ... being a teenager is hard. Because ... not everyone is going to agree with your ideas. Because ... your parents won’t always understand your choices. At the end of the day we are all trying to find ourselves. Because we always question ourselves, there’s no right or wrong answer, and we are always busy finding our egos. 하루가 끝날 무렵 우리는 모두 자신을 찾으려고 노력하고 있습니다 Because... we have to learn to know each other even if I am 6’11” and you are only 5’5”. We have to love and understand each other even if love in Chinese means hate in my language. We have to be different to learn from these differences. fi nihayat alyawm nuhawil jmyena 'an najid 'anfusina Because it is not the place we come from, or the language we speak, that divides us. It is not the way we look, or our culture, or our religion, that divides. What unites us, is the way we look at the world, curious, like toddlers going outside for the first time. Alla fine della gioznata, stiamo tutti cercando di trovare noi stessi Because life injures you while giving the chance to heal. But if it weren’t for love you wouldn’t heal. And if it weren’t for your friends, love wouldn’t be at your will Men nan fen jounen an nou tout ap chèche jwenn kiyès nou ye. Because we are all trying to find those people that will understand you more than ever, Those people that look at you like you're the most beautiful person on earth, Those friends that will make you feel so complete and alive that you think finally, ''I found myself'!” A la fin de a journee , on essaye tous de se trouver Because everyone gets lost sometimes, Everyone is vulnerable, different, and alone in some way... But that’s okay, that’s human, and that’s what creates the foundation for humanity. Am Ende des Tages versuchen wir alle unser eigenes Ich zu finden. At the end of the day we are all trying to find ourselves. page 12
SOCIAL JUSTICE The most common way of showing social justice art is probably through words. No matter in which way, art works for social justice all aim to raise public awareness to social issues and motivate people to make a difference in real life. Perkiomen School has a Global Diversity Council (GDC), which is a positive student organization that tries to spread the diversity culture. Consequently, social justice art, acts like a catalyst, enabling people to better understand social justice and engage in social justice activities. Overseeing the past, present and the future of social justice, art for social justice contains different point of views on the same issues, pushing thoughts of oneself into real actions and enables dreams to become the reality.
Outcast
By Kristine Rivera Growing up, I’ve never really felt “truly Asian”. Often times, I’ve felt as though I did not fit the stereotypical “Asian” image that Society has unfortunately normalized, and through this, I’ve lost a crucial sense of identity. The negative connotations associated with of that non-Eastern Asians impact my life constantly. Society has told me that I am an aesthetic, that I am not like other Asians, or that I am exotic. My deeper skin, my size, my eyes make me less Asian because apparently, Asians are the model minority, with pretty, perfect, and pale faces, a skinny frame, and smaller eyes. Our contemporary Society tells their children to objectify us, fetishize us, accessorize us and steal our culture. We are not allowed to be represented in the media because we simply are not expressive enough or look too much alike. Non-Eastern Asians are not recognized for their Asian-ness, and with this comes a lack of identity––we are missing a sense of self. We are defined as those from: Malaysia. India. Cambodia. Syria. Kazakhstan. Iran. Pakistan. Bangladesh. The Philippines.
During the course of my youth, I was rejected for my Asian-ness. Most people even forget that I am Filipino! My childhood friends told me that I wasn’t Asian because I had been influenced so much by Black and Hispanic culture that it was essentially what I could relate to. Entering high school did not change that either––being one of the miniscule amount of Asian-Americans at my school did not add to my being Asian, nor did the international Asian population at my school help either. I’ve attended conferences, meetings, whatever it took to make me feel more like my race by surrounding myself amongst those that are Asian. All I heard were other people of my race making fun of the stereotypes used against us, which quite honestly, did not make any logical sense, or the physical stigmas held commonly against Eastern Asians. I never have been able to truly feel like I am Asian, in any setting, even though I know that I am. Society has shaped my life to be this way.Often times, I feel as though I’ve lost a part of myself that I’ve never truly had.
