Special to The Swellesley Report courtesy of the Wellesley High School Bradford and Parents of Performing Students (POPS). This is one in a series of POPS Senior Profiles we’ll be publishing.

When Frank Mendes ’23 was little, he refused to sing. Whether it was the ABCs at daycare or music class in third grade, Mendes was determined to keep his mouth shut. Yet somehow, since then, Mendes abandoned his childhood defiance and discovered his love for choir. Now, as a senior at Wellesley High School, Mendes is known by his community as an accomplished singer and passionate leader. 

 “Frank Mendes has been among the most active and accomplished singers in Wellesley High School history,” said High School Choral Director, Kevin McDonald 

Since sixth grade, when Mendes first joined choir, he has put hard work into refining his technique and mastering even the most challenging of pieces. From Brooks Brothers to Concert Choir, Keynotes Singers, Rice Street Singers, and Inchordination A Cappella, Mendes brings artistry to every corner of the high school music department. 

“I’ve always joined every choir or singing group I possibly could,” said Mendes. 

Outside of school, Mendes is also a member of the Handel and Haydn Society Chorus of Tenors and Basses, Chamber Choir, and Solo Artists Program. He has been a part of the MMEA Senior District Chorus, All-State Chorus, and perhaps most impressively, the All-National Choir. All-Nationals is a yearly gathering of the best 240 high school singers in the country. This year, selected students met in Washington, D.C. and got to sing together under conductor Frances Fonza for just a few days. 

“It was an incredible experience to be surrounded by so many other harmony fanatics from all over the nation,” said Mendes.

Mendes’ path through Wellesley’s Performing Arts department has been, in every sense of the word, epic. He started choir in middle school for the same reason most students did: the seventh-grade Trills and Thrills Six Flags trip. He quickly learned, though, that he had something the other 12-year-old boys did not—a low voice. Soon, he found himself a valued member of the prepubescent ensemble as the Brooks Brothers’ only bass. 

“Initially I was the low voice—it was an interesting challenge. I wasn’t very good at [singing] until, arguably, sophomore year,” said Mendes.

Apart from his interest in experiencing Superman™ The Ride, Mendes attributes his initial involvement in singing to Wellesley Middle School Choir Director, Lauren Connors. 

“She was the first person to encourage me to audition for Junior Districts in seventh grade, and that encouragement set in motion everything I’ve done since,” said Mendes.

When Mendes started high school, he was quick to join the men’s choir, multiple select ensembles, and an a cappella group. His love for the rehearsal process and the working-through-challenges part of singing has kept him motivated through strenuous rehearsals and difficult repertoire. Mendes does not turn away from difficulty, instead, he leans into challenge as a necessary step towards success. 

“I live for choir rehearsals,” he said. “There’s something captivating about having to sight read a piece, and it being pure chaos, only to work on it together, and hear the individual voices starting to lock into the piece, and to each other.”

To Mendes, those moments, when everything comes together and the arrangement finally “works,” are exhilarating. When last fall Inchordination A Cappella performed their arrangement of “Movement” by Hozier—and Mendes soloed it—Chordz had one of those moments. 

“It was so cool to see an arrangement I’d worked on for months finally coming to life. The first time it worked in rehearsal, everyone crescendoed into like this big moment, and Izzy Pavano and I just smiled at each other from across the room,” said Mendes. 

Andy Shen ’23, a friend of Mendes and member of Renegade A Cappella, recalls how inspiring Mendes’ performance of “Movement” was. To Shen, the Acatober concert, and Mendes’ solo, felt like an important moment of success after almost three years of COVID-19.

“It felt kind of like the culmination of everything we’ve gone through, to hear him sing it [Movement] so well and so passionately… it’s definitely been a journey,” said Shen. 

Partway through Mendes’ freshman year, the first COVID-19 outbreak occurred. Students were sent home for three weeks and told to be careful. The next three years were rough. Social distancing, Zoom classes, and, for students like Mendes and Shen, outdoor masked rehearsals became the norm.  

“It was a strange experience. We kind of just weren’t singing for the longest time,” said Mendes

The years of pandemic hit WPS’ singing departments pretty hard. For obvious reasons, singing in large groups became difficult, and New England winters made outdoor solutions a challenge. 

“We had 300 [students in the department] at some point, and now we’re down to about 150,” said Mendes.

For Mendes, the massive loss of students wasn’t entirely depressing. Rather, he saw it as an opportunity to lean even more into community. 

