South Plains College instructors and students described on-air how college ensembles, songwriter nights and course projects give students practical performance and professional-development experience.

Jerry Serrano, an instructor in voice, songwriting and piano, said he directs a Latin ensemble and a praise ensemble that perform during Fest Week and that the praise ensemble has begun accepting outside gigs at churches and local venues to give students real-world experience. “To see what it's like serving a church and serving your community,” Serrano said of taking the ensemble into community settings.

Serrano said most of his instruction is one-on-one lessons and that ensembles rehearse twice weekly: the Latin ensemble meets Mondays and Wednesdays and the praise ensemble meets Tuesdays and Thursdays. He also said at least one student is graduating into a full-time worship position this semester.

Serrano described encouraging original composition in class. “One of the songs that we'll be playing is an original song written by one of the members of the band,” he said, adding that he invites student input and treats students as collaborators in arranging and performance.

Student Cody Cashler described his ensemble No Ballads, a rock outfit that formed last semester. Cashler said the group is writing original material and plans to gig in the community once the semester workload eases: “We do have some now. I've got one that we may be working on here in the future.”

Serrano and Cashler highlighted campus performance opportunities that extend beyond classwork. Serrano hosts or directs performance pathways for students — including a songwriter night at Blue Light, which he described as a proving ground for careers. “Some of them are students from here that go pretty regularly,” Serrano said of the songwriter night, and he named several alumni who launched careers after early performances.

Practical outcomes: Serrano cited student career transitions (an ensemble member taking a full-time worship role), while Cashler described renewed motivation for a student returning to college after years away. Serrano and Cashler emphasized that ensemble work, touring experience and songwriter nights build performance skills and industry connections.

Less critical details: rehearsal schedules, examples of gig settings (churches, coffee shops, tattoo parlors), and ensemble names were provided. Serrano supplied contact options for the program coordinator (Brent Wheeler) and his own college email for prospective students seeking private instruction or ensemble placement.