Congratulations to the 2025-26 Cykler Song Scholars, Nathan Juarez and Jack McGaughey!
This award provides financial support and mentorship to graduate students interested in pursuing original research related to song and encourages the exploration of underexplored song repertoire. Nathan and Jack will be provided with a $6,000 research award and mentorship from Stephen Rodgers, Edmund A. Cykler Chair in Music and Professor of Music Theory and Musicianship, over the course of the 2025/26 academic year.
Nathan Juarez, DMA student in percussion performance
About Nathan's project:
Nathan will create a commission consortium titled Cycles and Spheres, dedicated to the creation, performance, and dissemination of new art songs by a diverse group of composers. The project will center on the theme of cycles and spheres, interpreted both literally and metaphorically. As a singing percussionist and scholar, Nathan will serve as both artistic director and performer for the premiere of these new works. This initiative not only contributes new repertoire to an underexplored musical landscape, but also fosters inclusive collaboration across disciplines and identities.
Jack McGaughey, master’s student in music composition
About Jack's project:
Jack will be exploring the extensive song repertoire of the Sugar Beets, a Eugene-based Americana band that celebrated their thirty-fifth anniversary in March. The original band members are graduates of the University of Oregon who, in many ways, have penned Eugene’s soundtrack, capturing the essence of the city’s artistic vibrance and unique character through inspired lyrics and intoxicating grooves. Jack’s project aims to preserve the songs and stories of the Sugar Beets through written and event-based work, demonstrating the band’s cultural impact on the Pacific Northwest’s music scene.