“Rebuilding our community became something I dedicated myself to,” said Mendes.

Peers and teachers describe Mendes as a resilient worker and musical “powerhouse.” As an upperclassman and community leader, he mentors students of all levels in a kind and deliberate way. 

“Frank is very wise when it comes to singing, just being around him makes you a better singer,” said fellow Chordz A Cappella member, Nika Shabestari ’25

To Mendes, being music leader of Inchordination A Cappella means collaboration and thoughtful coaching. Zoha Rehan ’23, a co-leader of Chordz, attests to Mendes’ creative approach and seamless song arrangements. 

“He’s never unwilling to try something, even if it’s a different genre of music that not everyone really likes, he’s always down to try it,” said Rehan.

Like most WHS seniors, Mendes has spent the last few months thinking about his post-high school life.  Mendes plans to attend the University of Michigan in the fall and pursue a dual degree in business administration and vocal performance.  

“I applied to a mix of music and business degrees, or some combination of the two. I might end up doing something like nonprofit music management and some singing on the side,” said Mendes. “I wouldn’t consider applying to a college that didn’t have a large singing community—this is really my home.”

Article written by WHS Bradford’s Features Editor Annabelle Nolan ’23 and Arts Editor Maddie Merowitz ’23.

Special to The Swellesley Report courtesy of the Wellesley High School Bradford and Parents of Performing Students (POPS). This is one in a series of POPS Senior Profiles we’ll be publishing.

Izzy Pavano ’23 has been involved in music for practically her entire life. At the age of four, she started playing piano, and as she had gotten older, she has involved herself more and more with different types of music. She began singing in sixth grade in the chorus at Wellesley Middle School. Now at the high school, she has studied vocal music for all four years.

“During my freshman and sophomore years, I was in Concert Choir at the high school. After that I auditioned for a select ensemble and was in the Keynote Singers my junior year. I currently sing in Rice Street, the high school’s jazz choir.” said Pavano.

Outside of school, Pavano has also participated in extracurricular a cappella during her junior and senior years. She is the business leader of Inchordination A Cappella, meaning she helps manage the group and books gigs. She has found this experience particularly rewarding because of the collaboration with the other high school a cappella leaders, both from her own group and the three others.

“Being a leader of an a cappella group is no easy feat, but the support I feel from my fellow leaders makes the leadership role nothing but an honor. Even though the four groups can occasionally get competitive with one another during our soccer tournament called acasoccer, at the end of the day we are each other’s biggest cheerleaders and we couldn’t be more proud of the work each group does,” she said.

Pavano’s involvement with the Choral department at the high school goes beyond what audience members see at a concert, however. What has made Pavano’s experience so special has been the people and community she was welcomed into as an underclassman, and that she now fosters as a leader and a choral intensive student. Pavano hosted the Inchordination group at her house for a dinner, providing a fun experience for singers from all grades.

Many of Pavano’s leadership skills in the Choral department came from last year’s seniors, the class of 2022, who were integral to keeping the choral program alive during the pandemic. One of Pavano’s most memorable experiences at the high school was singing a medley from the musical Rent at the spring concert last year because it was the last concert for the class of 2022.

“We had an exceptional group of seniors that year who had truly given their all to our program. The concert was a wonderful way to end the year with them, and while we were all so sad to lose them, we were so happy to have had such a phenomenal year with them.” said Pavano.

Inchordination A Cappella also has a signature move, as Pavano calls it, of dropping their heads at the end of their last song as the crowd bursts into applause. This year, at the Acatober concert, Pavano got to share that moment with someone very special to her: her younger sister, Sophia Pavano ’26. It was especially sweet because of all the hard work she had put into the concert as a choral intensive student and a leader of Inchordination.

“Hearing the crowd’s reaction to our set while being cheered on by the other a cappella groups was such a rewarding feeling and something I felt extremely proud of as a leader of our group,” she said.

Outside of an impressive repertoire of choral achievements, teachers and peers describe Pavano as a kind and welcoming leader who makes all feel welcome in the choral community.

“Izzy is a dedicated member of our performing arts community that puts significant thought and action to developing our overall Performing Arts Department.  Her focus, energy, and humor positively impacts others,” said Dr. Kevin McDonald, the choral director at the high school.

Izzy also feels incredibly lucky that the performing arts is such a vibrant community at the high school, and that she gets to learn from many other talented students as well as an incredible teacher in Dr. McDonald.

