   Musicality is instructive, requiring hours and hours of preparation and meticulousness in a single performance day. For Ishaan Banerjee ’24, jazz comes from the heart, and is a genre that evokes emotion. Committed to New York University this fall, Banerjee is set on becoming a professional in jazz music and producing records for future audiences. 

How and when did you begin playing the saxophone?
   I started playing the saxophone when I was five years old [and was taught] by one of my neighbor’s instructors. At first, I didn’t really appreciate the tactileness of the keys on the instrument. However I soon began to cherish the distinct musicality of the tones. Overall, it was really fun getting to play at my elementary school and being in a band full of ... musicians. 

PHS has been lucky to offer many opportunities, locally and abroad, to aspiring artists to showcase their talent. How would you describe your own development as a musician throughout high school?
   Yes, I ... agree [there are] unique talents in the PHS Arts Department, and I think that has a lot to do with their attentive manner [with] each and every student. My teachers, like Mr. Bongiovi, look at the big picture and notice how the minute changes of a pitch in one instrument can sway the whole crowd ... So I would say my development as a musician has a lot to do with listening. 

Jazz has been a consistent genre in your performances, do you believe the saxophone can encompass other genres apart from bossa nova/jazz?
   I’ve had focuses within jazz performances, but I would say it has the potential to be versatile in classical and mariachi music. Also, for blues in the 1920s ... in Studio Band and the Philadelphia Jazz Orchestra, the saxophone has had to be adjusted in tone to accommodate for the softer registers in classical. 

You recently performed at National Jazz Fest this winter, along with multiple on-stage performances with Studio Band and Studio Vocals. What are some of your strategies to tackle a live performance?
   I think the most important tactic is to only focus on one person in the audience that you can resonate with. Associating yourself with a whole crowd can be intimidating. I [also] tend to play one last scale to make sure my instrument is not off-key, and then I get on stage and perform. 

Do you aspire to focus on music as a career? 
  I would hope to become a musician in the future and produce albums within jazz music, and I believe NYU has the best programs to prepare me for endeavors requiring signing record labels and associating with big names. 

If you get one opportunity to collaborate with a jazz musician etc. , who would it be and why?
   Dead or alive, I would have to say Charlie Parker (1920-1955), [as he is] in my opinion one of the best tenor saxophone players of all time. Several of his variants with altered chords are a key to his harmony with singers, and when I’ve performed in cafes near Philadelphia, we often utilize his somber melodies [in] songs. 
 
What are some memorable moments that you have shared with the Studio Band while on tour, or with the Philadelphia Jazz Orchestra in Italy?
   I would say recording our music [at] Abbey Road with the whole Studio Band was very significant and [I] had my solo included in two of the songs. In addition, I would have to say the memories we had renting out a yacht in Italy were really enjoyable too. It was our final tour with the seniors after they graduated, so it meant a lot to have the Philadelphia Jazz Orchestra back [where it belonged] after school ended. 

