Kaleidoscope 2016 To Showcase Talented Barnhart Students
Dance moves are being perfected, musical dynamics are being interpreted, and vocals are being practiced in the last week of rehearsals for Barnhart’s Annual Kaleidoscope Talent Show. Auditions were held earlier in the year and 30 musicians and dancers (including two Irish step dancers) were selected for Barnhart’s Kaleidoscope 2016 to be held in Barnhart School’s Fellowship Hall on Wednesday, March 23, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.
“Kaleidoscope is in its 27th year and I am ever impressed by the level of talent that Barnhart students possess, a testament to our K-8 music program and our parents who passionately support their children’s interests in the performing arts,” said Ethan Williamson, Barnhart’s head of school.
One of the scheduled performers is eighth-grader Marc Soong, 12, who has won numerous piano competitions including Los Angeles Young Musician International Competition, San Jose International Competition, American Protégé Piano and String Completions and was mostly recently named the recipient of the Young Musicians Foundation David Weiss Scholarship. Soong has performed in New York’s Carnegie Hall, Los Angeles’ Zipper Hall and Le Petit Trianon Theatre in San Jose.
Elisabeth (Lissie) Quishenberry, who directs Barnhart’s choir, music and drama programs has been a teacher since 1990. Heralding from La Sierra University, she is the First Experiences in Choral Singing Ensemble Director at Los Angeles Children’s Chorus as well as teaching their Level Seven musicianship class. With the local support of the Choristers Guild, Quishenberry has also chaired a children’s choir festival in Los Angeles for the last three years. She is the mother of three talented choristers.
Located in Arcadia, California, Barnhart offers a private K-8 education. Distinguishing programs of Barnhart include Spanish at all grade levels, daily physical education, the Virtues Project™ character development program, the creative writing program (Lucy Calkins’ Writer’s Workshop), a choral group, and an on-site harvest garden. The school has an early literacy emphasis, a 1:1 technology ratio and an average 12:1 student-teacher ratio. Barnhart is accredited by the California Association of Independent Schools and Western Association of Schools and Colleges. Established in 1959 by Dr. Ethel Barnhart, Barnhart is affiliated with the non- denominational Santa Anita Church.