CUEcast

Today Randy speaks with John Woods, the Music and Worship Pastor at Dawson Memorial Church in Birmingham, AL. John is a highly creative student choir director enjoying strong relationships with the students he loves. During the pandemic, John's creativity is being used to its fullest potential creating new avenues of connectivity and even new relationships. John shares fresh perspectives, great ideas, and his infectious sense of hope.

Ruben Ortega grew up in a strong high school choral program and a singer in the San Antonio Youth Chorale. By the time he was ready to enter collegiate life at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, Ruben had already decided he wanted to invest his musical skills in the enrichment of other students of all kinds. Soon to be in his senior year as a music education major, Ruben is now surveying the vocational horizon with great hope and optimism. He envisions a fulfilling career dedicated to the musical advancement and spiritual development of others.

Today we speak with Janis Maxwell, a youth choir director who has innovated to meet her students' needs during this extraordinary time. Janis has built a strong tradition of youth choir ministry at the First United Methodist Church of Athens, Georgia. She and her students were in high gear preparing for their Summer choir tour and mission trip when COVID-19 took the world by storm. In this episode we see how she has created new opportunities by starting virtual meetings and planning a virtual choir recording.

Robert Sterling has had a wide-ranging career as a renowned composer, producer, conductor, and studio musician of many musical styles. This multi-talented Nashville musician discusses his long and versatile career, how the music industry tried to pigeonhole him into a single style, and his relationship with fear while forging his unique artistic path.

We also get a deep dive into Sterling's new genre-bending album Sounds Crazy, which proves to be an excellent and refreshing set of Christian songs.

San Antonio Youth Chorale alum and first-year Texas A&M student Macy Drew walks us through her musical life. This articulate young woman shows her energetic joy and maturity through the stories she shares. Topics include the differences between high school and community-based choirs, the SAYC model, and the positive impact of social musical experiences on today's young people.

Later in the episode, we reconnect via telephone to check in during the COVID-19 crisis.

This week, Randy interviews recently retired pediatric therapist Carlene Jean on her cutting edge music research project, which involved several SAYC students. The project speaks to the importance of music in all stages of life, and it also produced a number of unexpected positive outcomes.

We then touch base with Carlene and Dan Jean during the COVID-19 crisis, reflect on the tragic news surrounding the Skagit Valley Chorale, and share some wisdom gleaned from this unique medical and cultural moment.

In this episode of CUEcast, we pause to remember all those around the world who are sick as well as the brave healthcare professionals who are daily putting themselves in harm's way. These moments of meditation are led by the 2018 CUE Choral Ambassadors, as recorded on their tour of Ireland.

We also speak with Ashley Adams, a precocious graduating high school senior from Friendswood, Texas. This articulate young musician was inspired by her love for music and choral music communities to study choral music education at Baylor University in the fall. She informs us of how she and her friends are coping with the dramatic changes to their senior year due to COVID-19.

In this episode we connect with Remington Lee Foster, a recent Stephen F. Austin University graduate, YouthCUE alumnus, and current full-time Marshall High School Choral Assistant. We discover his path into choral music, his experiences with YouthCUE, and the transformation he felt from student to teacher. We also get an update from him just a few short days ago, as a Marshall High School employee in the center of the COVID-19 pandemic. His personal story speaks in many ways to the joys of teaching, as well as the challenges choral directors all over the world are facing during this crisis.

In this heartfelt episode, founder Randy Edwards addresses the coronavirus epidemic and YouthCUE's programming during this crisis. This unprecedented worldwide event has had a stark impact on schools, communities, and musicians everywhere. Randy makes a few personal suggestions for how we will get through this, and updates us on the resources YouthCUE will be providing to help. Interspersed with this message are beautiful anthems performed by YouthCUE choirs. Remember — we are all in this together.

In this episode, retired minister Dan Jean pulls from his two careers in communications and pastoral ministry to discuss some crucially important components of ministry for students. Dan and Carlene Jean became acquainted with and involved in the ministry of the San Antonio Youth Chorale in the four years before their retirement. In a future episode of CUEcast, we will interview Carlene, who led members of SAYC to become involved in a fascinating cutting-edge ministry in San Antonio.