“Dr. McDonald makes it so obvious how much he cares about Wellesley’s singers and our success. He is a strong reminder to me to pursue what both makes me happy and also brings joy to others,” said Pavano. “Above all, the most admirable quality about our choir department is the people in it. Every single singer in the department is so passionate about what we do and that positive energy is contagious.”

Although Pavano does not intend on pursuing a music degree in college, music will definitely remain a part of her life. Pavano plans to attend Middlebury College starting in February 2024 after taking a gap semester. She hopes to join an a cappella group in college and teach piano to local students, as she has done in Wellesley. Her kindness and upbeat energy will certainly remain prominent in the program after she graduates in the spring.

Article written by WHS Bradford’s Caroline Thornton ’23.

Special to The Swellesley Report courtesy of the Wellesley High School Bradford and Parents of Performing Students (POPS). This is one in a series of POPS Senior Profiles we’ll be publishing.

Not many third grade violinists warm up to play the national anthem while watching the Boston Celtics warm up for a game, but Ivy Lei ’23 has. Ever since Lei chose violin from a list of potential instruments, she has been a part of many musical opportunities, including all eight of the New England Conservatory’s orchestras.

In the ten years Lei has played violin, she has been involved with music inside and outside of the high school. At the high school, along with being an orchestra intensive, Lei is the first stand in the second violins. She has also taken theory classes, played in chamber ensembles, and currently plays in the Youth Philharmonic Orchestra at the New England Conservatory (NEC).

Under the tutelage of her private instructor Mark Lakirovich, and the conductor of the high school’s orchestras, Dr. Sergey Khanukaev, Lei has fostered connection and growth within orchestral groups.

“One of the main things that I love about the WHS orchestra is that I’ve been playing with the same people since freshman year, so I’ve been able to build a strong relationship with the orchestra members, and I think that’s a big thing. We can see our bond translate into the music we produce,” said Lei.

Lei’s orchestral friends suggest part of the reason for such a successful bond is Lei herself.

“She is always willing to put others first, allowing them to share their own experiences with her and anyone who might be listening, thus helping to create the warm atmosphere she brings into every room,” said Liam Prentice ’24.

Music has also granted Lei experiences with self-sufficiency and being around similarly impassioned peers, such as at Lakirovich’s summer music camp in Cremona, Italy.

“My first year attending [Cremona] was eighth grade, and I spent three weeks in Italy without my parents. I was living with new people I’d met who also shared my passion for music, so [it] was really fun [to be] independent,” said Lei.

Lei has also dabbled in novel musical opportunities nearer to home. In Lei’s freshman year, she took a chance by being in the pit orchestra for the high school production of The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

“Pit orchestra was very challenging because of the short amount of time we had to prepare, and I had never played for two and a half hours straight, live. It was interesting to be behind the scenes, yet part of the performance at the same time,” said Lei.

Now busy with high school work and other extracurricular activities, consistently practicing is a challenge. Lei considers school to be more important, and so prioritizes this work, but she still tries to practice every other day for about an hour, and has weekly lessons. Although quitting has always been an option, Lei has never given in.

“The reason I continue playing is because of the journey of playing violin,” said Lei.

In the beginning of Lei’s violin experience, competition was a major factor, particularly when auditioning for prestigious orchestras or other programs.

“Generally, in those environments, the auditions are the competitive parts, but once you’re in, you’re in your seats, in the moment during rehearsal, none of that really matters, and it’s more of a friendly rivalry,” Lei said.

As Lei has gotten older and expanded her interests to include robotics and architecture, she has been able to focus more on playing violin for enjoyment rather than competition.

“I’m grateful for having other interests, because I can [play] violin because I enjoy playing it, and not to be better than other people,” Lei said.

As the co-founder of the architecture club and the mechanical lead for the high school robotics team, Lei must handle many concurrent commitments. A busy robotics season and multiple ongoing  projects in the architecture club (see also “New mini-library a natural fit at Wellesley community garden”) make balance difficult.

Although these different endeavors may seem unrelated, Lei finds that her many engagements have shared elements.

“Going into architecture, there are lots of collaborative aspects, and similarly, in orchestra, you also have to collaborate with other members of the orchestra to make sure you all sound good together,” said Lei.

Lei plans on incorporating her varied interests into her plans for college at Cornell next fall where she will major in architecture.

“I want to keep violin in my life throughout college, which I plan to do at Cornell through their orchestras… I want to participate in that to keep me involved in violin, but I also love playing in orchestras. The people are the main reason why orchestra exists,” said Lei.

