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<p>On Friday, December 13, the Deerfield Academy Music Program performed The Winter Concert. The concert’s goal was to provide joy for the whole community during the winter. The concert featured a large collaboration between the orchestra and chorus. Choral Director Michael Pfitzer cited the biggest challenge to the concert as “fitting everyone on stage.” He [&hellip;]</p>

<p>Director of Theater Catriona Hynds described Lottie Levine ’25 as a “triple threat” for her contributions to the Deerfield Performing Arts Department as a dancer, singer, and actor. Recognized by her peers and teachers as a dependable asset in the performing arts community, according to her peers, Levine is a student who consistently embraces new [&hellip;]</p>

<p>Vivian Wan ’25, one of Deerfield Academy’s songwriters and musicians, plans to release her first album for the entire world by the end of the academic year. Wan’s passions for music started at a young age, fostered by a family of music lovers. Her older brother, who is a guitarist, pianist, and songwriter gifted her [&hellip;]</p>

<p>At 2 p.m. on Sunday, January 19, an expectant crowd of Deerfield students, faculty, and parents gathered in the concert hall for the annual Senior Concerto Competition. Seven seniors competed for the chance to perform a solo with the Deerfield Orchestra in the Homegrown Concert this spring. The four judges included the Visual and Performing [&hellip;]</p>

<p>Mr. Bergeron highlighted the importance of adaptability and collaboration by emphasizing that no seating position is inherently more valuable than others. Traditionally, musicians sit in order of skill level, with the first chair or principal of a section being typically being reserved for the most skilled musicians. The Concertmaster is the first chair of the [&hellip;]</p>

<p>From October 15 to October 16, the Academy invited award-winning American Playwright and Musician Suzan-Lori Parks to campus for a school meeting presentation, book signing, question and answer session, and several workshops. Parks became the first African-American woman to win a Pulitzer Prize in Drama for her play Topdog/Underdog and studied creative writing under James [&hellip;]</p>

<p>Before his leading role in The Crucible, Declan Kelley ’25 had participated in only one other Deerfield production, playing a minor role in the 2022 Winter Theater production, Fools. His positive experience with Deerfield’s theater program during the 2022 production, as well as his appreciation of last year’s plays, led to his decision to return [&hellip;]</p>

<p>It began with a five year old Andy Chen ’25 who, inspired by his parents, played his first notes on the piano. In doing so, he marked the start of a musical journey that would lead him to become an artist at Deerfield. In the beginning, practicing was tough for Chen. “My [parents] did push [&hellip;]</p>

<p>The Von Auersperg gallery has a new exhibit titled limn·inal, authored by visiting artist Donnabelle Casis. The exhibit is on display from August 24th to November 2, and features brightly colored and abstract pieces that make use of various textures, colors, and depths. The gallery is primarily a learning gallery where students can learn about [&hellip;]</p>

<p>As a child, Miu Yatsuka ’24 had her early encounters with art through her father, who stressed the importance of graceful handwriting through Chinese and Japanese calligraphy. At the time, Yatsuka disliked the harsh discipline that came with the art, but looking back, she appreciates the sense of identity and connection to her culture it [&hellip;]</p>

<p>One of the longest running traditions at Deerfield Academy is the dress code. Fall and spring terms all Deerfield students are required to wear academic dress: a blazer, button down shirts, dress pants, ties for boys, and dresses for girls. However dress culture at Deerfield goes a lot deeper than what is written in the [&hellip;]</p>

<p>On January 18, Deerfield Academy welcomed Dr. Rennie Harris and his street dance theater company, Rennie Harris Puremovement American Street Dance Theater. Puremovement came as a part of the Academy Events program, in celebration of the 50th anniversary of hip-hop. While COVID-19 prevented this annual rotation of music, dance, and theater performances for the past [&hellip;]</p>

<p>Ever since elementary school, Toby Fernandez ’24 has immersed himself in the art of music composition. “I realized that there was no other answer for me besides music production,” he said. “In no other field of academic study have I exhibited such an immense level of interest as music.” At only eight years old, Fernandez [&hellip;]</p>

<p>On January 12, students in the Chamber Music Class performed in the Elizabeth Wachsman Concert Hall as part of the The Winter Chamber Music Showcase.  The performance was the culmination of the hard work of the students, which brought to life the music of the previous centuries through performing the works of classical musicians such [&hellip;]</p>

<p>“Tutti.” It’s not just the music term that indicates when everyone plays together. Since this past summer, Tutti has also denoted the name of Yoonsa Lee ’25’s series of benefit youth concerts to fundraise for her local library.  Lee is also an associate editor for Scroll. Lee has held four concerts, two last August, one [&hellip;]</p>

<p>Every December, the Hess resonates with the sound of choirs and orchestras, and fills with the dynamism of dancers. This year was no exception.  On December 11, Deerfield dancers performed “Excerpts from the Nutcracker,” an acclaimed classical ballet composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, which has been a Deerfield tradition since the 80’s.  Productions of “The [&hellip;]</p>

<p>Since childhood, Alice Ai ’24 has committed to growing her skills as a dancer. At age four, Ai’s parents introduced her to traditional Chinese dance. Ai is thankful that her parents encouraged her to dance. She said, “If they didn’t, I don’t know what I would be doing.” Now  “dance is like a way for [&hellip;]</p>

<p>During a school meeting on Wednesday, November 1, the Performing and Visual Arts Department performed a concert in honor of Matthew Shepard as part of an effort to raise awareness on LGBT+ rights. This year, 2023, was the 25th anniversary of Matthew Shepard’s death. Choral Director Michael Pfitzer and Dean of Inclusion &amp; Community Life [&hellip;]</p>

<p>From October 30 to December 15, the Von Auersperg Gallery displayed the works of Deerfield Academy’s Visual and Performing Arts Teachers Angel Abreu ’92, Mercedes Taylor, and Tim Trelease as part of the Visual Arts Faculty Exhibit. They represented a variety of art styles and mediums that were a culmination of years of dedicated work. [&hellip;]</p>

<p>Imagine: You just returned to Deerfield after Thanksgiving break. The trees have lost color and the air is brisk. The Pocumtuck valley is finally making its transition from the fall to the winter seasons and you can’t help but smile as you unpack your bags. In fact, everybody is happy, partly because we know we [&hellip;]</p>