Dover High School’s Guitar Club prepares for Community Day performance

DOVER PLAINS — Members of Dover High School’s Guitar Club are tuning up for another community performance as they prepare to take the stage at Dover Community Day on Sept. 19.

Since 2019, the club has given students a place to learn guitar, perform live and build confidence while giving back to the community. Led by Dover High School social studies teacher Eric Anderson, students meet after school to learn new music, rehearse and perform at school and community events.

What began as a club where students played guitar and watched music documentaries quickly evolved into a regular rehearsal group focused on learning songs and performing for audiences. Their first concert, scheduled for March 13, 2020, was postponed by the COVID-19 pandemic, but the students eventually made a name for themselves by performing in the community when many live music events had been canceled.

The club’s mission is rooted in community service, and members have performed at multiple fundraising events for residents and members of the school district

“A lot of our biggest acts and the things that we spend a lot of the year preparing for are these bigger events that support the community,” Anderson said.

Some of the students in Guitar Club have even started their own band and written original music. The band, Due Date, consists of Guitar Club members who now write and produce their own music. Due Date has performed as a group through Guitar Club, but additionally put on performances in the community at quinceañeras and the Dover Legacy Racing Cars & Guitars show.

Aiden Austin is a rising senior at Dover High School and a member of Due Date. He said Guitar Club had an impact on the group’s overall confidence and aided in preparation efforts for shows.

“The ability for me to even play at a show when I was a freshman is insane,” Austin said, “That’s why I am super grateful for Guitar Club.”