   This spring, Studio Vocals showcased their hard work at multiple events, including the Princeton Jazz Festival on April 15, the National Jazz Festival on April 22, and the New Jersey State Jazz Festival on April 29. To accommodate the busy April schedule, Studio Vocals worked on a fast-paced schedule and held multiple practices every week to ensure that they performed their best in all of their events.
   “We have a lot of dedication to making sure that a song is at the best it can be before a performance or a competition. If we need to go over a certain section repeatedly in order for it to be solid, we will,” said Ashley Chen ’23, a member of Studio Vocals.
   Through their hard work and dedication, Studio Vocals were a key element to the jazz performances this month, and through these collaborations, they were given a bigger platform to perform.
   “The plans are to give our studio vocalists more of a period to keep singing as Studio Band and Jazz Ensemble get deeper in the competition season and may or may not be using vocalists,” said PHS Band Director Joseph Bongiovi.
   On top of practicing as a group, the members also rehearse independently. Their hard work allows them to feel confident on stage, a key aspect of an overall good performance.
   “I rehearse a bunch by myself and learn the songs mostly by listening to recordings and singing along to instrumental recording tracks,” said Studio Vocals member Maggie Dooley ’24.
   The group members focus a lot on the technical aspect of performing. To prepare for performances, they rehearsed with microphones beforehand. Being able to blend one’s voice and figure out the correct volume and tone to sing into the microphone can make or break one’s performance.
   “For the competitions, we each have to sing with our own microphones. Although it was a bit scary at first, my ability to blend while on a microphone has definitely improved,” said Vivian Clayton ’24, another member of Studio Vocals.
   While the vocalists initially used rehearsal tracks to learn their parts, the performances themselves were put on with a live rhythm section. To prepare for this, members of Studio Vocals rehearse multiple times with the Studio Band instrumentalists themselves in the time leading up to the performance.
   “Our biggest strength is the fact that most vocal jazz groups don’t have a rhythm section that plays as well as ours. That allows us to have something solid in terms of tempo and harmony to harmonize with,” Bongiovi said.
   From highlighting the songs played by the musicians to guiding them with the actual piece, members of Studio Vocals were a necessity for Princeton’s jazz festival.
   In addition to the pressure that comes with having to learn multiple tracks, performing at a competition in and of itself comes with lots of nerves, so being comfortable on stage is one of the most important parts when performing and competing.
   “Beyond getting the actual notes and rhythms right, our stage presence is hugely important. For the audience, and of course judges, a performance is much better when the singers are engaged with the music and their peers,” Clayton said.
   For many, just being on stage makes them feel gratified. The culmination of one’s hard work with their group can feel very satisfying.
   “After the crazy rehearsal schedules we have and all the hard work we put into our songs, it feels so good to see everything finally together on stage. Even if we don’t win first, being able to perform together is the most rewarding part,” Chen said.
   While Dooley, Clayton, and the rest of the younger members will continue to grow as a group in Studio Vocals, others will soon have to depart from the group as they continue on their personal journey in college.
   “It’s definitely a little sad that this is my last time doing it all. I’ve been doing Studio Vocals since freshman year, it’s been such a big part of my high school life and I can’t imagine not doing it. I’m going to miss the whole working up to competition feeling, the excitement, and the pride we all feel together when we’re done singing the most,” Chen said.

Princeton Studio Vocals prepares to take the stage at Jazz Fest

After performing at the school musical, the orchestra is looking forward to preparing for the PHS Orchestra California tour. COVID-19 travel restrictions over the last two years made Robert Loughran, director of the orchestral program at Princeton High School, eager to give his students the opportunity to travel across the nation and perform.

“When you’re able to tour and have your colleagues, your peers go with you, there is enthusiasm, a lot of great potential. I’m really excited about that and for us to continue our professionalism, but also for our students to say, ‘Wow, this is the world, this is another aspect of living that has added to the depth of my living experience,” Loughran said.

The PHS Orchestra will depart on May 28 and return on June 4. Unlike previous tours, the orchestra will remain within the U.S. Despite this, Loughran is confident that he has planned a memorable trip for the students.

“[There were] just too many unknowns at the time of planning. So [domestic travel] was our realm, or allowable realm. And I just went with it, to see and experience. Everything that California has... the energy of the West Coast is different from the East Coast. The cultural inspiration is different... But I think the inspiration for our students of this sort will be very valued,” Loughran said.