Ishaan Banerjee '24 prepares to turn a passion for jazz into a career

From Unicef Benefits to Singalongs in town, the PHS Choir and Orchestra departments each have their own ways of expressing the unique elements of music. However, this year was the first year in which they performed an opera, an adaptation of “The Little Prince,” on October 27 and 28. This transition reflected an unforgettable change in the repertoire offered at PHS, influencing performances for years to come. Elliott Becker Peeler ’24, Edward Cao ’24, Reva Doshi ’24, and Syra Bhatt ’25 worked hard in preparation for their lead roles in the performance, especially as they transitioned into the idea of singing as characters.
“It was definitely an ambitious choice by Ms. Pelletier and Mr. Metallo to have the opera be the first thing we do this year, but the process has been really great and it’s been really fun for everyone to get into the idea of singing as characters rather than just as ourselves. Playing the rose is super fun because I get to work with the whole choice ensemble along with the leads,” said Noa Zacks ’25, one of the soloists for the opera in PHS Choir. 
“The Little Prince,” jointly composed by English dramatists Rachel Portman and Nicholas Wright, is based on the 1943 book of the same name written by French author Antoine de Saint-Exupery. The novel tells the story of a stranded pilot who meets and befriends a young alien prince who visits various planets, including Earth. While the pilot works to fix his plane, he listens to the young boy’s tales of his interstellar travels and gets invested in the wonders of the child’s innate curiosity and sincerity. Despite its status as a children’s book, “The Little Prince'' carries valuable lessons that prove to be universal through its multiple translations and versions into modern multimedia. 
Robert Loughran, director of the orchestral program at PHS, explained the inspiration behind their decision to choose “The Little Prince” for this year’s show, as well as the motivation behind their actions. 
“This production, unlike pieces in the past, has especially proven to only be truly expressed through the heart, and we tend to incorporate this aspect in the ways we transform the piece from paper into the big stage. As a fellow choir director, Mr. Metallo and I were going through our array of options for the upcoming opera when one quote stood out to me in particular: ‘What is essential is invisible to the eye.’ This metaphor really encompasses our mantra as a collective: To capture all the elements and make them shine,” Loughran said. 
One of the most difficult aspects of being a member of PHS Orchestra is learning how to strategically align one’s part to fit with the dramatic melodies of the choir, especially when players were tasked with learning the entire opera in only a couple of weeks. Figuring out the correct volume and tune to play one’s instrument may be an obvious aspect of any orchestra, but it is one of the most thought-out parts.   
“Mr. Loughran often tells us to play a lot quieter so that the vocals can really shine through. The orchestra is more of an emotional backdrop to the powerful singing,” said violinist Sung Jun Jo ’24.
The motto “With practice comes progress” can be used to describe the atmosphere of the orchestra room: with every repetition of each musical number, the pieces get one step closer to perfection.  
“For me, I find enjoyment in hearing all the different parts of a piece come together. It truly makes you understand and feel the music. It is always difficult to start learning new pieces for the musical and other combined performances; however, we practice it so often that it practically becomes second nature to play it,” said PHSO cellist Vivian Lee ’26. 
The lush music and captivating vocals do not come without training, so students in choir have been exploring their ranges throughout the opera piece, which is something new for most people this year. 
“Because I am not familiar with this genre of music, it was a bit hard in the beginning to find enjoyment to be honest. The difficult part of this piece is remembering the lyrics and reaching the super high notes of Soprano 1,” said PHS Choir member Lisa Jin ’25. A key part in understanding the nature of the piece is through the support students receive from their fellow peers. “The most exciting thing of the opera is performing in a big group of PHS community. Since I was a transfer student sophomore year, joining PHS Choir helped me feel more involved with this school,” Jin said.
This aspect of community is highlighted across both departments, and despite the difficulty in coordinating the different forms of repertoire, students find that it’s all worth the challenge. 
“The Little Prince has definitely been a bit of a challenge in terms of learning the music, which has some complicated key signatures and a lot of time signature changes,” said PHSO violinist Sanjana Manghnani ’25. “However, it’s all been really enjoyable to hear how it all comes together when we rehearse with the singers from the choirs.” 
One common theme throughout choir and orchestra is the high anticipation for performance day, as for many students this was their first opportunity to display what they’ve been working on in performing arts classes this year. 
“My favorite part of performance day is being able to play for a crowd," said Lee. “We can bring the piece to life, and I’m able to bounce off of other people’s energy, either from the orchestra or the crowd.”
Loughran hopes that the new experiences gathered from the opera will end up a success and bring joy to anyone watching their loved ones perform. 
“I seriously am so looking forward to opening night, and I wish to see this event become one for the books, and one that will continue to influence crowds in the years to come,” Laughran said.

PHS Choir and Orchestra Collaborate in Preparation for an Unforgettable Opera

   When it comes to celebrities, fans’ grasp of social conventions seems to slip away, as oftentimes by claiming that they understand their idols, they dehumanize them. We tend to think of respected figures or famous celebrities as being so far removed from real life that it’s impossible to connect with them in a typical person-to-person friendship. Idolizing celebrities is typical for adolescents — after all, just about everyone has a high-profile person they look up to or support. But with the rise of the internet and social media, these seemingly harmless relationships can turn into more nefarious ones.
   The obsessions caused by the idolization of celebrities sometimes develops into full-fledged stalking. In South Korea, the stalking of K-pop celebrities is so common that a term was coined in Korean to describe them: sasaeng fans. Sasaeng fans predominantly consist of teens or young adults encouraged by a heightened exposure to the media. One example of a sasaeng fan is Josh1994, a German fan documented to have harassed and stalked various members of the K-pop group Twice. After publicizing information about her and eventually being rejected, he began to send her death threats. Fortunately, this incident didn’t lead to further violence, but in some cases, it does. In one case, the look-alike of Rosé, a singer from the K-pop group BLACKPINK, was stabbed at an airport by a sasaeng fan for not returning their sentiments. 
   By supporting the tightly-regulated image of celebrities, the public essentially reinforces the false persona that controlling labels have placed on celebrities. In K-pop industries, celebrities are often subjected to unrealistic expectations pertaining to weight and body shape.   Moonbin of the K-pop group ASTRO died allegedly by suicide on April 19, 2023. It is presumed that the industry’s expectations of him combined with the demands of the “Korea wave” were the major factors that led to his death. By continuing to idolize these celebrities, fans reinforce industry standards that oppress them. 
   Constant exposure to celebrities makes comparing them to yourself inevitable. The public often fantasizes and gravitates toward celebrities who seem more humble and funny, like a “regular” person, without realizing that the normalcy of these people is completely fabricated, which creates unachievable standards. The rise of social media has heightened this phenomenon by allowing internet users to be more exposed to celebrities, thus causing teens to have lower self-confidence when they inevitably compare themselves to seemingly perfect influencers. 
   Social media additionally offers a larger platform for celebrities to live more public lives, making them greater topics of obsession. Overexposure to one’s day-to-day experiences are available to anyone, ultimately making it easier to create parasocial connections, which are essentially one-sided relationships. For example, by openly sharing vlogs online or having a very exposed media presence, fans feel more connected and involved in their idols’ lives. Seemingly minor actions can also contribute to this curiosity — the use of second-person voice in vlogs, insider information on the “backstage” events, and even photos taken by celebrities themselves are all personal and inviting. This blurs the line between being a spectator or a friend, resulting in social media users feeling rejected and lonely upon realizing they don’t know their icons as well as they thought.
   Teenagers in general are disproportionately affected by these emotional repercussions of social media. According to a 2018 study by Pew Research, 97 percent of teens have a presence on some social media platform and 45 percent of teens are online constantly, thereby boosting their exposure to celebrities. Because of their large presence on social media, teens more than any other age group are affected by parasocial relationships with celebrities, especially since adolescents in general are always searching for role models. This highlights the larger problem of exposure to social media in children and teens: The importance of online safety is often not thoroughly communicated. The lack of education dedicated towards online safety leaves teens especially vulnerable to the many emotional consequences social media widely causes. Realizing the dangers that can result from carefree exploration of social media is a necessary step in protecting oneself from those consequences, which is why it is imperative to recognize the emotional and physical dangers social media present. To protect ourselves from the adverse affects of social media, we must recognize and caution ourselves against the peril that festers even from behind the screen.


