78. Special episode with alumni to discuss orchestra's impact on success in the real world!

In this heartfelt episode, I reunite with three
remarkable former Alpharetta High School Orchestra students—Jason
Juang, Kacie Xie, and Sarang Pujari—as they share their orchestra
journeys and how those experiences have shaped their collegiate
years and budding careers. From concert stages to cutting-edge
innovation, their stories highlight the transformative power of
music education and the lifelong impact of creative
collaboration.





Jason Juang, a Georgia Tech alumnus and Henry Luce Scholar, is
now a climate change researcher at the Delta Electronics
Foundation in Taipei, Taiwan. A former cellist with 7 years of
orchestra experience, Jason reminisces about his middle and high
school music days and how impromptu college jam sessions with his
roommate kept his love for music alive.





Kaci Xie, a recent Yale graduate in Computing and the Arts and
Education Studies, reflects on her time as a violist and how it
fueled her passion for early childhood education and her
involvement with the Yale Symphony Orchestra. Now the founder of
Cimu, a startup helping fashion retailers reduce returns, Kacie
shares how the discipline and creativity she cultivated in
orchestra continue to inspire her entrepreneurial and educational
endeavors.





Sarang Pujari, a dual-degree recipient in Computer Science from
Georgia Tech, recalls his rich musical background, including six
years in All-State, performing with the Emory Youth Symphony
Orchestra, and his time in Georgia Tech's Symphony Orchestra. Now
a software engineer in Miami, Sarang discusses how his orchestra
experience instilled teamwork and focus—skills he carries into
his career in tech.Join us as we explore how their time in the
orchestra prepared them for success, nurtured their passions, and
created lifelong memories.





Whether you're a music enthusiast, educator, or former performer,
this episode celebrates the enduring influence of music education
on personal and professional growth. Also watch on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/YnIvEhgDNXk








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