On the Saturday of Family Weekend, the warm and radiant voices of the Academy Chorus resonated cheerfully throughout the Cochran Chapel. Singers filled out rows on stage while friends, faculty, and parents took their seats in the pews. The blended harmonies drew the audience in, facilitating a night of shared artistry and community.
From choral concert works to American folk songs, Chorus performed a wide repertoire of music. Though each song provided a different taste and feelings, the entire program was tied together by one theme: hope. Amanda Siegfried, Director of Chorus and Fidelio, describes the inspiration behind the topic of hope.
“Hope means that I receive hope from the amazing students I get to work with. Hope means I am constantly seeking ways to offer transcendent musical experiences for our students and a place where they can simply be together in joy, in community, in hope,” said Siegfried.
This concert’s program especially featured senior soloists, among them Fidelio co-head Christopher Fu ‘26. The opportunity to sing a solo was a meaningful culmination of all Fu’s hard work throughout the years. With his and many others’ journeys in mind, this program theme takes on a whole new meaning. It’s a symbolic acknowledgment of their journey here at Andover and looking towards the future with hope.
“For me, hope is a reminder. Especially at school where things can be really stressful and everybody has so many activities going on it can really feel like you just want to stop everything and take a breath. When I’m singing with Chorus and Fidelio, I feel hopeful… On a larger scale, hope is about remembering that tomorrow is a gift, a gift that sometimes we forget about and something that we need to remember and appreciate more. Hope is something that we need more of, but Fidelio and Chorus is that for me,” said Fu.
For Seniors, the process of preparing and singing at a concert is very much familiar, but for many others it is completely new. A longstanding strength of Chorus is that all are welcome to join, regardless of background or skill level. As Dr. Siegfried says, “showing up is enough.” This year Chorus saw many new additions from the Class of ’29 as well as many others completely new to Chorus. Aura Lewis ‘29, among them, recounts the emotions she experienced before performing.
“I felt a little bit nervous, especially with this being my first concert here. I was also excited to get the opportunity to perform in front of so many people who were willing to come out and see their kids or their friends or their family perform and because singing is a lot of fun,” said Lewis.
The chorus is also a place where students connect with each other, supporting one another during rehearsals and performances. The Chorus, as one big yet tight-knitted group, embrace emotions of enjoyment, pride, and happiness together. Kaya Hurteau ’27 elaborates on how the lively energy of the chorus, and the shared relief of stress makes singing a special activity.
“I joined the chorus as a freshman. So I would say that I definitely am really close to a lot of people in Chorus by now. [Although chorus is] a big time commitment, I think everybody who does it really enjoys being a part of the group, and we all have fun when close together… Everybody has at least one moment when they look across and see someone, make eye contact, and smile at each other, genuinely enjoying the performance,” said Hurteau.
Andover’s Chorus is a gem amongst the many aspects of student life, offering an environment united by community and supported by care where students can forget their worries and let their voices ring. Lewis shares her message to all interested in joining Chorus.
“[Joining chorus] felt so reassuring to me, seeing so many of my friends and meeting people through Chorus who are so sweet. The choir community is very welcoming. They’re very willing to help so that you fit into the space and know what to do,” said Lewis.