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MADDDIE ROBINSON When you hear the phrase “social justice”,
Intersectionality is the practice of
what do you think of? If you, first, only
acknowledging that when identifiers
imagine the ways social justice serves the
overlap, the endless combinations of such
Perkiomen population, you are not wrong.
can influence a person's life, in terms of
Social justice unites us by recognizing the
opportunities and privileges (advantages and
different places we all come from, and how
disadvantages presented to them).
unique we are as a community. But social
Social justice is compassion.
justice, in a world view, is so much more than just that.
To pursue social justice is to have love for our fellow human beings. Enough so, that we are
Social justice is equality.
compelled to change the world we live in, for the better, and for our friends, family,
To pursue social justice is to pursue equal
loved ones, those you have never met before,
opportunities for all, regardless of any
and those you have never heard the story of.
socially defining identifier, or characteristic, like class, race, religion, sexual orientation, or
Social justice is being an ally. Social justice
gender. The crossing of any of these
is being outspoken. Social justice is power
identities is the reality in our world, and
in unity.I encourage you to think about what
shows the depth of any one, singular person
social justice means to you, and to carry this
(because no one is just one thing). What are
knowledge with you for the rest of your life.
your identifiers? How are you woven into the tapestry of our diverse world?
Greyson Schlupp “Faggot”- is a commonly misused term to describe
A few weeks ago, I was walking around the cross
a gay person in a negative way, but really is a
country course that goes along Schoolhouse Road,
(noun) and means a bundle of sticks or twigs
and two young men driving by decided to slow
bound together to use as fuel, not a gay man. Gay-
down and call me a faggot. I would like to point
(adjective) a homosexual, or another definition is a
out I was walking normally and I was not even
lighthearted or carefree situation. It is not used as a
wearing one of my “feminine” pieces of clothing.
synonym for words such as “stupid” or “idiotic.” Only
These were kids who knew of me that went to my
one of these words truly defines who I am, while
old school. Those boys then proceeded to drive
the other is one that causes me to feel pity
away laughing and continually shouting “fag” out
because people don’t know the definitions to the
of their car windows. I was taken off guard at first
words they are shouting at me. This is a safe
but then my surprise turned quickly to numbness.
community, and I truly side with that statement,
The reason I am bringing up this incident is not
but our school is located in an area that is known
because I want anyone’s pity, but instead to
for being resistant to change and not too
explain how to best handle this sort of situation.
progressive. I can only imagine that most students
Instead of getting angry or wallowing in my
and adults in this room have either been the
embarrassment, I just turned away from the
victim of discrimination or witnessed it occuring.
departing car and kept walking. I immediately told
But, instead of focusing on bullying and the usual
myself that they were ignorant and uneducated,
lecture topics, I want to give examples of how it’s
and that I should have empathy for them because
possible to make a positive change in our society
of the trouble they go through in order to darken
by using your actions or words, the two most
other people’s lives.
powerful things many of us in this room have at our convenience.
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It was difficult not to get consumed by my immediate emotions, especially because I was walking with a relatively new friend. But I feel better knowing that I left the encounter with a clear conscience whereas if I didn’t quickly force myself to look at the large scheme of things, I would have let my emotions get the best of me. Even tho-ugh such acts of discrimination are great times to practice spreading social justice through your acts and words, such an incident does not need to occur for you to incorporate social justice into your life. A popular thing that many people do is post positive and supporting quotes, pictures, or writings online. It may seem small, but scrolling through instagram and seeing an ally appear makes minorities like myself feel safer and less alone in this large and intimidating world. And let's face it, how long does it take to quickly upload a progressive post online, not long. As mentioned earlier, through our actions and our words, we can change our communities to be more inclusive and less ignorant. An overarching term that sums up everything I would like you to take away from this is “kindness.” As I have heard from a teacher here at Perkiomen, kindness is contagious. You don’t have to be gay, a woman, black, disabled, or any minority to spread positivity in the world, anyone can do it. I challenge you to do one thing during social justice week that promotes equality and diversity just to see how it feels. I too need to work on how I interact with others, so join me in the act of bettering who we are as people. Through such actions, we can incorporate social justice into our everyday lives. Be heard and proud for who you are and help others feel the same.
