The Explorer » Arts & Entertainment

Pops Concert 2012

adviser — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 17:33:44 +0000

“At last, my love has come along, my lonely days are over, and life is like a song…”
Lyrics from Etta James famous song, “At Last.” This was one of many songs that the Moreau Catholic Choir performed during their annual Pops Concert.
“I really like singing, and Mr. Barton is a great choir director and teacher,” senior Jocelyn Crittendon said.
Mr. Barton did a great job choosing all the songs for the choir groups to sing.
“The music must be reviewed for its educational value as well as its musical relevance to the concert. The skill level of the ensemble must also be taken into account,” choir director and teacher Scott Barton said.
Many of the musical pieces performed in the show were, “All that Jazz,” from the Broadway musical Chicago, “Believe in Me,” by Demi Lovato, and “My Girl,” by the Temptations.
“This year we were able to set up better sound equipment, rehearse using the theater more often, and hire professional musicians to supplement the choir,” Barton said.
To prepare for this concert, a large number of people were involved in the process. “The MCHS marketing department also puts a great deal of time in preparing posters, programs, and publicity,” Barton said. “The theater technical crew also deserves a great deal of credit for setting up lights, sound, stage materials, and ‘running the show’ for the singers. Without their the production it wouldn’t be nearly as exciting.” “Finally, student, parent, and teacher volunteers are on duty the night of the concert,” Barton said. “It truly takes an army of people to put an event such as this together!”
It can be hard for a first timer to perform on stage, but with some faith you can overcome all your fears. “I was nervous, but as soon as I got on stage I knew everything was going to be better,” Crittendon said.
The performances were all amazing, and the songs were both classic and modern.
“My favorite performance was the one from Chicago,” Crittendon said. The ladies honor choir gave the songs “Razzle Dazzle” and “All that Jazz” a twist and some sassiness, by putting their hands on their hips and snapping their fingers. “It was really an interesting experience,” Crittendon said.
“Since the 2011 Pops Concert was during my first year at Moreau, it was pulled off with a sense of a “learn as you go” attitude from everyone involved. It was also the first year that we were able to hold the concert in the Theater which adds a number of different opportunities and challenges,” Barton said.
Last year, there was a ‘Pre-Pops Concert’ that was held in the library a day before the actual Pops Concert.
“Performers were able to showcase their talents directly in front of their friends in a casual informal environment. It was a different audience then during the pops concert so I think students enjoyed having this opportunity,” librarian Anne Arriaga said.
This year it all depends on the concert attendance, which was a pretty packed crowd, and if they will have an ‘After the Pops Concert’ event.
So be on the look out for more concerts and productions hosted by the Moreau Choir.

Calling all talent

adviser — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 17:30:27 +0000

Mariners took their talents to the stage on February 25th at The 8th Wonder Of The World: 2012 Talent Show. The students performing did not have big budgets or fancy acts but they all had a great deal of skill and enthusiasm for what they did.
Students played instruments, sang, performed cultural dances, and one person even whistled. The show is put on by Moreau’s theatre club annually and is always a reminder of the diversity of our student body and the depth of their talent.
Helene Malonzo sang “Someone like You” by Adele. The sophomore shared her passion for music and demonstrated that practicing can yield great results.
“ I was relaxed at first, but when the day finally came I got nervous,” Malonzo said. “But I enjoy participating in the talent show and sharing with the school one of my favorite things to do.”
Back stage there was a bustle of activity as people got ready for their acts.The students on stage were confident and the audience was not aware of the many emotions the participants were really feeling.
Marco Del Rio had a big smile for the audience when he sang and played his guitar. He performed “Sweet Pea” by Tommy Roe and had the audience bouncing in their seats.
“ I really like performing for people, sharing my love of music, and being in the Talent Show allows me to do just that,” he said.
Senior Jolee Espinosa performed a Tahitian dance. She has been dancing since she was five years old, and dancing
is something that seems to come naturally to her.
“ Performing in the talent show is always fun, and I love doing it,”

Espinosa said.
For some, participating in the talent show will be one of their most special high school memories. Many have performed all of their four years.
“ Sadly, I’m a senior so I won’t be able to participate next year.” senior Jolee Espinosa said.
Unfortunately for some this years talent show would be their final high school act.

Draw it. Snap it. Sculpt it.

adviser — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 17:29:26 +0000

Students at Moreau have spent all year creating many forms of art. Their work is now ready to be displayed across the city in different art museums and online art contests, instead of the usual Moreau hallway.

“I have entered many of my photographs in most, if not all, of Moreau’s art shows,” senior Jonathan King said. “I’ve entered a few contests such as local newspaper photo contests, but that’s the farthest I’ve gone in terms of entering art shows.”

