Following the Music: Anthony Strouse ’28 on the Throughline that Brought Him to Davidson
November 6, 2025
- Author
- Caroline Roy ’20
Strouse performs with a student-led punk/rock band at the New Korner Pub in Mooresville.
Anthony Strouse ’28 grew up in Garland, Texas, visiting his stepfather’s music room–a space filled with guitars, saxophones and other instruments–and listening to him play.
Strouse’s family, who he describes as “music appreciators,” raised him on classic rock bands like AC/DC, Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath and encouraged his curiosity. He began violin lessons in the fourth grade and guitar lessons the year after, discovering a deep love for learning and playing music.
He didn’t know at the time, but Strouse’s Davidson journey began the first summer he attended ChamberWorks Summer Music Institute, a program founded by Davidson College Franco Professor of Humanities Marcus Pyle, designed to teach classical music to children from underrepresented communities in the Dallas area.
Prof. Marcus Pyle plays violin with Strouse
“It was a revolutionary two weeks for me,” Strouse said. “I fell in love with orchestra, music theory and history. I went back every summer after that.”
For nearly a decade, Pyle’s mentorship has been a constant in Strouse’s life. Pyle, who began teaching at Davidson in 2021, invited Strouse, then a high school junior, to visit the college and play with the symphony orchestra.
“I’ll always appreciate him bringing me to campus for such a personal experience,” Strouse said. “Davidson quickly became my first choice, and I knew I wanted to be in the orchestra all four years.”
Finding Music Everywhere
Just a few weeks into his first semester at Davidson, another first-year student stopped to listen as Strouse practiced guitar in the residence hall lounge. Patrick Plaehn ’28 had just joined Orchid, a brand new student-led punk/rock band, and they needed a second lead guitarist. Strouse accepted the offer, and the band performed their debut show at New Korner Pub in nearby Mooresville.
“We play a little bit of everything,” he said. “It’s a lot of punk, metal and grunge, but we’ve started branching out into jazz, too. They’re such a talented group of musicians who love to experiment.”
With their heavy sound and repertoire with hits from bands like Metallica and Paramore, Orchid quickly made a name for themselves on campus. They’ve played Live Thursdays in the C. Shaw Smith 900 Room, competed in Battle of the Bands and performed a Tiny DACE Concert — a series hosted by Davidson Arts and Creative Engagement in their studio.
Strouse hopes that as the band grows, they’ll start to write and perform original songs. As a J. Estes Millner Scholar, he’s been able to step outside his comfort zone with classes in digital composition, music history and hip hop. Performing with Orchid has also given him the confidence to pursue voice lessons.
Outside of music, Strouse spends his time with Davidson’s Organization of Latin American Students (OLAS), helping put together events. With help from a few friends, his long-term goal is to start Davidon’s first Mariachi band.
“Davidson has allowed me to find connections between all of my interests,” he said. “I’m experimenting with trumpet, keyboard and drums, switching between modern, jazz and classical genres. I feel like the future is wide open.”
Recent performances have included a show with the Jazz Ensemble, the symphony orchestra’s “Something Worth Fighting For” September concert and, most recently, their Halloween performance in the Alvarez College Union. Up next is another Live Thursday with Orchid and several guest singers.
This past summer, Strouse returned to ChamberWorks as an intern, where he coached a beginner ensemble. Watching him teach was a full-circle moment for Pyle.
“Not only did the students love working with him, they were all excited to return,” Pyle said. “He is a natural educator. That comes directly from his love of music and wanting to share it with others.”
