With the Spring 2025 semester beginning to wrap up, and summer right around the corner, we are coming to the time where we celebrate students, faculty, and staff for their achievements, and success throughout the year. This time, the celebration is going to be bittersweet for students as they celebrate, but say goodbye to professors and mentors that are leaving Averett for either retirement or other opportunities. One of our faculty members that we are celebrating is Dr. Anne Lewis, beloved professor of music, and the director of Averett Singers. Lewis has been with Averett since 1987 and is in her final semester before she retires to follow her dream of playing music for musical theatre.
Many people that have come through the music program and have graduated from Averett have gotten to know “Doc,” as she is affectionately called, and have had the chance to not just know her as a teacher, but also as mentor, and friend. One of the things that stands out about Lewis is her love of Averett Singers and the enjoyment she gets from watching students grow as people and as musicians.
Lewis’ career and story is one of inspiration, and achievements, while also somehow telling the “Averett story” which is all about family and support.
“Life before Averett was starting college in California, and then my parents moved across the country to Halifax County, and they wanted me closer to home. so then I went to spend my junior and senior year at Baylor University (Waco, Texas), where both my parents had went and fell in love,” Lewis said. “It was always a dream to go to Baylor and It was halfway across the country because they were here in Danville, and I was in Texas so I ended up spending three years there with my undergrad, and five years working on my masters, the reason it took so long was because I was playing in concerts and being in choirs and performing all the time, and writing my thesis, I was only there till 1986.”
Lewis’s career during her college days were eventful and she knew what she wanted to do with her life later on in her career.
“So by 1985, which seems like forever ago, my parents had moved to Danville because my dad had taken a church here and so I moved home to save rent while I was writing my masters thesis so that is how I ended up in Danville,” Lewis said. “And I was going to stay one year, and then go off on my merry career.” Lewis said.
After this point, her life started to come full circle and how she truly became part of the Averett family, and the community of Danville.
“So I got to know Dr. Gail Allen and Dr. Tim Montgomery, who were the music department at the time, and Dr. Allan was the director of the Averett Singers, and my dad had talked to them ahead of time, he is my PR agent, and told them that you have this great Pianist coming in, do you want to talk to her? So we had a meeting and Dr. Allan said “I’ve been for somebody to play for singers, would you like to do that?” and I said sure, so I spent that semester in the fall of 86 doing that which was a god send because I had a really hectic last year of college.” Lewis said. “So I played for the singers that semester, and DACAS (Danville Choral Arts Society) originated, and I played for them. That Christmas, I was getting ready to go on a choir tour to Europe, and Dr. Allen and I had lunch together, and she asked me whether I’d like to teach some classes at Averett since I was hanging around,” Lewis said.
After that semester of playing, and her finishing her masters while teaching music classes part time at Averett, she was offered a full-time position teaching. The part of her story that was interesting was that she originally did not want to take over singers because it was Dr. Allen’s group. She quickly realized that she was meant to take over singers and take over the legacy of singers partly due to Dr. Allen retiring for multiple reasons.
“My time at Averett has been fun because of you all. The reason I have stayed all this time is because of the students. I love what you guys bring to the group, and the classes, It is always fun to watch the progression, and growth. Like we have three seniors in the group that I have been working with since their very first semester as freshman. To be able to watch that growth is very gratifying, and it why I have stayed.” Lewis said.
After a long career of teaching classes and directing singers, while also having a tremendous amount of fun and laughs, Lewis and going to get to have a new opportunity to go down to Greensboro, NC to do what she loves to do most, which is playing music for shows and other concerts.
Lewis retiring from teaching at Averett is a change that people are going to have to get used to because of all the fond, and great memories that she left with many of her students that love her.
Margaret Gregory, a senior majoring in history, has some fond memories to share about her time at Averett with “doc.”
“Well, when I first got to Averett, I was an undecided major, and by sheer luck, and coincidence, I got Dr. Lewis as my advisor. I met with her during the first week of classes, and I was able to figure out my schedule,” Gregory said. “I definitely wanted to continue choir from my grade school days. So It was wonderful that I could not only meet my advisor the first week but also the director of Averett Singers during the very first week.”
For everyone that has gotten to know, and love Lewis, everyone has done so in their own way, in how they have gotten to know her.
“Averett Singers has always been a stress reliever for me, and just a wonderful way for me to not only improve my singing skill set, but make wonderful friends along the way,” Gregory said.
After hearing stories from people that have grown to love, and appreciate her, Dr. Lewis has truly been not just a teacher, and musician, but also a mentor who people can go to in times of not just needing to talk about academics, but personal thoughts and concerns. Dr. Lewis has truly been the “mom” of the Averett singers, and a valuable piece of the music department that will be missed greatly. She has her last concert with the singers on April 27th for their spring concert where her tenor at Averett will be celebrated and will send her off on the rest of her musical career with a bang.