As for Lei’s thoughts on incorporating music into her adult life, she sees it as something she will lean on to relieve stress while working on her career.

“I would like to keep [violin] as a hobby, something that I pick up when I need a break from work,” Lei said.

Article written by WHS Bradford’s Alexis Lee ’25 (assistant features editor) and Elizabeth Hoerter ’25 (staff writer)

Special to The Swellesley Report courtesy of the Wellesley High School Bradford and Parents of Performing Students (POPS). This is one in a series of POPS senior profiles we’ll be publishing.

From playing the clarinet with the school’s wind ensemble to starting a jazz trio outside of school and learning the accordion in his free time, Wellesley High School senior Sebastian Papa is a diverse musician with both the work ethic and positive energy to fuel his ambition. 

He was first introduced to the world of music in third grade when he picked up both the piano and clarinet. When faced with deciding what instrument to play, with piano not being an elementary school ensemble instrument, he made the obvious choice. “I chose the clarinet because it was the only one that I could make a sound out of,” Papa said, “but I stuck with it.”

He soon took agency over his musical career, devoting himself to longer practices and bigger projects as he made the conscious decision to improve. 

“I think the biggest lesson I have learned is that hard work pays off… it is gratifying when I put the work in,” he said. “It is slow and it can be arduous but after a while, you look back, and you see vast improvement—and others see it too—and it is very rewarding.”

By pushing himself to constantly improve, Papa advanced from Concert Band to the more selective Wind Ensemble and Two O’Clock Jazz Band, where he plays the clarinet and piano respectively. He is also the pianist of a jazz trio he started with Ben Harris ’25 and Zachary Dupont ’23. In all these ensembles, Papa’s hard work and love for music shine. 

“He’s got a ton of musical ideas [and] he helps refine the job that others are doing, all while performing at an excellent level himself,” Harris said.  “And I would definitely say that that is an important quality of a leader, to bring the energy to other people, and have that energy yourself.”

Papa’s band instructor of four years, Steve Scott, appreciates his talent just as much as his bandmates. “He brings a wealth of conceptual knowledge, coupled with a deeply musical and expressive sense of style,” Mr. Scott said. “In Jazz Band, he often is a featured soloist who has a strong command of the jazz language through improvisation. In the Wind Ensemble [he] is a wonderful section leader who sets a strong example of excellence.”

Papa is Mr. Scott’s go-to pianist and has taken on such projects as playing in the orchestra pit for the high school’s production of Mamma Mia last year. Mr. Scott similarly turns to Papa’s trio whenever he needs a small band, whether it be at the National Honor Society induction ceremony or during back-to-school night.

Through his dedication to music, Papa has racked up an impressive list of achievements. He qualified for junior and senior districts throughout all four years of high school. Additionally, he won the MAJE Outstanding Musicianship Award and was selected as a Student of the Quarter for the Performing Arts department. His trio also won a silver medal at the MAJE Jazz Combo Competition, allowing them to perform at the Hatch Memorial Shell in Boston.

According to his bandmates, Papa’s drive to succeed carries over to many other areas of his life. “He does so many things; he’s excellent at the piano and clarinet, but he also runs and does a lot of hard classes at school,” Dupont said. “All those together is a lot of work, [and] it’s really impressive how he can get all that work done and excel in every area.”

Papa’s unwavering work ethic, however, has not hindered his unique sense of humor. From crafting funny nicknames to concocting elaborate short stories, both Dupont and Harris recognize that his ability to make others laugh has always been a core part of his personality.

“When we’re rehearsing outside of school [or] when we’re in a concert of some kind, he always livens up the mood and makes it interesting and funny,” said Harris. “He’s been an inspiration in music and also in what attitude you should have… to always approach things in good spirits and to know [that] regardless of stress, you can always be happy and have a positive impact on people.”

Despite his busy schedule, Papa still enjoys using his musical talents for personal passion projects, such as learning the accordion, ukulele, and recorder in his free time, creating piano arrangements for video edits, and using Garageband to craft complex musical creations by layering his performances of various instruments.

Papa will attend Yale University, and plans on taking his love for music — along with his determination and ambition in the discipline — to New Haven.

“I will have to build a lot from the ground up again. I [will] have to start from the bottom of the ranks, but it is a very rewarding and gratifying process,” said Papa. “In ninth grade, I started in Concert Band, I must’ve been third chair. Now I am the first chair in Wind Ensemble. It is a very nice progression, and I would be happy to do it again.”

Article written by WHS Bradford’s Adam Juma ’23