The School Newspaper of Harriton High School

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The School Newspaper of Harriton High School

The Harriton Banner

The School Newspaper of Harriton High School

The Harriton Banner

Piper’s Perfect Pipes

As you walk past the open auditorium doors after school hours, you see the vibrant colors of the island set. You smell the freshly painted backdrop and hear the melodic sounds of Harriton Theater Company’s production of Once On This Island. When the harmonies cease and you hear the sole, beautiful vibrato of an operatic soprano, you know you are listening to the pure talent of a dedicated singer. Piper Majors, a senior at Harriton starting her first year in the school, is the producer of this belt.

To Piper, singing is more than just a pastime – it is a lifestyle. Piper realized her natural talent for music at an early age. “I have always loved singing; it is something that I feel everyone could relate to,” says Majors. Studying voice for the past seven years with her beloved voice coach, Lisa Wilson, Piper has been able to improve her singing and pursue her passion. Although her strong, soprano voice lends itself to the styles of classical and opera, which are her main musical focuses, Piper also enjoys singing different styles of music, such as musical theater and jazz.

Musical theater comes as second nature to Piper. She has participated in Fiddler on the Roof, twice in Once On This Island, The All Night Strut, Into the Woods, Aladdin, and Little Shop of Horrors. Starring as Erzulie in Once On This Island, the beautiful Goddess of Love, Piper will make her first debut in a HTC production.

Not only does Piper study voice and participate in shows, but she also sings competitively. During competitions, each singer is given a time for an audition. Singers prepare three songs to sing for a selected panel of judges. Contestants choose their favorite song of the three, and the judges choose one song of the remaining two. After the audition, like any competition, contestants must painfully wait for their results. Singers who are finalists move on to the next round which is a concert. It is there that they are awarded first, second, or third place.

Most of us have probably never attended a singing competition. “Singing competitively is very unnerving, but it is undeniably an amazing experience,” remarks Piper. The intense atmosphere is easily comparable to that of any competitive sporting event. Almost everyone who participates in competitions are extremely talented and dedicated to their singing. Rehearsing pieces takes hours of practice and may seem repetitive or tedious at time, but in the end, at least in Piper’s case, it does pay off.

On Saturday, October 29, Piper took part in a singing competition in the high school classical division. The pieces she sang in the competition were “I Attempt From Loves Sickness to Fly” by Henry Purcell, Ricky Ian Gordon’s “Will There Really Be A Morning, “ and “O del Mio Dolce Ardor” by Von Gluck. Not surprisingly, Piper finished as a semi – finalist, which is equivalent to receiving a silver medal.

Although transitioning from one high school to another is seemingly difficult, Piper has undertaken this challenge with ease. “The transition from Shipley to Harriton was surprisingly easygoing. Everyone is very welcoming and since there is a wide variety of people that attend Harriton, it is impossible not to find someone with the same interests as you,” comments Majors. She is very pleased to be attending a school with such a cohesive and friendly student body. Piper did not hesitate to jump into extracurricular activities and Harriton and it involved with HTC’s fall production of Once On This Island.

Piper participates in musical activities as much as possible and has taken advantage of the music program at Harriton. As a new addition to HTC, Piper serves as a role model for the underclassmen. Her dedication and passion for music is truly exemplary. Piper is part of Mr. Joseph’s IB Music class, as well as Mr. Bizich’s concert choir. IB Music is a course designed to teach students music theory and to allow them to practice and compose their own music. Piper is further continuing her musical education in this course. Concert choir allows Piper to sing during a class almost every day – what more could she ask for?
Are you wondering who inspires an opera singer like Piper? Natalie Dessay, Florence and the Machine, Jesca Hoop, and Sia are among a few of Piper’s musical inspirations. Piper mainly listens to alternative and indie music. She has reported that the most recent artists she has listened to on her iPod are Tune – Yards, Yeasayer, Beirut, Foster the People, and Noah and the Whale.
With a talent like Piper’s, the only logical explanation is to pursue it throughout the rest of her life. Applying to liberal arts colleges, Majors plans to study music and partake in musical endeavors in her college experience. She plans to push herself as far as she can go to pursue her dream. “I plan to further my music career even out of college, as far as I can take it,” says Piper.
With the rapid approach of HTC’s fall production, the cast and crew are preparing themselves for yet another fabulous and successful show. Starting November 17 and continuing through November 20, HTC will perform the mystical Once On This Island. Once On This Island is an engaging, heart – breaking love story that will get you dancing to the upbeat island music! Come out and see Piper as Erzulie, the beautiful Goddess of love, and witness her indescribable talents firsthand! After all, as Piper says, “no matter where you are from or who your friends are music is something everyone can have and enjoy.”

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