Evening showcase presents performances and work from orchestra, dance, choir, and visual arts classes on an unforgettable night
By: Paolo Calchi Novati & Ishbel Tyler
Marshall Secondary kicked off the fall season with live music and dance performances, as well as stunning visual artwork.
The school held its annual Fall Festival on Oct. 9 in the north quad.
It featured performances from the school’s band, orchestra, choir, and dance departments, with each group performing a variety of festive musical pieces. Students from the visual art and design department also displayed their artwork.
Most of the proceeds from concessions sold at the event will go to the Marshall ArtsDepartment’s New York City trip, from March 26-28, 2026.
During the trip, Marshall dance, choir, orchestra, and band students will have the opportunity to visit NYC and even perform at Riverside Church in Manhattan. The drama students will attend a local workshop.
“Our theme, loosely, is music from the movies, so most selections come from a movie that hopefully people will have heard of,” choir director and AP music theory teacher Michelle Espinosa said.
In addition, a group made up of all choirs, accompanied by the chamber orchestra, sang the school’s alma mater, thus honoring Marshall’s recent name change to Thurgood Marshall Secondary School.
The event also featured a special performance starring principal Lori Touloumian performing “Dance the Night Away” with the advanced dance class led by director Darcy Naganuma.
Touloumian had already made numerous appearances as a singer for James Pappalardo’s Marshall Jazz Band.
Orchestra director Heather King expressed confidence in her students.
“There’s a lot of talent in every single orchestra, honestly,” King said. For students, the festival is an opportunity to showcase their hard work and the skills they have developed in class.
“I’m performing with every group this year, so I’m going to be running around a lot, but I also get to have fun just doing what I love, playing music,” junior Santiago Smith-Ruiz said.
During the festival, he played saxophone with the jazz and marching bands, sang with the Chamber Choir, and played percussion for an orchestra piece.