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Our Story
About us
The Rowan-Cabarrus Youth Chorus is a nonprofit community choir serving students in grades 4–8 throughout Rowan and Cabarrus counties. Founded in 2026, RCYC was created to expand access to high-quality choral music education, particularly for students whose schools or communities may offer limited opportunities for middle-grade singing.
Through weekly rehearsals, performances, and collaborative musical experiences, singers develop vocal skills, musicianship, confidence, teamwork, and a lasting sense of belonging. RCYC welcomes students from a wide range of musical backgrounds and strives to create an encouraging environment in which every young person’s voice is valued.
The chorus performs a diverse repertoire that may include traditional choral literature, contemporary music, folk music, and thoughtfully arranged popular songs. Above all, RCYC is committed to building community through music and helping young singers grow as artists, leaders, and people.
Matthew Minchew is a music educator, conductor, performer, and arts advocate who believes every young person deserves a place where their voice is valued. He serves as the K–5 General Music and Choir teacher at G.W. Carver A+ Elementary and as Lead Performing Arts Teacher for Kannapolis City Schools in North Carolina.
During his time at G.W. Carver, Matthew has built the school’s choir program from the ground up into a thriving ensemble that provides students with meaningful performance opportunities throughout the community and across the state. In 2026, the G.W. Carver Choir will perform at the North Carolina Music Educators Association Professional Development Conference.
Matthew serves as the Creative Director of the Rowan-Cabarrus Youth Chorus, which was founded to expand access to high-quality choral music education for young singers, particularly those from schools and communities where middle school music opportunities are limited or no longer available.
He also serves on the North Carolina Music Educators Association boards for the Elementary and Popular Music sections, as well as the Cabarrus Arts Council Advisory Committee. He is the Director of Contemporary Worship at Assurance United Methodist Church in Huntersville. In 2025, Matthew was recognized as a finalist for the NCMEA Elementary Music Educator of the Year. In 2026, he will present professional-development sessions at conferences hosted by both NCMEA and the British Columbia Music Educators’ Association.
A longtime singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Matthew has performed across a variety of musical genres. These experiences inspire his commitment to incorporating popular music, songwriting, creativity, and authentic student expression into the music classroom.
Matthew holds a Bachelor of Music Education from Roosevelt University’s Chicago College of Performing Arts and a Master of Music Education from UNC Greensboro. He lives in North Carolina with his wife and their three sons. Outside of music, he enjoys cheering for the Chicago Cubs and searching for the closest thing North Carolina has to authentic Chicago deep-dish pizza.
About our director
Join RCYC!
How to register a singer for Rowan-Cabarrus Youth Chorus
Thank you for your interest in the Rowan-Cabarrus Youth Chorus! Registration for our 2026–2027 season is currently full. Please complete this form to add your singer to the waitlist.
RCYC serves students in grades 4–8 from Rowan and Cabarrus counties and the surrounding area. If space becomes available, families will be contacted in the order responses are received, while also considering the needs and balance of the ensemble.
Completing this form does not guarantee placement, and no tuition payment is required unless your singer is officially offered a spot. Please provide an email address and phone number that you check regularly so we can reach you promptly.
2026-2027 RCYC Season
Schedule
RCYC enrollment includes approximately 25 rehearsals and two performances.
Rehearsals will take place on Sunday afternoons from 3:30–4:30 p.m. at an elementary school near downtown Kannapolis, North Carolina. Specific rehearsal dates and the location will be provided upon registration.
Performances will take place in December and April. Specific dates and locations will be determined based on total choir enrollment.
Should RCYC wish to add additional performances to the schedule, participating families will have the opportunity to vote for or against the proposed changes. A family’s decision will not affect the singer’s good standing with the choir.
Support
RCYC
The Rowan-Cabarrus Youth Chorus is committed to giving young singers access to meaningful choral experiences, strong music education, and a welcoming community where every voice matters.
You can support RCYC in two important ways. Financial contributions help provide music, rehearsal materials, performance opportunities, student scholarships, and other resources that keep the program accessible to families throughout Rowan and Cabarrus counties. Just as importantly, you can help spread the word by sharing our website, social media posts, registration information, and upcoming events with families, schools, churches, and community organizations.
Every donation, referral, and shared post helps us reach more young people and build a stronger community through music. Thank you for helping RCYC grow.
Rowan-Cabarrus Youth Chorus, Inc. is a nonprofit corporation organized under the laws of the State of North Carolina. Federal recognition as a tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) is not yet applied for.