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The orchestra will perform the day after arrival in San Francisco and will travel to both Los Angeles and Westwood during the week to perform at different venues. The trip will also include many sightseeing opportunities like the Golden Gate Bridge, the redwood trees, and beaches in Malibu.

The trip wouldn’t be complete without a complementary set of pieces that show the diligence and preparation of all involved. The pieces played by the orchestra include a diverse range of genres and cultures, including contemporary dance pieces and film. This incorporates music from Latin America to Italy.

“Personally, I am really looking forward to playing Danzón by Arturo Marquez. I’ve heard it quite a few times, both on the and in live performances at music schools, and I have always loved the fiery energy of the piece. It is a perfect choice for our California tour, and I can’t wait to perform it with the rest of my orchestra peers,” said cellist Theona Hsu ’24.

To many current high school students, the tour will be very different from previous performances, as middle schools within the Princeton Public Schools district don’t offer overnight opportunities. In preparation, students will intensify their rehearsals and focus on the upcoming performances that will take place during the tour.

“I feel like this tour is going to be a different experience in regards to playing from what I’m usually used to. We’re going to be performing a lot during the trip and I think it’s the first time I’ll be playing so many consecutive performances,” said Sung Jun Jo ’24.

While the music is the focus of this trip, students make sure to emphasize the importance of the opportunity to bond with their peers. Non-performance destinations include the Disney Concert Hall and the esteemed Colburn School of Music as well as scenic views of the Bay Area. Emphasized by the difficult circumstances in the past few years due to COVID-19, being able to travel and play different music pieces as a group will bring the orchestra group closer together. The tour is also an occasion to create long-lasting memories.

“I’m really looking forward to getting to know the orchestra. In the past, everyone has been quite close, but two years of COVID has meant that lots of us don’t know each other that well yet. Tour is always a great way of making friends and bringing people together,” said Roberto Haubold ’22.

Loughran hopes that the personal values learned on the trip can also be applied to everyday activities after their return.

“[I want them to have] a sense of self-confidence, a sense of introspection, a sense of the joy of being inquisitive. All these things come from having the opportunity to experience new things,” Loughran said.

PHS Orchestra prepares for their first tour in two years

This past month, members of the PHS Jazz Ensemble and Studio Band performed at preliminary festivals to qualify for the 2022 state finals, organized by the New Jersey Jazz Association for Jazz Education. Students who participated were given the opportunity to showcase their talent, represent their school, and even win prestigious awards, tributes, or scholarships. 

Prelims for the Jazz Ensemble took place on March 9 at Southern Regional High School, while Studio Band prelims took place on March 10 at Steinert High School. 

“We played the three songs that we’ve been practicing weekly,” said Adele Slaymaker ‘25, who plays the clarinet in the Jazz Ensemble.

The Jazz Ensemble won gold for sight-reading (performing a piece without previous preparation), which counted for 15 percent of the total score for the preliminary round. 

“Studio Band got gold and our rhythm section won outstanding section! We [also] won best sight reading,” said Sara Carson ‘23, a guitarist in Studio Band.

All participating musicians maintained a focused mindset as well as an optimistic attitude at prelims. Both Jazz Ensemble and Studio Band did exceptionally well, placing 9th and 3rd place, respectively. The two bands will be making it to state finals on April 30th. This year, sight-reading and improvisation were crucial components on the adjudication sheet. 

“There is a lot of pressure because PHS is hosting [Division II] finals, as well as the reputation that the Princeton bands have,” said Matthew Chen ’25, a trumpet player for Jazz Ensemble. 



In 2019, PHS Jazz Ensemble and Studio Band placed third and second in Division II finals, and Studio Band won the Richard A. Graham Sight Reading Award. Furthermore, Studio Band trombonists won a section award. This year, band members are excited to perform competitively again and exhibit PHS pride. 

Although pandemic is a challenge, Finals in future look promising as mask mandates begin to lift. 

“COVID-19 has made performances more perfunctory than exciting, but prelims, where we’re competing, will help bring back some energy,” said Nina Esteghamat ’23, who plays the flute.

Many freshmen were excited to attend prelims for the first time. The chance to advance to State Finals is a big achievement in their musical journey. 

