Songs, instruments and over 100 Archer students made up the Spring Concert this year.

Eighth grade class dean and orchestra director Susan Smith lead the orchestras in the concert, while the choir and a cappella groups are led by sixth grade dean and music director Kate Burns. This year’s concert took place on April 19 and 20 in the Dining Hall.

Smith first began working in the music program at Archer sixteen years ago, and she said the program has grown throughout the years.

“When I first started, it was actually the Night of Music and Dance because [Archer] was still so young, and the programs were still smaller. Back then, it was sort of one big show a year in February,” Smith said.

Typically, Smith selects the repertoire for the students. However, she noted that she often takes suggestions that fit well with the rest of the program and are an appropriate playing level for the orchestra.

“Since we have both a Winter Concert and Spring Concert, we spend the fall semester rehearsing for the winter one and then the spring semester rehearsing for the spring concert,” Smith said. “As far as planning, I start early. I would say that I have planned the spring music before or by at least by the start of Winter Break because the music needs to be ready to go when we get back from vacation so we can start rehearsing.”

The Spring Concert includes performances from the middle school orchestra, upper school orchestra, middle school choir, upper school choir, Something Major!, the Unaccompanied Minors, wind ensemble and an all-school finale.

Senior Liadan Solomon is a member of the Unaccompanied Minors, one of Archer’s a cappella groups. Solomon enjoyed spending some of her last time at Archer by singing Wicked’s “Defying Gravity.”

“This was my second Spring Concert and it was really fun to have one last chance to perform for my parents and the Archer community,” said Solomon.

Smith emphasized that her favorite aspect of the show is the finale due to its collaborative nature.

“It’s a really nice way of seeing the whole department come together. Seeing that many girls working toward one goal and creating music together is pretty powerful. Even though I’ve done it year after year, it’s an overwhelming feeling, and I also think it’s also an audience favorite,” she said. “I feel really great about how the music program has evolved, and I think that each concert is sort of a new adventure. It’s really rewarding.”