The Student News Site of Monta Vista High School

El Estoque

The Student News Site of Monta Vista High School

El Estoque

The Student News Site of Monta Vista High School

El Estoque

PE Teacher Jeff Thomas works out with earbuds on

Playing to win

Ethan Kellogg and Kaia Yuan April 12, 2024

Ethan Kellogg · Playing to Win EE: As part of Texas’ school requirements, PE teacher Jeff Thomas was first exposed to playing music while he was in his school’s required band. Even though playing...

Pop sensation Taylor Swift debuted as a country artist in 2005, and has grown astronomically since then. Photos courtesy of Kiana Mark.

Taylor takeover

Ananya Chaudhary and Jason Chu April 8, 2024

From sold-out stadiums for the Eras Tour to social media frenzies, pop sensation Taylor Swift becomes increasingly popular after each album drop, with her impact expanding to college-level courses. Universities...

Senior William Zhang is a composer who has written two pieces for the MV Chamber Orchestra at concerts.

The will for music

Giljoon Lee and Lillian Wang March 6, 2024

The track begins with thunderous drums and a tense, repeating musical phrase, called a motif, that evokes the sounds of bombs dropping. Ten seconds in, the instrumentation launches into chaos — electric...

Silent sounds

Silent sounds

Niveda Hari and Aaryan Sharma January 26, 2024

Olivia Rodrigo took the world by storm on Jan. 8, 2021, with the release of “drivers license,” a teen heartbreak ballad that catapulted the 17-year-old to superstardom. Following the single’s release,...

After performing at the Rolling Loud California 2023 concert, rapper Lil Uzi Vert was confronted with criticism for the demonic references in his music. Photo Illustration | Ellie Wang

The Satanic surge

Ananya Chaudhary, Aaryan Sharma, and Ellie Wang December 6, 2023

“I make a city girl believe in Satan” (For Me, Lil Uzi Vert) After headlining the 2023 international hip hop music festival “Rolling Loud” in California, rapper Symere Bysil Woods, more commonly...

Tupac Shakurs songs Changes and Until the End of Time are analyzed in ninth grade literature during the poetry unit. Photo | ©Ron Galella/Gettyimages.

Tuning in on Tupac

Ananya Chaudhary December 5, 2023

A crowd gathered at the corner of MacArthur Boulevard on Friday, Nov 3. to watch as a section of the road was renamed “Tupac Shakur Way.” Hip-hop rapper Tupac Shakur, or 2Pac, rose to fame in the early...

“Paint It Black” makes its exit

“Paint It Black” makes its exit

Ethan Kellogg and Lillian Wang November 23, 2023

MV Marching Band performed its 2023 fall show, "Paint It Black," at MVHS on Nov. 14, following a senior night celebration. The show — which included football pep tunes as well as a senior run-through...

The “Heaven knows” album cover portrays PinkPantheress posing in a white silk dress with a white dove flying above her.

‘Heaven knows’ only knows how to stray away from prior success

Ananya Chaudhary and Dylan Nguyen November 14, 2023

Contrasting themes of love and death with nonchalant delivery, drum and bass artist Vicky Beverly Walker, more commonly referred to as PinkPantheress released her sophomore album “Heaven knows,” on...

Hip Hop W(rap) Up

Hip Hop W(rap) Up

Samika Bhatkar and Dylan Nguyen September 16, 2023

Fifty years ago, a small house party in the Bronx, hosted by DJ Kool Herc, birthed the genre known as hip-hop. Early hip-hop was an outlet for rappers to reflect on issues in New York, such as the economic...

Laying on the floor dressed in silver, the “Bewitched” album cover portrays Laufey alluringly staring at the audience.

‘Bewitched’ flawlessly paints a portrait of unrequited love

Ananya Chaudhary September 11, 2023

From the buoyant “Lovesick,” to the melancholy of “Second Best,” jazz musician Laufey produces another unskippable album. Released Friday, Sept. 8, “Bewitched,” foregrounds the stages of a...

Students share their experience with three traditional instruments — the tabla, pipa and mridangam.

Playing traditional music

Nameek Chowdhury, Krish Dev, and Minjae Kang May 31, 2023

Madelyn Wu (pipa) When junior Madelyn Wu first joined an orchestra, she wanted to play the guzheng, a Chinese instrument with strings strung between two bridges. However, Wu’s orchestra didn’t have...

Senior Aris Yang (left) practices his part before the Fall band concert on Oct. 28, 2022.

Performing with perfect pitch

Megha Mummaneni April 24, 2023
Exploring life through the ears of a high school musician with perfect pitch
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