Design Innovation What is Art? "Something that reveals the essential or hidden truth. To me the thing that art does for life is to clean it – to strip it to form.� Robert Frost
Art is the way we interpret our surroundings, thoughts, and ideas. It helps us to navigate the world around us and to better understand each other. Design is one of the only forms of art that allows us to synthesize the real and the imaginary, pulling together dreams and reality, with hard work, innovation & iteration, and creativity. The creation of the Innovation Center has energized the campus and given a space for new and inventive projects. It has expanded what we consider art to be. This section highlights some of the student projects being generated from the Innovation Institute.
IJN Yamato Battleship Q: Why did you choose this ship model?
Q: What inspired you to build this battleship?
A: I had several exciting plans when building the model: a historical camo, a brand new Virgin sail camo, or an IJN official navy camo. After intense discussions and brainstorming with my teammates, we choose the brand new Virgin sail camo at the end. The Virgin sail camo has various functions, and more noticeably, it has an outstanding and impressive look.
A: I have always held great passion and energy towards building models. When I was in elementary school, I built a model Yamato scale 1:350 and gave it to my science teacher as a gift. He was very proud of me and since then I saw building models as something I will pursue in the future. Â Before graduating, I desire to leave something at Perk as my personal legacy. When Perkiomen has the privilege of accessing such an advanced workplace like the Innovation Center, we should fully take the advantages of it and build something with our own hands. The process of making a model from nothing to everything by using a 3D printer felt like a dream coming true.
Q: Could you please describe some details of your battleship? A: The overall look of the ship is great. However, it is still being constructed since the AA guns and Secondary guns are not fully ready. We are planning to repaint the tails and the guns once again to make it more dedicated. To our curiosity, we also decided to test if the model ship can float in the water. Initially we did not consider the possibility of floating on water at beginning, I do believe that we still have a great chance to make this feasible.
Walter Huang James Lu Damien Hu
Q: Could you please describe the process? A: I enjoyed playing games relating to WWII warships, which later on inspired me to build these models. However, it was very difficult for me to turn the ships from a video game into reality. Â Starting from the bow of the ship to the stern, I printed every piece of them with great care and used wood glue to stick them all together. Last but not least, sanding and coloring the surfaces were also quite timeconsuming.
Designer, ShipwrightÂ
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3 D P R I N T S C U L P T U R E
AN ENHANCED WAY TO INTERACT WITH ART
THE ART IS NOT ONLY A VISUAL OR SPIRITUAL IMAGINATION, BUT IT ALSO CAN BE TOUCHED
James A. Michener Art Museum, located in Doylestown, Pennsylvania partnered with the Google Cultural Institute on a project using the creations of sculptor Charles Rudy. The museum owns a number of his sculptures and the Google Cultural Institute scanned them into blueprints that could be used in many ways. The Entreprenuer Institute this year coordinated with the museum to use the blueprints to create 3D sculptures that can be handled and touched. The students took the 3D files sent by the museum and printed copies of sculptures. The class made large prints and displayed them next to Charles Rudy’s work so that people could interact with the sculptures. The students also made smaller ones to be raffled off. Guests could walk around with one of these Rudy sculptures in the exhibit, called Virtually Rudy. This exhibit is an exciting new type of art that opens up endless possibilities for the museum’s future. It shows how technology can enhance the user’s experience and change the way people interact with art.
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A New Innovative Art: 3D Print As part of the project, Adrian Romano and Louise Fetter came to the museum to share insights into how technologically can be used to enliven the users experience. As the partner of this project, Perkiomen School loaned the museum one of the 3D Printers. A group of Perkiomen students travelled to the museum and shared with the museum staff how to use technology in ways to engage the museum visitors. The printer is part of the exhibit and is in use during the visiting hours to let visitors see how it works.
In addition, Perkiomen School also provided the museum a time-lapse video of a print job completing because the process takes so long. This video created by Perkiomen students further helps visitors build a general idea of how the printer works and how the sculpture be made. There are two sizes of these sculpture. The bigger one is displayed next to Charles Rudy's original sculpture for people to compare the difference and have a better look at the sculpture. The smaller one is for visitors to carry around and touch.
