Scholarship Year: 2025

Jack McGaughey

What was your project about?

 My project focused on The Sugar Beets, a popular local band founded at the UO over thirty-six years ago. Despite their longevity, only a fraction of the band’s music was widely accessible. I digitized the entirety of the band’s discography, uploaded it to streaming services, and aired it on multiple local radio shows. I also transcribed thirty-three of the band’s original songs, creating The Sugar Beets Songbook Vol. I. The project culminated in The Sugar Beets Songbook Release Concert in the Shedd Institute’s Jaqua Concert Hall in June 2026.

For more on Jack and his project, see this article from The Daily Emerald.


Where are you now and how did your project shape the work you’re currently doing?

I started my PhD in music theory at the University of Oregon in fall 2026. My Cykler project with the Sugar Beets inspired me to continue in higher education, and I am excited to incorporate aspects of my project into a dissertation.

Performing Area:

Composition

Project Title:

Archiving the Music of The Sugar Beets

Other Projects

Download the program from the songbook release show.

More Cykler Scholars

2022
The Songs of the Chilean Composer Carmela Mackenna
Piano performance