I perform Live with 'My Better Half' .........  AND Yeah......she's watching me type this ;)
We use  a Roland SD50 Midi Module ( GS Format files ALWAYS  - ie: Can't Stand those  GM2... 'TUNNEL like Reverb effects'  ) and Also Use  'lightweight /Never Fail ' Van Basco as our Lyrics Prompter.
I use 'Serenade' to embed Lyric Prompts into our MIDI files......And Hey....SERENADE.....Bloody Brilliant lightweight program ... and again ........ A Never Fail program.
 
 
SO,
 
I could always just OPEN such a Performance MIDI File in Sonar ..........alter it and save it as a new version   .mid file .
The LYRICS  in the revised MIDI file would always remain intact in the new MIDI version....and play in Van Basco Flawlessly :)
 
My recent and painfully necessary interludes with a multitude of candidate, alternative DAWS has shown that :
1. Sys Ex is being largely / Totally ignored by most DAWS. (eg: I want a Midi file to play in GS Format on my MIDI Sound Module - Hence Sys Ex Instruction ' F0 41 10 42 12 40 00 7F 00 41 F7'.....which means ...play this in GS Format !!
I am not being pretentious ( ie: A Smart ar#$e).
2. And I don't wish to single out a particular DAW at this stage.............. BUT ....Reaper..........a DAW which I had spent many hours interluding with in recent days............whilst smiling incessantly .........and pondering great hopes of a fruitful production relationship ....suddenly let me down when I needed it most....................
........Namely Regarding...MIDI TEMPO :
My Midi files suddenly started speeding up ......then.........slowing down........speeding up again ....etc .....etc....in affect..............playing to whatever tempo suited them.
 
Haven't got time for this!
 
Thus Far .....  Samplitude has provided some degree of hope in this regard.
No Problems with tempo after a MIDI Edit & 
the GS  Sys Ex Info ...was indeed passed on :) to the SD50.
Played delightfully in GS Format :)
cheers......Frank in OZ
 

I sequence mainly Yamaha XG MIDI files that include lots of specific sysex and embedded lyrics - so I know where you're coming from in relation to these.  I also program many tempo changes.  Vanbassco is also my choice of MIDI playback device because it simply sends everything as intended - and does not use Microsoft's MIDI routines. 

None of the alternative DAWS on offer (and in my price range) that I have looked at (including Samplitude Pro X3) handle sysex and lyrics properly, if at all.  I did buy Samplitude Pro X3 when it was on special ($US149.00). This was mainly because of the other items it came with, namely Spectral Layers 4 and Sound forge Pro 11.
 
For these XG MIDIs, I am still going to use Sonar Platinum until it dies.  All this doom and gloom about Windows update breaking Sonar is just chicken little stuff.

I certainly know the problem of finding a DAW as lyrics friendly as Sonar. I program midi and mp3 backings for a karaoke company, and being able to add lyrics that can be displayed in a karaoke/midi player is essential. I bought Cubase after the Cakewalk news broke, but am not planning on using it until Sonar stops working. Cubase handles lyrics, but not as easily as Sonar, so Serenade sounds interesting. Might also download it for that time when Sonar eventually refuses to play.

promidi
...I am still going to use Sonar Platinum until it dies.  All this doom and gloom about Windows update breaking Sonar is just chicken little stuff.

If this makes you feel better about the situation, all the more power to you.  But telling others this (who might not be reading this forum) is not doing them any favors.
 
http://forum.cakewalk.com/Sonar-Dead-via-Win10-Update-m3713175.aspx
 
http://forum.cakewalk.com...ustrated-m3710861.aspx
 
http://forum.cakewalk.com/A-post-for-those-who-THINK-that-Sonar-is-SAFE-from-Windows-Updates-m3701746.aspx