“I haven’t done a competition before, since I’m a freshman and the last performance we did outside of this year was when I was in seventh grade,” said Slaymaker.
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Rehearsal schedules for both Studio Band and Jazz Ensemble were planned to efficiently prepare for prelims. Members will continue to attend three-hour rehearsals every Wednesday night to address larger group issues, while also working in instrument-based sections to review smaller details in the music.

“Going to finals at Princeton High School, which is our home turf, will be really nice. Having both bands play together at the same place where we can watch each other, I feel like is going to be really cool!” said Sophia Kim ’22, an oboe player in Studio Band.

Jazz and Studio Band members work hard to prepare for the preliminaries to State Finals

Each year at PHS, different groups of students in Studio Art III paint a mural in relation to the word “skull.” For most, this word may conjure up images of death and decay, but these art students look through the gloom to find inspiration.

“In Studio Art I, students draw realistic skulls and animal bones, and in Studio Art II, they do the same again. Then in Studio Art III, they come back to the idea of the skull, and they think about what it could mean and represent symbolically,” said Matthew Pembleton, one of the Studio Art teachers at PHS.

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The tradition of painting murals or installing 4x8-foot painted panels onto the walls has endured since 2000. Unlike many of the individual projects done in the Studio Art III class, the mural project highlights that teamwork is needed in order to create a stellar finished product.

“I think the main purpose of this project is to show that art and collaboration can be made by many people, not just one person,” Pembleton said.

Although it may seem like a simple task to paint a mural, the project requires a few weeks worth of planning before the painting can actually begin. 

The process starts with thorough research of modern and historic murals throughout art history, ranging from the Renaissance era to the Mexican muralist movement in the 1900s. Students then take a tour around PHS to look at past murals created by previous Studio Art III students. After gaining inspiration and ideas from these different sources, students engage in collaborative mind mapping and sketching. To start, they need to come up with ideas relating to the skull theme. There are many diverse perspectives that can be taken for this project. It is fascinating to see how different minds approach the same word based on their imaginations along with their individual interpretations. After two to three weeks of laying the groundwork, students start painting the murals on the walls.

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Although the word skull often evokes feelings of death and doom, the students have shown that there can actually be a lot more to it.

“Our mural is like the exact opposite of what [we] first thought of when I heard the word ‘skull.’ We’re doing an art history inspired mural, but we’re also incorporating a bit of modernity to it. We’re mostly inspired by two Renaissance pieces: The Birth of Venus and Creation of Adam,” said Myrrah Shapoo ’23, a student in Studio Art III.

“We’ve taken components from each, and we’ve mixed them together to create one piece. We are doing them in the form of a skeleton to bring in androgyny and to put a twist on these classical pieces,” Shapoo said.

Focusing on darkness and mystery, students Andy Yao ’23 and Ned Erickson ’22 created a “surrealist landscape” that focuses on the uncertainty we have about the afterlife.“

We thought of death, and we thought about what happens to a skull after you die and if it’s just empty. This led to us wondering about what happens after you die and how we don’t really know. We wanted to make it weird because we don’t know what happens after we die,” Erickson said.

“We’re going to have a bunch of random stuff like planets, columns, and broken statues so that it’s dreamlike ... It’ll be made up of a weird collection of things, so you’re not sure what’s going on or when it’s happening,” said Yao. PHS art students have been enriching the school with their artwork over the years, as can be observed with the many posters, sketches, and paintings already being displayed on the walls.

This current mural project is a symbol of the beauty that lies in collaboration, and altogether, it will serve as a manifestation of the students’ creativity as a whole. The murals should be finished by early April, and will be on display in room 172 for students after spring break

Different perspectives shape Studio Art III’s murals


The intoxicating scent of chocolate cake wafting from the oven kindled kindled a love for the kitchen in Meredith Hirschman ’22 from a young age. Observing her older sister, Leah Hirschman ’19, along with using Pinterest for inspiration, Hirschman gained confidence steadily – and it is reflected in her treats. With her sister’s encouragement, she now follows in her footsteps and serves as Editor-in-Chief for Spork, the PHS food magazine.



How did you originally start working for Spork?

My oldest sister was the Editor-in-Chief as a freshman. I had known about the magazine prior to even entering high school. I knew I wanted to do that because I always had a passion for baking. I applied, and I got to be a member. Then I worked my way up; I was Social Media Manager, then last year I was the Production Manager, and now I’m Editor-in-Chief.



