Advanced Performance Workshop musicians took the Little Theater stage last week, marking the last time that many of the class’s members would ever perform with the class.

Sixteen seniors, 21 underclassmen, and, for a few songs, even a teacher performed music from a myriad of genres last Tuesday and Wednesday making for a setlist that music department director John Mattern called “daring.”

“This semester in particular there were lots of challenging, and a few esoteric, choices,” Mattern said. “Year after year it gets better and better.”

Among the most outlandish, according to musician Alex Ehrenberg, was a performance of “The United States of Eurasia” by Jordan Harari, Max Lukianchikov, Andy Ehrenberg, and Sam Cook.

Harari, a senior, was this year’s recipient of the music program’s “Jimi Hendrix Award,” given annually to a musician who rocks like the honor’s namesake, according to Alex Ehrenberg. He played on seven songs in the two shows and said that this year’s performance workshop class has been fulfilling.

“This is the most songs I’ve been on since well, ever, and I’m really glad I put a lot of work into this,” Harari said. “This year, since I’ve gotten even more opportunities, it’s been something I really loved doing.”

Other songs performed during the two shows included the folk song “Shady Grove,” Kansas’ “Carry On My Wayward Son,” and John Coltrane’s “My Favorite Things.”

Senior Arelys Desouza, who performed on five songs, said the show was a bittersweet experience.

“I definitely couldn’t see myself doing high school without this,” she said. “I love music and I’m glad we have this program here because it gives me a chance to get out of my comfort zone and gives me a chance to better myself on stage.”

Desouza also said that, though this was a sentimental show, the preparation wasn’t any different from that of other performances — an observation shared by assistant music teacher Jeff Massanari.

“It’s a big show for them and it’s a big show for us, so it’s important, but for the ones who are really moving on in music, it’s just one more step along the route,” said Massanari, who also teaches music at UC Berkeley and plays guitar professionally. “Some of the guys, man, I’m going to totally miss…just amazing growth, just countless guys are doing really, really well.”

A defining characteristic of the shows, according to Massanari, was the presence of rock music in the setlist — contributed to by senior guitar player and future West Point cadet Adam Carroll.

“Everybody’s doing jazz or ballads, and I’m trying to bring down the house with a rock tune,” said Carroll, who performed “Blind in Texas” by W.A.S.P. alongside seniors Jack Twomey, Harari, and Ian Stowe. “It’s my calling card, and it’s pretty freaking awesome.”

Though the diversity of the setlist separated performers into head-bangers and singer-songwriters, Mattern said that this year’s class had a sense unity about it to distinguish it from other years.

“It’s a great element this year — I’m feeling that with a lot of these groups,” Mattern said. “There’s a lot of great talent, but none of them are really big headed about that and want to be heard more than the others. Some of the big talent is kind of backing up less experienced kids and just kind of taking the back seat. It’s really nice.”