By Eunice Kim
Upon first meeting her, one could easily point out senior Leanna Kazanjian’s warm smile and inviting personality. She is someone akin to a colorful Care Bear. She wears comfortable clothing like bright, oversized sweaters with leggings. She loves hugs. She also smiles often and laughs with a graceful lilt at the drop of a pin.
Kazanjian is a bubbly conversationalist who easily delves into what goes on in her life, such as how college apps are going. Though modest, one of the things she doesn’t shy away from is her passion for singing and dancing, something she talks about casually despite its importance in her life.
Unsurprisingly, the roots for her singing and dancing started young.
“I had actually realized my passion for singing when I was singing Disney princess songs when I was around two years old,” Kazanjian said.
Kazanjian is a soprano for the school’s vibrant G-Notes, the co-ed show choir.
She heard about show choir during her junior year, and was immediately ready to immerse herself into singing and dancing so that she could share her talents with like-minded students.
Since joining show choir last year, she has come a long way.
Her first solo was at Back-to-School-Night this year, where she sang “Be my Baby,” incorporating a unique vocal palette that was new to her, an indication of her versatility.
“I felt engaged to being the singer that I was meant to be. [The solo] was a way of discovering myself and being noticed,” Kazanjian said.
Her naturally melodious and serene voice is punctuated with the strength of the passion she incorporates into it.
“Her voice connects and touches everyone when she sings. You can hear the passion she puts in singing. It is so organic,” junior Lena Trinh said.
She has also been a part of the many sets where members of the show choir collaborate as a team, something that helped develop their social kinship. In fact, students would help pitch musical ideas, which strengthened the bonds.
For the show choir’s “Freak Show” set, Kazanjian played a character who was subject to oppression while being a part of the circus. She had to act as a participant who pretended to smile in order to impress circus-goers, an ironic deviation of who she is in real life.
Pursuing her passions paved the way not just for achievements but also personal growth.
“I have come a long way due to singing and dancing. It is what helped me face hard times in my life and at school it helps me to discover a whole new me,” Kazanjian said.
The Plaid Press 