Junior Catherine Farinas, senior Jonathan King and senior Marlene Imana-Lyemyra soon ventured out of their usual territory and began joining higher ranked contests such as the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards contest.

“[Mrs. Nelson] was pushing everybody to enter the contest and I originally wasn’t going to do it,” senior Marlene Imana-Lyemyra said. “Then she brought it up 2 or 3 days before the due date. She kept nagging about it so I ended up saying ‘okay fine’ and I entered it.”

These students had to put in a lot of work in order to get their art pieces entered into the contest.

“It was a lot of paperwork more than art because I already had my art done. So I had to pick what ever pieces, then we had to send the files and print out paperwork and then send that paperwork physically with money,” Imana-Lyemyra said. “Because it was like 2 days before the due date, I had to overnight everything which was a lot more money, but i guess it was worth it.”

Anything can become an inspiration for a great artist.

“My pieces are mostly aimed to bring emotion and feelings to things that don’t,” junior Catherine Farinas said. “I am not sure what gives me inspiration really, but if I had to choose something it would be the feelings and emotions of the environment around me.”

After sending in all their hard work, they had to suffer through a waiting process to see how their artwork got judged.

“The waiting process was a couple months and I wasn’t really worried about it because I had other things to do and i entered other contests and other scholarships so it was kind of a back burner,” Imana-Lyemyra said.

“I feel honored! I love art and photography in particular. I’m very glad that I can share my work with others. Even though they’re critiquing my work, I’m still happy to be a part of the whole art community.

Sometimes hearing how the judges reviewed can be hard, but it can always be taken as a learning experience.

Journalism Final gives students a look inside the life of a reality tv star

adviser — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 17:25:45 +0000

In 1973, the first reality TV show, “An American Family” aired on PBS. It captured the every day lives of the Loud family and aired over a seven week period.
Almost forty years later, there are over 2,000 reality TV shows on channels ranging from MTV to National Geographic. About 68% of people from the ages 18-29 enjoy watching reality television, and with new shows and concepts being created, those numbers are rapidly rising. In fact, the overwhelming influence of reality television in our lives is becoming increasingly hard to avoid.
But what is it about reality TV that is so fascinating to the viewer? Is it the hopelessly horrific singers on the first round of American idol, or the wealthy, materialistic women of the Real Housewives?
“It engages a part of my brain that seems to like the base stimulation without much thinking,” said Lea Lane of the Huffington Post in an article about her reality tv show addiction.
According to a study done by Psychology Today, one aspect of reality tv that is compelling to the viewer is it’s sense of competition; the bashing, alliances, and revenge to attain the ultimate goal of sweet victory, or the more commonly experienced, agony of defeat.
The first mainstream reality tv show was “The Real World”, first airing in 1992. Following “The Real World”, Survivor aired about eight years later and completely revolutionized the world of reality tv.
Meredith McHenry, reality star from the show Karaoke Battle USA, describes reality tv as not very reality focused. “I wasn’t used to having someone edit what I was saying as I was speaking,” singer Meredith McHenry said. Making it to the semi finals of the West region before being eliminated, McHenry was known for her powerful and soulful voice. “I’ve been singing as long as I could open my mouth,” McHenry said.
Waiting tables at a restaurant, Meredith began her karaoke career at 21 where she performed at places such as The Mint in San Francisco and Gallagher’s in the East Bay as well as various reperatory and college theatre companies. After taking a seven-year break to focus on a career other than singing, McHenry won a competition in Dublin at Gallaghers, moving her on to sang at a karaoke bar in Dublin, which happened to be holding a competition to qualify for a karaoke show.
This single performance reignited her passion for singing and, simultaneously, jumpstarted her singing career.
McHenry had stumbled upon a competition that would lead her to getting a spot on ABC’s reality show Karaoke Battle USA. After singing in a series of regional competitions following her performance in Dublin, she made it to Las Vegas to compete in the West Region Regionals. “I’ve never sung in front of that many people before,” McHenry said.
After winning the West Region Regionals, she made it to the finals, where she was unfortunately eliminated.
Since her time on the show, McHenry has sung in shows around the Bay Area and Los Angeles and is working on an album. “The big difference is I have a career now, before it was just a hobby,” McHenry said.
McHenry’s post-reality tv opportunity is not uncommon. From Kim Kardashian to Carrie Underwood, many A-list celebrities can attribute their Hollywood status to the popularity of reality tv, and most importantly the creative genius of the producers. “For a lot of [the producers] it was their first producer credit,” McHenry said. McHenry noted how hard the producers worked to advertise and market the show.
And, with her singing career busier than ever, there is no doubt about the publicity and connections gained from being on reality tv. For McHenry, a career as a singer, a life she never thought possible, is slowly becoming a reality. “It lit the fire again,” McHenry said.

