Introducing International Visiting Scholars: Geraldine and Carey Luce

The Dunn Center for Christian Music Studies is delighted to welcome Geraldine Latty-Luce and Carey Luce as our inaugural International Visiting Scholars for the 2024-2025 academic year. In this role, they will collaborate with faculty and staff on a variety of exciting initiatives. With their extensive experience as musicians, teachers, and scholars, they bring a wealth of practical wisdom and diverse perspectives that will undoubtedly enrich our academic community. We are confident that this cross-cultural exchange will enhance the work not only of the Dunn Center, but also of the broader School of Music and Baylor University as a whole.

Musical Beginnings

Now accomplished songwriters and worship leaders, Geraldine and Carey each found their way into music from an early age growing up in the UK. Growing up in London, Carey's faith and his passion for music were heavily influenced by his father. He had chosen a career as a pastor, but raised by musicians himself, he was always playing hymns which inspired Carey's love for the piano. Beginning with study in classical piano, his musical exploration took off when synths came about in the 1980s. These new sounds opened a whole new world of recording not previous accessible outside of a studio and a lifetime of creation and improvisation for Carey.

Geraldine grew up under her mother’s choral direction at a majority-Black Pentecostal church in Northeast England. Her dad was also a musician who played the guitar and banjo. She doesn't remember a time before being immersed in musical improvisation in a gathered worship context. Geraldine's varied musical passions, from classical to improv to gathering people to singing and loving the voice, all came in through different experiences, most of which she came to, she says, "with no aspirations to do that but found myself in that place." She credits the journey of her career to the encouragement of trusted mentors who pointed out her gifts and God for bringing wisdom and inspiration.

First Music, Then Marriage

In true form for both Carey and Geraldine, the pair crossed paths as musicians with a mutual opportunity to lead worship. Specifically, Geraldine was leading a week-long worship camp and needed a bass player – enter Carey. “I tested her patience,” Carey said; he waited until the week before the camp to sign on. 

Once there, however, Geraldine's character immediately impressed him. “I noted the Spirit of God on her life, the way she gathered the band in prayer, so that we got to the stage, it was just an extension of how we’d been off the stage. Everyone was really being mentored by Geraldine, so I was grateful for that…and I’m still grateful!” 

“But it wasn’t until twelve years later that we fell in love,” Geraldine adds. After being longtime friends and collaborators, they were married in 2013 and have continued to make music together ever since. 

The Good Soil

Geraldine and Carey moved in faith from their home in London to the US with a vision to share their gifts and mentor younger musicians to do the same. Before coming to the US, their mentors encouraged them to a new perspective beyond looking for the good soil (Matthew 13) to seeing themselves as the good soil. The key focus they carry now is "what's in our hearts," Carey says, "because then, wherever we are, we have a clean well."

Their first post in the US was at Dordt University where they have spent the last year as Worship Arts Directors. While there, they formed a community gospel choir, taught classes, and mentored students in songwriting, singing, and other musical gifts. Their biggest takeaway was being with students as they developed from being gifted as a songwriter, for example, to devoting themselves to Jesus as a songwriter and developing their gift as their sacrifice of praise.

They bring that same vision now to Baylor, always looking for “experiences of the transcendence of God.” Geraldine phrases it this way: “How is it in songwriting [or singing or research] we can encourage students to make the synergy with who they are in Christ and their gifts, even if they feel particularly broken, and giving that away?”

The Luces' experiences, both individually and as a couple, give them a deep well to offer to the Baylor community. Geraldine and Carey are looking forward to mentoring students in their gifts as vocalists, instrumentalists, band leaders, and choir directors all with special attention to the question: “What is God, by His Spirit, doing through you?” 

What is God, by His Spirit, doing through you?

They also share several areas of expertise and passion they hope to share with the Baylor community.

Giving it Away

Their focus as mentors reflects their own humble posture. Their driving question as musicians and disciples comes down to this: "Anything that we’ve had the honor of experiencing, how can that blend with what God is doing in us so we can give it away?"

Anything that we’ve had the honor of experiencing, how can that blend with what God is doing in us so we can give it away?

Geraldine shares this word of wisdom: “For young people that feel that they have to have a sense of ‘I know what I’m doing,’ I would just encourage them to keep walking forward with attention to what is your passion and attention to those encouraging voices, but if nothing else just keep walking. That very thing that you think isn’t the thing may well be your calling.” 

She goes on to say, “Pay attention to when that passion gets switched on – it may not be thus-sayeth-the-Lord, I’m going to be doing music – but pay attention to it because it’s not wasted. Even if you never end up doing that, it’s not wasted, because any development of any passion is a particular focus and a devotion, particularly when it comes from a prayer place.” 

...any development of any passion is a particular focus and a devotion, particularly when it comes from a prayer place.

Opportunities

We are so grateful to have Geraldine and Carey here to serve as encouragers, mentors, and teachers throughout this academic year. All who are interested to learn from the Luces should plan to attend their public presentation as this year's Hearn Innovators Series guests on Monday, September 23rd at 6:00 pm. Details for that event can be found here. We hope you will join us in welcoming the Luces to Baylor!