What is the process of writing and creating each issue of Spork magazine?

The first thing we do is we come up with ideas of what themes we want to do. This past one, we did a strawberry and lemon theme. So we had strawberry lemonade, strawberry-lemon cake, something like that. And then we would ask our contributors to find those recipes specifically. They would write them down and format them correctly. We then buy the ingredients from those recipes and have recipe testing days, which are usually over the weekends. It’s one day, and we get everyone together in one kitchen. We make the recipes and set up the shot. So we make the food and then we put it all together and make it look pretty to take the picture. And then after that it’s production, which is about four days long, maybe longer. We take those photos, and we put them into Adobe InDesign. Then, we add all of the text and all of the needed recipes, and then we print them.



What is you favorite dish that you have made?It was a strawberry lemon cake, which, actually, I made earlier in March 2020. In between those three layers of strawberry cake was a strawberry-and-lemon curd. On the outside, it was strawberry buttercream. And then for decoration, I piped cartoon stuffed flowers with yellow buttercream petals, and a white center. Not only did it look good, but it tasted great as well!



During quarantine, at-home cooking and baking took over the internet, with trials of sourdough bread and dalgona coffees. Do you feel that in quarantine, you also gained more creativity in your cooking?

Yeah definitely. I also had more time to bake and cook, so I used that time. I followed the trends and made all the recipes. I made a frog bread, which was definitely trendy then. With all of that extra time, I also looked up pictures of food. I like to look on Pinterest, and I just like to search for something to make next.

Meredith Hirschman ’22 on her passion for baking and Spork magazine


When the pandemic first hit in mid-March of 2020, students and teachers panicked as they scrambled to move school online. All classes were adjusting to the new norm as best as possible and band classes were no exception — lessons, rehearsals, and performances were now virtual. This presented many difficulties to the band directors since it was challenging to capture each instrument’s individual sound while also having a cohesive performance piece. Students were urged to practice more on their own and were tested on their skills using recording apps and one-on-one playing sessions. The young musicians no longer had time to stay back and chit-chat, which took away the community feel within the bands. When the band directors, Mr. Grimaldi and Mr. Bongiovi, decided to bring in-person rehearsals back this month, teachers and students were relieved for this small step back to normality. 

The return of in-person rehearsals has been difficult: there are strict protocols that must be adhered to in order to keep everyone healthy and safe. This poses some extra challenges to the musicians whose instruments require a steady airstream and uncovered mouth, thus enabling the spread of germs.

 “We also have to account for COVID procedures while in person, with 15 minute breaks every 30 minutes of playing and we have to use special musician’s masks and bags at the end of our instruments to catch aerosol, making it difficult to play,” said flautist Delaney McCarty ’22.

 Although strict COVID-19 protocols help keep everyone safe, it can make playing more difficult. Similarly to how we must cover our face with a mask, bags are placed on the end of their instruments to ensure that no virus may be transmitted. Strict social distancing guidelines are also being enforced to ensure everyone stays safe. Students now stand six feet apart, which has also been a strange adjustment since musicians normally play very close together. 

“I’ve also had to get used to the distancing. The distancing while we're playing and during breaks is much different from normal rehearsals where we’d be very very close to each other,” said Layla Mobin-Uddin ’22, a flautist in the PHS Jazz Ensemble. 

Overall, students seem to be happy with the switch to in-person rehearsals. Being able to interact with their fellow band members has made a significant impact on their progress, both musically and mentally. 

“I believe that hanging out with and having good rapport with other band members is crucial to a successful band, which we can’t get online,” said Connor Stewart ’23, a percussionist for Studio Band. 

There has also been an increase in rehearsal time after going in person, as students can play together and have more interaction with their directors. This also makes the conductor’s job much easier. Online, it was difficult to get playing time in due to latency and difficulties with technology. Consequently, students found themselves to be more productive when learning from in-class discussions and videos rather than when attempting to play together with Zoom delays.

Many students feel that they have made more improvements when in-person than when online. 

“I think switching has improved my performance. If anything, it has encouraged me to practice more and practice playing louder with a more full sound since there aren’t a ton of people at in person rehearsal,” Mobin-Uddin said.

Even though in-person rehearsals have allowed students to be surrounded by other musicians which creates a more encouraging and positive environment, some still think it is not nearly the same as pre-COVID rehearsals. 

