Joy in the Summer

Traveling with Music wraps up the series on a high note -- a dream surprise for five UBC students who sing with the UBC A Cappella. Superstar voice and performance coach, Tamara Beatty, who coaches for ‘The Voice,’ ‘My Kind of Country,’ ‘I Can See Your Voice’ and ‘Masked Singer’ offers them a private session. Before the big surprise, Associate Professor of Music Theory, Leigh Van Handel contextualizes three pieces of music presented in the Summer Series, while the podcast listener enters virtual rooms full of music: a Venetian sitting room for the Classical music; an NYC jazz club for the jazz and the Chan Center for the UBC A Cappella.

Our second episode, Seeking and Moving, is divided in two parts, the first half explores the world of geocaching, as explained and experienced by Jenn Sava, Senior Manager, Business Development, Geocaching (the company); and by UBC Alumnus Matthew Le Page, who lives in Surrey and has found over 15,000 geocaches. The second portion of the episode features two women on the Summer Series virtual run, Vicky Tran, a UBC alumna who has written a witty article about her exercise routine and soon-to-be alumna Olivia Zywicki.

Wonders of Wine tells the story of wine, places Canadian and BC wines in a world context, visits a vineyard in the Okanagan, explains the connection between visual art and wine, and introduces the new-found virtual wine tasting. Wine writer, educator, presenter, and total wine expert, UBC Alumna DJ Kearny provides the backbone to this episode. A highlight -- she divulges her three favorite wines (of the day). UBC Zoology professor Chris Harley joins Kearney. He describes what it’s like to attend a virtual wine tasting –having hosted neighbors in his garden for UBC Alumni’s first event.

Joy in the Summer: alumni UBC Summer Series is a lighthearted, inspiring, three-part series that presents a summer of joyfulness and fun as told by UBC alumni; wine, music and geocaching specialists; and stay-in-the-neighborhood athletes, romantics and travelers. Listen to all episodes at https://www.alumni.ubc.ca/summer-series