In late March, I was honored to attend the Ithaca High School Orchestra’s annual Cabaret, a joyous event filled with food, laughter, and performances from student artists. “[Cabaret] has been going on for the history of the orchestra. It’s definitely a tradition that’s changed over time,” said Rosie Mead ’24, co-president of the IHS Orchestras. This year, the orchestra chose Studio Ghibli as the theme and transformed the drab school cafeteria into a whimsical, colorful event room to match the iconic Studio Ghibli aesthetic.
Daniela Forbes ’24, the Cabaret MC, warmly welcomed the crowd of parents and students alike before introducing the Orchestra’s first piece, “Cabaret” by John Kander. “We’re not sitting in a normal orchestra formation, so the sound is different,” Mead remarked. Then, a French horn quartet (Juju Crane ’24, Beatrice Owens ’26, Joey Gonzales ’25, and Sadie Kinast ’26) took the stage to perform “Princess Mononoke,” a song from the 1997 Studio Ghibli movie of the same name. Their act was impressive and captivating; the quartet played with great precision and emotion.
“Letter to My 13-Year-Old Self” was one of my favorite performances of the evening. With Mead playing the piano behind them, Roxanne Nelson ’26 and Anya Packard ’24 delivered an emotional rendition of the Laufey song. The blend of Nelson’s airy indie-pop voice paired with Packard’s rich, textured vocals made for an incredibly moving cover. Another favorite of mine was “Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea” performed by Aliza Proulx ’24, Tania Hao ’24, Alicia Long ’24, and Athena Nie ’24. The tune was beautifully played and felt both fresh and nostalgic.
The IHS A Capella Club sang “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” by The Beach Boys, which put a smile on the faces of all 60’s music lovers in the crowd. Myn Adams ’25 then performed “Freeze Your Brain” from Heathers, accompanied by Camden Goeller ’26. Adams’ theatrical tone brought new life to the well-known Heathers’ tune, and Goeller played effortlessly alongside them. “Getting up to sing was so nerve-wracking, but it was so nice to have a performance partner as supportive as Cam,” Adams said. Millie Kisloski ’25 and Alex Acosta ’25 then sang “Home” by Edward Sharp and The Magnetic Zeros, weaving their voices together and feeding off of each other’s energy during the song. Last in the lineup for Act 1, Maeve Stuelke ’25 performed two songs, “Lady May” by Childers and “Vagabond” by Caamp, a powerful and engaging end to a strong first half of the show.
To begin the second act, the IHS Combined Orchestras performed “Howl’s Moving Castle” for their final song as an orchestra. The orchestras blended beautifully together, with every bow moving in unison. Then, LeAnn Zhu ’24 and Athena Nie performed “Gemini in July,” an original song completed with an uplifting message and a dash of choreography. Rosie Mead, Laura Mead ’24, and Dove Williams ’24 performed “Kid Fears” by the Indigo Girls, a standout addition to an already impressive lineup at Cabaret.
The sole act featuring a poem titled “Through mounds of clay in my mouth, I breathe” was written by Matilda Schrader ’25. Like much of Schrader’s work, the piece was emotionally captivating and a testament to her unique voice as a poet. Nora Coch ’25, guitar in hand, then debuted “Nadia,” an original piece. “The song started as a pretty simple chord progression that I liked, and I did a lot of playing around with where the melody could go,” Coch reflected. “The lyrics are more story-like than other songs I’ve written…I could paint a clear picture in my head about how I wanted the lyrics to feel and the melody to sound.” Finally, Zak Kasian ’26 performed “Help” by The Beatles, “Horizons” by Steve Hackett, and “The One I Love to Find” by James and the Shame, a versatile collection of songs representing their high school career thus far.
Cabaret this year was an excellent showcase of the many talented students at IHS, and the uplifting, cozy atmosphere perfectly complemented the show. If you missed this year’s Cabaret, don’t make the same mistake next year—be sure to attend Cabaret 2025 and witness the incredible talents of IHS students and the Orchestra Program on display.
Cabaret Night. Anya Packard