PERFORMING ARTS Performing arts have weaved through human civilizations for centuries, customarily in the forms of dance, music, theater, etc. Dating back to the gladiatorial fights in ancient Rome, the Colosseum fulfills as a platform for open communication where kings and emperors validated their soldiers’ audacity and patriotism “Ave Caesar, morituri te salutant!”. Certainly, performing arts have evolved into a much less ferocious subject associated with beauty and talent, nonetheless its photo column:bhttp://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Orthanc-stoneody text
function never ceased. More like a language, performing art conveys information by means accessible to virtually everyone. The notes flow by your ear as you nod with the dancers’ fluctuation, at the end, you can’t help but frantically clap your hands with a standing ovation. Take a glimpse back, a glance around and finally a gaze into the future, through the Palantir, hopefully you can discover that overwhelming power of the Performing Arts, rhetorically concealed, and brought back alive by our endowed performers.
t.
E S C A P E I N T O M U S I C G A B E D E L P
A
INTERVIEWED BY BRIANNA LYMAN AND ARTICLE BY REX XU
Gabe Delp, the 17-year-old musician, songwriter and outstanding baseball player has been a prominent performer in the Perkiomen community. His singing not only exceeds the traditional definition of a vocal performance, but as if he was communicating with the audience through his guitar, his voice wondrously brings out the intricate details of music and resonates with the audience leaving a memorable experience. When asked about his introduction to music, Gabe answered with a cheerful grin: “My dad played guitar growing up as a kid and always kind of coaxed me into playing it, but I never really was interested until around seventh grade, I would watch people on YouTube, singing doing covers and stuff, and I thought that was interesting.” His appreciation for music needs no demonstration considering that practically every person on campus has witnessed his talents. Whether it’s a laid-back acoustic melody or an improvisational jam, Gabe relishes creating music, particularly with his peers. The process of bonding with fellow students through
music, as Gabe recounts:“No words are spoken, but you all communicate through the music”, has been a novel and thrilling experience for him from which he establishes his criteria of a creative music class. One profound character of any full-hearted musician is the embracement of the relentless need to practice. This arises the question of balancing school work and musical life. While many consider playing music a daunting task, Gabe reckons it a relaxing recreation through which he manages to reconcile himself from the outside world. “It(music) is like an escape and it sounds kind of corny, but when you like it, you're always excited to do it. It's never a pain or like a portion out of my day that I don't enjoy going upstairs or going in my room, turn on the amp, pick up the acoustic and just play.” Music is not a chore to him, but a means of escape. His passionate, kind and easygoing nature embellishes his keen insights into music and will keep stirring up a ripple of silent yet vigorous anticipation among his audience. For Gabe, he is only as good as his next performance.
27 Lynn Liu has been an eminent performer at Perkiomen School who has been enjoying dancing and singing since a young age.Â
DANCE VOICE
Lynn Liu
THEATER
Favorite vocalist: Tia Yuan Her marvelous performance coalesced with an ethereal voice renders her one of the most
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cherishable performers
Carmen Brukno Q&A by Brianna Lyman
Q: What’s your view on the classical music scene at present ? Is there a crisis? A: Anecdotally, I notice that when I attend classical music concerts, most of the audience is composed of senior citizens. According to an article I have recently read, the number of people in my generation who attend has drastically decreased: in 1937, the median age of orchestral concertgoers was 28. Now, only about 3% of concertgoers are under the age of 30! So, yes, I do believe that the classical music scene is in danger. In part, this is due to the fact that classical music is no longer stressed in an academic education. My grandfather, for instance, told me that it was mandatory that all children in his generation were familiar with the great masters of classical music, as well as their most prominent works. Music education in schools now is quite different; today, academic music teachers often lack training in classical music as well as knowledge of the classical music repertoire. Q: What’s your approach to performing on stage? A: Before any major concert performance, my preparation involves playing my piece as much as possible for other people. This usually begins with simply playing for friends and family. In addition, I also regularly visit a local senior citizen facility where the residents are always very welcoming and supportive of my music. Each time I play my piece
for a live audience, I discover new ideas on how to improve my interpretation, as well as readily identifying areas that need additional work. This is the best way to feel fully prepared for a major concert. Q: What’s your greatest concert experience? A: A couple of summers ago, I was a member of the Young Artists Orchestra at Tanglewood in Massachusetts. After our daylong rehearsals, orchestra members were given free passes to see visiting professional guest artists who would perform in outdoor concerts—often starting in the early evening and ending late at night. One warm, starry July evening, my friends and I had a picnic while listening to my favorite chamber group, the Emerson String Quartet. We were so moved by their music that we decided to meet them afterwards: we hung out by the stage doors like a bunch of rock music groupies. The quartet members weren't planning on meeting listeners after the concert, but an usher called them and told them that a bunch of Tanglewood kids were outside. The four members of Emerson suddenly appeared, and I was able to nervously blurt out how much I love their recording of Shostakovich 8. They were all so gracious, warm, and kind. It may sound a bit cringeworthy now, but at the time, it was the most wonderful experience.
