Walpole High students have a lot more talent that they are not always able to display on a daily basis as they might with academics and athletics. Some of these talents include the ability to sing, play an instrument, and perform. On Monday, November 5th, these students got the chance to show their skills in a very relaxed setting during an event known as the Coffee House.
On Monday night, students filtered into the Walpole High Media Center to watch their friends and peers perform. Past Coffee Houses were held in the cafeteria, but Mr. Hahn and Caleb Cofsky, both of whom ran the event, changed the location to make the setting more intimate and to have better acoustics.
While there were chairs set up, many people ended up standing, whether behind the chairs or near the door, or sitting on the ground. Before the performances, the participants practiced around the library. Snacks and, of course, coffee were available for all to enjoy. After guests were settled, Mr. Hahn introduced the first act: Seniors Ali Ajemian and Becky Chariton performing Taylor Swift’s hit “We Are Never Getting Back Together.” The duo proved to be a crowd favorite. Ajemian played guitar and spoke certain parts of the song, getting laughs from the audience, while Chariton sang the popular tune. After applause, the two took a seat as they prepared for a later performance.
Afterwards, a first time performer, junior Jenna Donahue, took the seat and played guitar while singing as well. By this time, the library was packed with people watching the students. Donahue performed “Give Me Love” by Ed Sheeran, providing a very well executed first performance. After she finished, Mr. Hahn pointed out that people had made signs for Donahue in the back of the library; she had a lot of support for what was probably a nerve wracking performance.
Cofsky took the microphone afterwards as he multitasked with both guitar and vocals. Cofsky’s voice has been heard before at Walpole High; not only did he work on music for the Film Festival, but he performed at Mr. WHS too. Cofsky once again proved to be a crowd pleaser as he sang “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes,” a seven minute song by Crosby, Stills & Nash.
The next performance was juniors Andrew and Brian Hazerjian and Jimmy Martin with Mike Griffin on the tambourine. Andrew sang and played bass along with the other guitar players to provide a very catchy, upbeat performance of “No Rain” by Blind Melon.
Maria Earabino is another popular singer known at Walpole High for both her YouTube channel and her consistent placing in the Battle of the Bands contests at Adams Farm Field Days. Earabino performed an original song called “City Lights” and played guitar along with vocals, continuing to impress her listeners.
Junior Nikki Mich and Sophomore Kayla McBrien were also stand out performers at the Coffee House. McBrien sang and played guitar with Mich’s vocals as they sang “The Last Time” by Taylor Swift. Their performance featured a lot of great harmonies, and they earned one of the loudest applauses of the night. Junior Doug Stewart said about the night overall, “I never realized how talented my fellow students were.”
Senior Isabella Caraccioli came on afterwards with both vocals and guitar of “If I Ain’t Got You” by Alicia Keys. After impressing the crowd with her soulful voice, she performed again alongside Martin on guitar and Griffin on tambourine with “Whole Lotta Love” by Led Zeppelin.
Chariton, Ajemian, Cofsky, McBrien and Mich joined forces again along with Andrew Hazerjian to perform “Blood Brothers” by Ingrid Michaelson, the song they entered into the We Are All Blood Brothers contest. The four singers (Chariton, Cofsky, McBrien and Mich) each had different verses and came together on the chorus with great harmonies. Ajemian played the guitar while Hazerjian was on piano to create a well rounded performance.
Another first time performer came on afterwards: freshman Jenny Salvant, who sang “I’m Yours” by Jason Mraz with McBrien coming on again to play guitar and sing with her. “I like performing for people mostly because it’s fun for me, but the coffee house is a good way to promote all of the local musicians in Walpole who should have more fans,” said McBrien.
Freshman Angela Pyne was the last girl performer of the night; she sang “Treacherous” by Taylor Swift with her guitar. Being only a freshman, her confident presence and powerful voice were impressive.
The last performance of the night was of seniors Brandon Chin and Evan Parsons who both sang and played guitar. The duo ended the night on a high note with an upbeat performance of “How Far We’ve Come” by Matchbox 20. And with that, the first Coffee House of this year was over.
The event overall proved to be not only very successful but also a significant improvement from last year: “That’s probably the most people we’ve ever had,” said Cofsky. Performers and guests alike enjoyed the night as they got to showcase both their undeniable talent and listen to good music. There are going to be more Coffee Houses this year in the winter and the spring to give students another chance to perform in front of their peers in a very relaxed way.
