Pinewood’s annual talent show, held on Feb. 25, encouraged students and faculty to step outside their comfort zones and develop as individuals.
This year’s show included rock band performances, a unicycle showcase by math teacher Stuart Hamilton, a Chinese rap by Tianjia Jin, Ariel Song, and Heidi Wang, and various piano and vocal theatrics by students across all grades.
Humanities teacher Carrie McRobbie, who has organized the talent show for the past eight years, said that students who participate in the event strengthen skills that can be applied in both academic and non-academic settings.
“It’s an opportunity for expression and to grow at presenting yourself, to grow communication skills, and to build self-worth that will translate into other subjects,” McRobbie said.
Similarly, Head of Upper Campus Eve Kulbieda appreciates how the talent show allows students to gain a deeper understanding of themselves.
“It gives you an opportunity to explore who you are as a person in different ways than in an academic environment,” Kulbieda said.
Both McRobbie, who often struggles to find participants, and Kulbieda wish that more students would take a chance and perform.
“I would love to see more people not be so worried about being vulnerable,” Kulbieda said. “When you come off from doing something like a talent show, the sense of accomplishment and pride that you feel is irreplaceable.”
Sophomore Kabir Chhaparwal, a leader of Band Club, Pinewood’s first student-run music program, performed at the talent show in hopes of attracting new members to his club. Chhaparwal said that music plays a large role in helping students relax and enjoy themselves.
“It allows people to unwind because everyone loves music,” Chhaparwal said. “Some people come [to band practices] just to listen and enjoy the vibe. Everything’s really light-hearted.”
McRobbie said that both performers and audience members benefit from the event.
“It’s contagious when somebody is truly experiencing joy and sharing it,” McRobbie said. “It gives other people permission to do the same.”
Junior Ellis Matula, co-founder of a two-person band with junior Rishi Chen, looks forward to the talent show each year as an opportunity to push himself in new directions.
“I am constantly trying to chase something different to keep myself on my toes and keep my musical creativity alive,” Matula said. “The talent show is my place to experiment with doing things that are completely outside of what I do normally.”
Matula enjoys the event because it is relatively low-stakes, which facilitates greater experimentation.
“There are no limits,” Matula said. “Just be loud, sing loud, and jam. You give it a go, and if it goes badly, what’s the worst that can happen?”
