Thriving Susan Lewis Music Studio hosts three Spring Recitals

By Debbie Adams

The Susan Lewis Music Studio Spring Recitals are always more concerts than just end-of-year performances. This year’s series of recitals seemed to surpass prior seasons in the sheer beauty of the performances by students and teachers.

The Studio hosted three Spring Recitals this year, with enrollment having grown to about 100 students. Lewis has been teaching for over 40 years, beginning when she was in high school, and for the past 34 years in the Vinton area. Her voice and piano classes have become so popular and sought-after that it was becoming problematic to sign up for lessons. That led to the idea of associate teachers.

“The addition of associate teachers has allowed more students to begin their music education with the Susan Lewis Music Studio rather than just sitting on my waiting list,” Lewis said. “This began in February 2023 with my first two associate teachers, who were actually advanced students of mine at the time, Latriva Pierce and Abby Shelton.”

Pierce left last fall to go to Oberlin College in Ohio on a full scholarship, double majoring in Music and Creative Writing. Shelton has been teaching voice for the studio in the Salem area.

“Continuing to mentor and teach Abby has been a privilege and having her teach for us has been a blessing,” Lewis noted. “She also has a relatively new business venture called ‘Whimsical Character Experiences’ bringing magic and even Disney Princesses to events and birthday parties.”

Angela Janney joined Lewis’s studio as an associate teacher last September, teaching both piano and voice to 31 students.

The newest associate teacher, Katie Saunders, joined the Susan Lewis Music Studio just seven weeks ago, also teaching both piano and voice. She is familiar to many in the Vinton area as the music teacher at Bonsack Elementary. Saunders was a student of Susan Lewis many years ago, which Lewis says makes their business relationship “even more special.”

At the Susan Lewis Music Studio, “we have dedicated our hearts and souls to giving your child the best music education and experience possible,” Lewis told the audience.

Lewis, Associate Teachers Angela Janney and Katie Saunders, and 30 students held the first recital at Hales Ford Baptist Church on June 2. The second and third recitals were on the afternoon of June 9 at Thrasher Memorial UMC in Vinton, with Lewis, Janney, Saunders, Shelton, and about 60 students included in those performances. Students ranged in age from preschool to adult and played a variety of music genres.

Pictured left to right are Susan Lewis Music Studio Associate Teacher Angela Janney, Susan Lewis, and Associate Teachers Abby Shelton and Katie Saunders.

Students performing at the June 2 recital at Hales Ford Baptist included:

Students and teachers in the first Susan Lewis Music Studio Spring Recital at Hales Ford Baptist on June 2.

Noah Walker (piano solo)—Summertime Waltz

Elizabeth Crowder (piano)—Mary’s Rockin’ Lambs, and (vocal solo)—Jesus Loves Me

Oliver Pack (piano)—Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

Amaryllis Pagans (vocal)—The Blessing, and (piano)—Amazing Grace

Ryleigh Lawhorn (piano)—See You Later!

Whitley Wade (piano)—Lightly Row

Maia Sanctuary (piano)—Fuzzy Fuzzy Caterpillars  Jonah Franklin (piano)—Swinging High

Arya Lawrence (vocal)—Part of Your World (from the Little Mermaid)

Malia Bowman (piano)—The Bubble and Abide

Madelyn Floyd (piano)—A Million Dreams

Trey Satterwhite (piano)—From the New World Theme

Maddox Sanctuary (piano)—Come See the Parade!

Isaiah Houf (piano)—Fur Elise

Courtney Walls (vocal)—Seven

Moriah Floyd (piano)—On with the Show

Grayson Holland (piano)—Faded (Interlude) and Truman Sleeps

Noelle Longoria (piano)—Snicker Doodle

Whitley Wade (vocal)—Lost Boy

Cora Graham (piano)—Gum Drop Hop

Attlee Manuel (piano)—Minuet in G

Eli Booth (piano)—Piranha Plants on Parade

Emma Mayhorn (piano)—Here I am to Worship

Haleigh Alls (piano)—Fur Elise

Moriah and Madelyn Floyd (vocal)—A Million Dreams duet

Associate Teacher Angela Janney performed Postludium, Op. 13: No.10 to conclude the program.

Janney teaches all of the students in the first recital, except Arya Lawrence, who is taught by Katie Saunders.

Lewis began the recitals at Thrasher Memorial on June 9 by introducing Paul Sealey, who is her only graduating high school senior this year.

Susan Lewis with graduating
senior Paul Sealey.

“Each year, I usually have between one and six high school seniors,” Lewis said. “My seniors are incredibly special to me, whether they have been studying with me for a few years, or whether they started with me at age 3 or 4 and continued through their senior year.

“Paul is a 2024 graduate of Hidden Valley High School and has been a dedicated voice student with me for the past five years. I also taught his two older brothers, Oliver and Simon. I teach their twin sisters, Lily and Lucy, piano.

“Paul has many significant achievements over the past four years of high school. He completed the three-year Building Trades program through the Burton Center for Arts and Technology, culminating in a trip to State Finals in the SkillsUSA TeamWorks competition as team captain and electrician of his building team.