Behind the screen: the problem with idolization in K-pop

When it comes to celebrities, fans’ grasp of social conventions seems to slip away, as oftentimes by claiming that they understand their idols, they dehumanize them. We tend to think of respected figures or famous celebrities as being so far removed from real life that it’s impossible to connect with them in a typical person-to-person friendship. Idolizing celebrities is typical for adolescents — after all, just about everyone has a high-profile person they look up to or support. But with the rise of the internet and social media, these seemingly harmless relationships can turn into more nefarious ones.
   The obsessions caused by the idolization of celebrities sometimes develops into full-fledged stalking. In South Korea, the stalking of K-pop celebrities is so common that a term was coined in Korean to describe them: sasaeng fans. Sasaeng fans predominantly consist of teens or young adults encouraged by a heightened exposure to the media. One example of a sasaeng fan is Josh1994, a German fan documented to have harassed and stalked various members of the K-pop group Twice. After publicizing information about her and eventually being rejected, he began to send her death threats. Fortunately, this incident didn’t lead to further violence, but in some cases, it does. In one case, the look-alike of Rosé, a singer from the K-pop group BLACKPINK, was stabbed at an airport by a sasaeng fan for not returning their sentiments. 
   By supporting the tightly-regulated image of celebrities, the public essentially reinforces the false persona that controlling labels have placed on celebrities. In K-pop industries, celebrities are often subjected to unrealistic expectations pertaining to weight and body shape.   Moonbin of the K-pop group ASTRO died allegedly by suicide on April 19, 2023. It is presumed that the industry’s expectations of him combined with the demands of the “Korea wave” were the major factors that led to his death. By continuing to idolize these celebrities, fans reinforce industry standards that oppress them. 
   Constant exposure to celebrities makes comparing them to yourself inevitable. The public often fantasizes and gravitates toward celebrities who seem more humble and funny, like a “regular” person, without realizing that the normalcy of these people is completely fabricated, which creates unachievable standards. The rise of social media has heightened this phenomenon by allowing internet users to be more exposed to celebrities, thus causing teens to have lower self-confidence when they inevitably compare themselves to seemingly perfect influencers. 
   Social media additionally offers a larger platform for celebrities to live more public lives, making them greater topics of obsession. Overexposure to one’s day-to-day experiences are available to anyone, ultimately making it easier to create parasocial connections, which are essentially one-sided relationships. For example, by openly sharing vlogs online or having a very exposed media presence, fans feel more connected and involved in their idols’ lives. Seemingly minor actions can also contribute to this curiosity — the use of second-person voice in vlogs, insider information on the “backstage” events, and even photos taken by celebrities themselves are all personal and inviting. This blurs the line between being a spectator or a friend, resulting in social media users feeling rejected and lonely upon realizing they don’t know their icons as well as they thought.
   Teenagers in general are disproportionately affected by these emotional repercussions of social media. According to a 2018 study by Pew Research, 97 percent of teens have a presence on some social media platform and 45 percent of teens are online constantly, thereby boosting their exposure to celebrities. Because of their large presence on social media, teens more than any other age group are affected by parasocial relationships with celebrities, especially since adolescents in general are always searching for role models. This highlights the larger problem of exposure to social media in children and teens: The importance of online safety is often not thoroughly communicated. The lack of education dedicated towards online safety leaves teens especially vulnerable to the many emotional consequences social media widely causes. Realizing the dangers that can result from carefree exploration of social media is a necessary step in protecting oneself from those consequences, which is why it is imperative to recognize the emotional and physical dangers social media present. To protect ourselves from the adverse affects of social media, we must recognize and caution ourselves against the peril that festers even from behind the screen.


The Tower

Ruhee Hegde's Work

The Tower