Madison Russell has witnessed dozens of singers, songwriters and engineers walk through the doors of the Grand Canyon University Recording Studio since starting as a worship arts major in 2019.
While the communities change, Russell continues to notice a pleasant development that gravitates her to the studio – even two years after she graduated.
“It’s really neat to see the friendships that have formed by students,” Russell said. “Those bonds remind me of my friends when I was a student.
“Our songs are in line with that as well. These are definitely vertical songs about the holiness of the Lord and being in awe of who He is and longing to be in His presence and be with Him.”
Several worship arts graduates have returned to the studio to not just help students. They have a vested interest in assisting worship arts students, including many participating in the Canyon Worship X album – a live recording event in which the program is aiming for 2,000 students to participate in a mass singing at Antelope Gymnasium on Nov. 6.
The event will be recorded and videotaped in celebration of the 10th anniversary of albums and 10 years of worship arts at GCU, Recording Studio Manager Eric Johnson said.
Aaron Bolton, a 2018 worship arts graduate, remembers the days when a few students recorded a few songs that turned into an EP, and that they could submit songs to be selected.
Now, “it’s cool to see how the format has changed to writing becoming a little bit more focused and toward this live night,” said Bolton, a Phoenix area director for Likewise Worship. “It gives us all a common goal – common themes in Scripture. That’s really exciting to me.
“I think the idea of a live recording night is exciting because it keeps our students and other people involved unified around these songs that we’re singing to the Lord. What’s cool about this year is having a big pool of writers that all unify toward a specific vision. It’s cool to see how it’s all grown over the years.”
Bolton was especially encouraged by the recent progress made under Moises Felipe, now in his second year as director of the Center for Worship Arts, and that the program maintains a strong theme.
“I think a lot of types of music can be worship to God, but when we’re writing stylistically, specifically congregational, vertical worship, I think it’s beautiful.”
Songwriter Shailen Stewart, a senior worship arts major, has been delighted to work and learn from alums and see how “God is moving through the album and helps songs work together.”
“It’s never been like this before, so it’s cool to witness,” Stewart said. “I’m glad to be part of it as a senior. “It’s turned into something that’s a family project.”
After graduation, Stewart would love to perform full-time ministry with songwriting and worship leading, “but spreading the gospel is something very important to me.”
Worship arts alumna Nicole Jasperse, who wrote and sang on Canyon Worship albums during her four years at GCU, appreciated the space Canyon Worship provides for students to experience collaboration, the production process and working with professionals.
“It’s really good exposure for them, and a stepping stone for doing more in a professional way,” said Jasperse, worship director at Antioch Central Phoenix.
“One of my favorite parts about (the songs) is that we’re from different churches, but we’re brought together by wanting to sing new songs to the Lord and give other people new songs to sing to the Lord, even though we’re a conglomerate of churches and backgrounds.”
The significance of worship arts’ history and its albums wasn’t lost on Hayden Conway, a senior songwriter participating in the Canyon Worship project for the first time.
“It’s a memorable event,” Conway said. “Ten years is very huge for this university, and I think it’s an honor to be part of this.”
GCU News senior writer Mark Gonzales can be reached at [email protected]
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