Susan Lewis Music Studio presents Spring Recital

By Debbie Adams

The annual Spring Recital presented by the students of the Susan Lewis Music Studio was held
in the sanctuary at Thrasher Memorial United Methodist Church on June 8.

Lewis says she is “very pleased with the students’ efforts and progress since the last recital” in
December. Her recitals can always be more aptly described as “concerts” than recitals, because
of the quality of the performances.

Approximately 40 musicians of all ages and ability levels performed vocal and/or piano solos for
an audience of family and friends. Lewis introduced her associate teacher, Katie Saunders, who
taught six of the students on the program. She is well-known in the community, as she is also the
music teacher at Bonsack Elementary. Saunders was a student with Lewis “many years ago.”

Four high school seniors were introduced by Lewis, many of whom have been taking lessons
from her for years: Ellawyn Pagan, Kayleigh Taylor, Ella Paulos, and Lyla Young.

Ellawyn Pagan performed “Merry-Go-Round” from “Howl’s Moving Castle” on piano and sang
“I Dreamed a Dream” from “Les Miserables.” She is a 2025 graduate of William Byrd High
School and has been taking piano lessons with Lewis for five years. This year she added voice
lessons as well and performed her first vocal solo at this recital.

Pagan is president of the Student Council at Byrd, a member of the Leo Club, Beta Club, Habitat
for Humanity, and a Teen Ambassador at Tudor House, working to raise awareness around
mental health and suicide prevention. She is also a member of the International Club and earned
the Seal of Literacy in Spanish. She is the pianist for the William Byrd Jazz Band. Pagan has
completed over 250 hours of community service over her high school career. She plans to attend
the University of Virginia and major in Political Philosophy, Policy, and Economics in the fall.

Kayleigh Taylor is also a 2025 graduate of William Byrd. She has been a piano student with
Lewis for four years, a member of Byrd’s Marching Band for three years, and is the first ever
Front Ensemble Captain for the Marching Terriers. She won second place in instrumentals in the Bland Music Foundation Scholarship in 2024. She plans to attend college to major in nursing.
Taylor performed “Dreamland” and “Take Five” on the piano in this recital. She says she plans
to continue piano because it has helped her “grow so much as a person.”

Ella Paulos sang “Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again” from “Phantom of the Opera.” She
is a graduate of Patrick Henry High School. She is a new student with Lewis this year and
performed her first vocal solo at the recital. She began voice lessons to help live out her dream of
becoming an actor. She is a member of the swim team at PH, and figure skates as a personal
sport. She is a member of the Grandin Theatre Film Lab where she wrote, directed, acted in, and
produced a short film script. Her future plans are to attend Virginia Western Community College
and then transfer to the prestigious Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), looking for
opportunities to grow her portfolio.

Lyla Young sang “The Simple Joys of Maidenhood” from “Camelot” and “Always Remember
Us This Way” from “A Star is Born.” She has been a voice student with Lewis for two years.

She is a graduate of Staunton River High School, where she was a varsity cheerleader, a member
of Student Council, Co-President of the Choir Council, a member of All-District Choir, and
performed the role of “Ms. Honey” in the “Matilda Jr. Musical.” She placed in the Top 3 in the
local Bland Foundation Music Scholarship Competition in 2024 and 2025. She is a member of
the Lighthouse Bible Worship Team. Young plans to attend Longwood University for music
education with plans to become a choir director.

Henry Saben, also a senior, prepared to perform at the recital, but was unable to attend. He has
been a student with Lewis for five years. He has been homeschooled, played baseball with
various teams, and enjoys reading and video games. He plans to pursue a degree in Digital Music
and Journalism at Liberty University in the fall.

The program opened with voice student Keegan Thacker singing the “Star Spangled Banner.”
She recently performed the national anthem at a Salem Red Sox game, doing a “wonderful job,”
Lewis said. Keegan also performed “Golden Hour” on the piano at the recital.

Other performers included:
 David Doss (piano)—“America the Beautiful”

 Holden Magill (piano)—“The Grandfather Clock”

 Phillip Sealey (vocal)—“Try Everything” from “Zootopia”

 Ingrid Smith (piano)—“Scooby Doo Where Are You?” (student of Katie Saunders)

 Vivian Cain (piano)—“I Just Can’t Wait to be King” from “The Lion King”

 Hannah Chandler (piano)—“Enchanted Mermaid”

 Chloe Rider (vocal)—“Still Waters, Psalm 23” (student of Katie Saunders)

 Millie Erickson (piano)—“Ocean Waves” (student of Katie Saunders)

 Carson Kirby (piano)—“Ode to Joy” (student of Katie Saunders)

 Lily Sealey (vocal)—“Tomorrow” from “Annie” and (piano) “Harmony of Angels” (Op.
100 No. 21)

 Jackson Doss (piano)—“The Imperial March”

 Patience McGuire (piano)—“Ode to Joy” (from Beethoven’s 9th Symphony) (student of
Katie Saunders)

 Faith Dooley (piano)—”A Spoonful of Sugar” from “Mary Poppins”

 Emory Mullins (piano)—“Gravity Falls Theme Song”

 Deon Staunton (piano)—“Believe” from “The Polar Express”

 Emily Hall (vocal)—“In Christ Alone” and (piano)—“Edelweiss” from “The Sound of
Music”

 Jackson Morris (piano)—“Living Hope”

 Joelle Card (piano)—“The Old Rugged Cross” and (vocal) “The Commission,”
accompanied by her brother-in-law, Jacob Laffoon, on piano

 Abigail Harvey (piano)—“River Flows in You”

 Josue Smales (piano)—“The Approaching Night” and (vocal) “Don’t Stop Believin’”
from Journey

 Deborah Dreyer (piano)—“Mariage D’amour” (adult student)

 Cary Jones (piano)—“Hit the Road, Jack”

 Lilla Clark (piano)—“Never Enough” from “The Greatest Showman”

 Kelly Ronan (vocal)—“Surface Pressure” from “Encanto” (adult student)

 Lucy Sealey (piano)—“Claire de Lune”

 Angela Janney (vocal)—“Fighting for Me” and (piano) “Summer Jam” from “The Piano
Guys” (adult student)

 Allie Watson (piano)—“The Call of Ktulu” (college student)

 Katie Saunders (vocal)—“O Magnify the Lord” (associate teacher)

Students who prepared for the recital but were unable to perform included Henry Saben (senior),
Miles Cole-Rueff, Dr. Mark Schueler (adult student), Hazel Cole-Rueff, Elizabeth Becker (adult
student), Steve Miller (adult student), Ryleigh Woolwine, and Stanley Chen.

Lewis thanked parents and grandparents for their support, Greg Chewning for serving as sound
technician, Jamie Archual for providing videography, and Thrasher Memorial United Methodist
for the use of the facility.