“While in-person rehearsals do provide more accountability for practicing than virtual ones, they’re not nearly as impactful as a pre-COVID rehearsal. We can’t work within sectional groups, and we can’t hear the band play as one — I can only really hear myself and maybe a few others — both of which were major advantages to pre-COVID rehearsals,” McCarty said.

Students hope that these protocols will help rehearsals go back to normal soon. 

“I do feel like the protocols are difficult to follow at times, but ultimately I know it’s for the best,” said Sara Carson ’23, a guitarist for Studio Band. “I hope everyone continues to follow these guidelines so that we can return to rehearsals full on next school year.”





Band returns to in-person rehearsal

Perched high on her father’s shoulders as a toddler, Sofia Schreiber marveled at the floating orange drapes displayed at Central Park’s famous art exhibit, “The Gates.” Little did she know that admiring this exhibit would be the first of many experiences throughout her entire artistic journey.

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Schreiber spent her early childhood years in Hoboken, New Jersey — an urban environment where art flooded the streets, walls, buildings, and parks. From that point onwards, creativity has been a part of her very being. Primarily focused on the art of theater, Sofia has helped assemble the sets for many high school productions and plans to continue cultivating her passion in The Boston University College of Fine Arts. Despite having a clear career path in mind, she has never restricted herself to one art form.

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When did you find your passion for art? 

Well, I mostly started out with visual art. [Art] has always been ingrained in me since birth. I remember, specifically, I got this easel for my third birthday, and there were so many pictures of me standing on a little red stool scribbling on the easel. I did a lot of drawing. But I really got serious about art when I started taking ceramics classes at the Arts Council. I enjoyed 3D and started exploring sculpture and creating spaces with art, which was really cool. [After that] I started doing tech crew.

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Who is your inspiration for art as well as your favorite artists? 
[I’ve had] two teachers who are also professional artists. One is Barbara de Lorenzo, an illustrator. She’s been so sweet, and she's helped me put together my portfolio. [Another is] my ceramics teacher, Rebecca Graham. She makes these awesome sculptures [out of clay] like puppets. [Ms. Graham] puts them together with objects [she finds] and wire. [Ultimately,] she inspired me to start doing mixed media work, which is really fun. [My] favorite artists [are] Maya Lin, Andy Goldsworthy, and Ai Weiwei. There’s a piece at Storm King [Art Center,] a sculpture garden in upstate New York, by Andy Goldsworthy. It’s basically a stone wall that goes through the whole park, made out of the stones he found in the park. When my mom was pregnant with me, she took a picture standing next to the wall, and I’ve always loved that picture. During sophomore year, we went on a field trip there and I found the exact spot that she stood at and recreated the picture.

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What childhood experiences shaped you as an artist? 
Until I was three, I lived in Hoboken, New Jersey. It was really fun living in a more city environment, really close to New York City, and it’s shaped my love for cities because there was always so much art around. Specifically, I remember the artists Christo and Jeanne Claude who did an installation at Central Park called “The Gates.” There were all these orange gates throughout Central Park, probably 1000 of them. My parents took me there when I was three, and I remember loving it so much. I would sit on my dad’s shoulders and touch all of them as we went by. Just being surrounded by art from a really young age made me fall in love with it even more.

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Have you tried experimenting with different art mediums? 
I love experimenting all the time! I’ve tried everything from knitting to wire work. My favorites are probably watercolor, clay, and drawing. I’m always up for trying new things, so I’ve experimented with paper, yarn, and textile collages. There’s one piece that just makes me smile and it’s a fun piece that I did. It was [a] fabric paper collage. I made this chicken, named Patricia, and she’s a very eccentric chicken. She’s just fun and I hung [her] up on the wall.. Every time I walk by, it makes me smile!

How do you stay motivated during the pandemic? 
I guess it is kind of hard to stay motivated when there’s nothing to do, especially when there’s no real in-person theater productions happening right now at the school. [However,] the technical director, Jeff Van Velsor, made me his design assistant this year. I’ve been working on different aspects of theater, [such as] digital posters for all the shows, and how we can make a Zoom show more interesting, design wise. I also try to keep a sketchbook [to] draw something each day, even if it’s five minutes each day [or] drawing a pencil on my table. 

Kathy Tian's Work