The Advanced Performance Workshop (APW) program has generated many talented up-and-coming artists. This year, there are two singers that deserve a spotlight. Emma Orrick and Bella Kraus are senior (APW) students who inspire others with their talents inside and outside the studio. 

Intermediate Performance Workshop (IPW) and APW’s goal is to form bands and perform various genres of music. There are typically two performances every year. Kraus and Orrick have taken leadership roles in the music program: Kraus schedules gigs and sings, and Orrick takes the lead with her vocals.

A lifelong passion for music has driven Kraus since she was young, as she could be found continuously playing instruments in her household.

“I knew I wanted to pursue music ever since I was a little. I couldn’t envision myself doing anything else,” Kraus said. “It’s always been my primary instinct.”

Similarly, Orrick was constantly surrounded by music growing up. Her father was a music producer, and Orrick occasionally sang on his records. Since then, she has been crafting her own musical career.

John Mattern is the seasoned instructor of the Performance Workshop program. Mattern has watched Orrick grow both as a performer and as a person. He recalled one particular moment when Orrick took on a heartwarming leadership role in organizing a cho

ir for Mattern’s grandson, who had passed away. 

“[Orrick] led a choir of twelve kids and had them [perform a] song as a memorial for him. That was really special. I’ll never forget that,” Mattern said. 

Accompanied by her work with Orrick at Redwood, Kraus’s precocious talent led her to perform at many venues outside of school. Kraus’s mom, Sandra DeRango, witnessed an impromptu performance at a venue in Half Moon Bay when Kraus was only eight.

“[Kraus] sat at that keyboard for 20 minutes and played her heart out,” DeRango said. “The lead [performer] looked at [Kraus], and his jaw dropped; he was like, ‘Where did she come from?’ The bar exploded. The people were clapping and screaming.”

Kraus’s talent was so impressive that her vocal coach, Lynn Asher, accepted Kraus at age nine.

“[Kraus] started with me so young because she was exceptional,” Asher said. “She was already playing piano proficiently and writing original songs. She really is an artist that shows up and serves the music in her craft.” 

Kraus began singing as soon as she could speak, and by age 12, Asher hired Kraus to sing on an album for the legendary all-female music group, ‘Ace of Cups.’ 

“In 2018, I brought [Kraus] in to sing with some other young singers for the album. People like Bob Weir [from the Grateful Dead] were on this record… really big names. [Kraus’s] voice was very distinctive,” Asher said.

Like Kraus, Orrick also performs outside of APW in the TUSD-wide a capella group, “‘Til Dawn A Capella.” On top of that, she has tirelessly advocated for the underprivileged as a student representative of a non-profit called ‘Youth in Arts,’ where she has performed during marches for social justice.  

“I think those shows [at the marches] are always the most rewarding because our songs have a big message,” Orrick said.

At Redwood, her presidential role with the ‘Music Makes Your Day’ club shows Orrick’s passion for delivering a positive message through her musical career. In the club, members play music with Special Education students to ge

nerate school-wide access to the music program. 

“[Playing with Special Education students] has been a really beautiful thing because a lot of them have learned new music and [have] opened up a lot through that,” Orrick said.

Similar to Orrick, Kraus’s accomplishments are abundant. Kraus has performed and produced with notable musicians such as Narada Michael Walden and Jim Greer. She also landed a coveted gig at the Sweetwater, a locally revered venue in Mill Valley, on Mar. 26, 2023.

The Performance Workshop program is open to students looking to begin or cultivate their musical careers. Kraus and Orrick feel they have improved during their time in APW, both in performance and skill sets. For Kraus, APW cemented her drive to become a professional producer. As for Orrick, APW encouraged her to continue her advocacy through music in college.