“He played three years of football and ran one year on the cross-country team during Covid. His greatest accomplishments have been in the music studio and on the track team. He has gone to the state track meet multiple times for the 4×800 and 4×400 relays. Last year his SMR relay team became All-American, placing in the top 6 at the Adidas Track Nationals.

“He has sung numerous solos with his choir, made first alternate as a sophomore and then first delegate as a junior and senior to All-Virginia Choir. He won Best Male Soloist in the Commonwealth Choir Invitational. He also won a $1,500 scholarship from the Bland Foundation Music Scholarship competition program at the state level.”

Paul plans to attend the Old Dominion University Diehn School of Music as a vocal performance major.

“This teacher’s heart is full,” Lewis said.

Paul Sealey performed at both afternoon recitals on June 9, both as a soloist and in a trio with his brothers.

Lewis also introduced a special guest– her former student, Rick Smith.

“I taught him when I was in my early to mid-20s and he was middle and high school-aged,” Lewis explained.

Smith said Lewis is “as beautiful today as when I first met her. Sometimes that made it difficult for a teenager to pay attention. She was one of my all-time favorite teachers.”

They lost touch when she moved to the Roanoke area, but reconnected through Facebook when he reached out to let her know how much her teaching helped him.

Susan Lewis with former student Rick Smith (when he was in middle and high school).

“I have literally lost count of the numerous students through the years who have majored in music, and chosen musical careers as professional performers, school music teachers, church choir directors or musicians,” Lewis remarked.

She says Smith showed a lot of promise even in those early years.

“He was gifted at composing even back then and would play his original compositions in recitals.”

Smith went on to earn degrees in Piano Performance and Education and taught music privately and in public schools. He has four children of his own who also play the piano.

Smith performed his composition “Endearment” which he wrote for his wife on a cross-country drive and “Country Day” during both recitals on June 9.

Performers at the 2 p.m. performance on June 9 included students of Lewis (*), Janney (†), Saunders (Δ), and Shelton (◊):

Students and teachers in the second Susan Lewis Music Studio recital held at Thrasher Memorial on June 9.

Ingrid Smith Δ (piano)—Yankee Doodle

Jackson Doss* (piano)—The Marines Hymn

Hank Regal*(piano)—Imperial March from Star Wars

Addy McLennan*(vocal)—Jesus Loves Me, and (piano) Christ the Lord is Risen Today

Ashlyn Woodford † (piano)—Hoola Hoop

Associate Teacher Abby Shelton (vocal)–Der Holle Rache, Queen of the Night Aria (The Magic Flute)

Emory Mullins* (piano)—Hedwig’s Theme

Elizabeth Flint ◊ (vocal)—Naughty from Matilda, the Musical

R.J. McLennan* ((piano)—Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us and (vocal) Amazing Grace

Deon Staunton* (piano)—Riptide

Keegan Thacker* (piano)—Just the Way You Are, and (vocal) You Belong to Me

Lilla Clark* (vocal)—Dads and Daughters (accompanying herself on guitar) and (piano) Dance Monkey

Emily Hall* (piano)—The Arkansas Traveler, and (vocal)—Tell me the Story of Jesus

Joelle Card* (piano)—Golden Hour, and (vocal)—This is How I Thank the Lord (accompanied by Jacob Laffoon on piano)

Chloe Hopkins*–(college student) (vocal)—Tennessee Waltz (accompanied by Lisa Ratliff on guitar), and (piano)—Hymn Medley (arranged by Chloe Hopkins)

Elizabeth Becker*–(adult student) (piano)—Nocturne, Op. 54, No. 4

Abigail Harvey* (vocal)—Come Alive (Dry Bones) and (piano)—Ancient Stones

Dr. Mark Schueler* (on guitar) vocal duet with Lora Hoppe—Didn’t I (Teddy Bear and Mr. Frog) composed by Dr. Schueler

Steve Miller*–(adult student) (piano)—I’ll Fly Away

Scott Dreyer*–(adult student) (vocal)—It’s a Good Day

Kayleigh Taylor* (piano)—Sailor’s Song, Op. 68, No. 1

Henry Saben* (piano)—Frank Churchill Arrives (Emma)

Cheyenne Grantham*–(vocal), accompanying herself on guitar—Jolene

Deborah Dreyer* (adult student) (piano)—Ballade Pour Adeline

Paul Sealey* (vocal)—Evermore (from Beauty and the Beast)

Rick Smith* (former student)—(piano) Endearment and Country Day

Oliver* (former student), Simon* (former student), and Paul Sealey* (vocal)—If You Go In, You’re Sure to Win (Iolanthe)

Brothers (from left) Oliver,
Simon, and Paul Sealey brought down the house with their performance at the Susan Lewis
Music Studio recitals on June 9. Oliver and Simon are former Susan Lewis students, now in
college. Paul just graduated from high school.

Associate Teacher Angela Janney performed the lovely Postludium, Op. 13, No. 10 on piano and Katie Saunders beautifully sang His Eye is on the Sparrow at both recitals.