A life well lived. A life too short.

adviser — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 17:11:38 +0000

Michael Jackson, 2009. Lena Horne, 2010. Amy Winehouse, 2011. Whitney Houston, 2012. Over the past four years, major contributors to the music industry and pop culture have departed, way too early many would agree.
On Saturday, February 11 just before 4pm, Whitney was found dead in her hotel room at the Beverly Hilton hotel in Beverly Hills. The Thursday evening before her death, she performed with singer Kelly Price at a Hollywood Club, making that her last public appearance. According to Price, Whitney was happy and seemed fine, “Whitney on Thursday night was one of the girls,” Price said to Entertainment Weekly.
A coroner’s report recently released showed that drug use did in fact did contribute to the singer’s death.
“The first thing I thought about [once I heard about her death] was all the great tracks she offered to the musical world,” Music Appreciation club moderator Tony Rodriguez.
There is no doubt about Houston’s impact on pop culture. However, images on Facebook labeled “One dies, a million cry. One million die, no one cries” featuring Houston next to starving children in Africa has surfaced criticizing the media’s extensive coverage on her death.
Is society’s obsession with Hollywood celebrities taking over coverage of what’s really important in the world. “[The media] did the same thing for Michael Jackson and I think his coverage was too excessive,” senior Tatyana Lark said.
On the other hand, images such as those seen on Facebook can be viewed as hypocritical and judgmental. “People that try to prove that point need to examine their own conscious as well,” Rodriguez said.
Her funeral, held on Saturday, February 18, was broad casted on major TV networks such as CNN and Fox so family and fans alike could celebrate and mourn the passing of Houston.
“I don’t think the funeral should have been televised because funerals are times for close family members to grieve together without the whole world watching them,” sophomore Lauren McGary said.
Regardless, respecting the privacy of her family and respecting those who mourn her death is certainly most appropriate in this situation.
After weeks of investigation, the coroner has not established an exact cause for her death. But speculation about murder has erupted from major gossip enterprises such as TMZ. However, there is no evidence to back up those claims.
“Because of how famous she was and how iconic she was, it does make sense that her die hard fans would be sad,” Lark said. And, with such a remarkable career as Houston’s, there is no doubt that her legacy will be passed on for many generations to come.

Say good-bye to construction.

adviser — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 17:49:11 +0000

The renovations are finally over. Maybe not for Mission Boulevard, but they are for the Teves Theater.
The theater project has been under construction throughout the past summer. The workers kept busy with renovating the stage, switching out the outdated curtains and carpeting, and, best of all, replacing those old, creaky chairs with new comfy ones.
The new theater will benefit many at Moreau.
“I don’t think that it’s just one part of the renovation that will best benefit the drama department but everything together will work to help all visual arts programs!” said senior Dani Issa.
Many theatre students would agree that the best part of the renovation is the new stage.
“The lip of the stage got removed! So now people can actually see us if we lay down on the floor or something in a show! Usually that was a pretty tricky thing to do in the past shows like ‘Once on this Island’,” said Issa.
So far the only con to this project is that the new theatre soaks up a lot of sound, which could potentially cause a problem for the fall play since they usually don’t use mics.
The new theatre also benefits the audience!
Students and audience members constantly complained about the persistent squeaking of the old chairs and are glad that they have been replaced.
“I will not miss those seats at all; the constant creaking sound kept ruining my theatre experience.” said senior Kevin Jay.
The audience is finally able to concentrate on the plays they are watching without the distraction of those old seats.

Farewell, Harry

adviser — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 17:44:42 +0000

By: Staff Writer
Kathy Parra

“Wingardium Leviosa! Expelliarmus!” We will no longer hear those magical spells cast by wizards and witches. We will never again feel the tension as Harry faces off against Lord Voldemort. The sensational Harry Potter series has come to an unfortunate end.

Harry Potter’s legacy is known worldwide, infecting people with “Pottermania.” The series consists of a total of seven books and eight movies.

They say that the first movie is often the best, which, for me is completely true in this case. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone was exceptional.

But enough about the first movie, how about the final, most recent installment, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows?

“AMAZING!” said junior Talia Gonzalez.

But not everyone thought it was that great. Junior Reejima Agrawal’s view of the movie was “quite intriguing. But I didn’t really like the ending. I thought it should have been better.”

Junior Angela de Lara felt that “there should’ve been more of a big deal about [the series] ending.”

How could have they made a bigger deal out of it? “I think there should’ve been more Harry Potter merchandise in stores. Hot Topic only had a few Potter shirts,” Gonzalez said.

Harry Potter has definitely stolen the hearts of many, including Gonzalez, who admitted to crying when the movie ended. “There was a smile on my face and a tissue in my hand wiping away the tears. Harry Potter, you will always be in our hearts.”

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admin — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 19:52:49 +0000