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A Nightmare of Nights
A COMEDIC MONOLOGUE BY BRIANNA LYMAN
It was the nights of nights. A night every little girl has been dreaming of since they were like, like six! No, no, not their wedding. What?! Ew no! That’s the most disturbing thing- how dark are you- ugh no you emo, it’s not their funeral that is disgusting and- deep breaths, know what never mind, I’m just not going to look at you, smiles that fake sweet smile and turns a bit , deep breath, It's Prom! But this isn’t the story of how I won prom queen. Oh, no, no. This isn't the story of the perfect night either. This is the story of the most humiliating, terrifying, DEPLORABLE night of my life. It was the night where- get this- someone stole my dress! ...Well they didn’t like take it or anything, but, tbh that would probs be nicer than what this person did to me. Her name, Susie McBathany, oh yes miss little sweet Susie here had the oh so sweeeeeet audacity to go and buy MY, MYYY VERY SAME DRESS. My beautiful “one of a kind” dress. Oh, and did I mention she’s a junior? A junior! Sweet little junior Susie got to go to MY senior prom wearing MY dress with MY EX-BOYFRIEND’S, BEST-FRIEND’S, COUSIN! Who as a senior, stupidly decided to invite his little sweet JUNIOR gf to Prom. That night was supposed to be magical like a fairytale- my date would tell me he loved me, I would lose a shoe, and I’d choke on some apple cider...or something... just to be revived by my one true highschool love! Yes that night would’ve been perfect! But instead, because of that stunt little miss Susie pulled, my night was turned into a night of nightmares. And it’s time for my revenge. Smiles that sweetly fake smile that sends creeps down audience’s backs.
Brianna Lyman (2019) is a participant in the school’s fall theatre production. She has performed in five shows at Perkiomen including: Alice in Wonderland (caterpillar, notably her favorite role so far), School House Rock Jr. (Tammy aka Tom), Our Town (Wally), Tin Woman (Sammy), and Steel Magnolias (Annelle). She also was stage manager/ assistant director of the Middle School’s winter production of James and the Giant Peach , and helps stage manage Perkiomen’s Theater Summer Camp as community service. Outside of school she auditions at her community theatre.
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B U T C H E R
A TRIBUTE WRITTEN BY BRIANNA LYMAN
Sadie Butcher has brought much pride to Perkiomen School: academically, socially, athletically, and musically. Sadie has been a member of the student body since she was ten years old entering the sixth grade, however her musical talents were evident even when she was still in elementary school. I was happy to write this tribute to her because I have known and admired her since Kindergarten. One memory stands out for me about her talent and commitment to the performing arts. This was the moment: similar to the variety show here at Perkiomen School, Marlborough Elementary offered students the chance to show their talents to their peers in the end of the year talent show. Sadie was one of the few who would choose to play the piano. The teachers had quieted the student body of kindergarteners to fifth graders as Sadie made her way towards her piano- then the music began. I remember loving the song she played and on the way out of the auditorium my mom was awestruck; she was busy telling me just how amazing Sadie’s performance had been. The whole
audience that day would recognize this talent and potential of hers. Fast forward to here at Perkiomen School, Sadie discovers acting and is selected in her first role of “Woodstock” in "Snoopy! The Musical". She would continue to act, sing, and play her way through her middle school and high school career. Now Sadie our beloved valedictorians is journeying off to The University of Pennsylvania; where she will be able to share her invaluable knowledge from her experiences spent at practices and performances that enabled her to unveil her talents.