The community is invited to experience the creativity of Fresno State students during the Arts and Humanities Showcase April 19 through 27 on campus. The showcase features an eclectic mix of exhibitions, performances and intellectual dialogues designed to stir the soul and provoke thought.
The weeklong series of events kicks off at 4 p.m. Friday, April 19, with Arts in Motion, a celebration of the College of Arts and Humanities’ top students. The showcase culminates with two live performances of Carl Orff’s “Carmina Burana,” an emotional spectacle of music and might, at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, April 26 and 27.
2024 Arts and Humanities Showcase events
April 19, 4 p.m. — “Arts in Motion”
A celebration of student excellence at the Fresno State Concert Hall, presented by the College of Arts and Humanities.
April 19-25, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. — Senior Graphic Design Show
Located at the Phebe Conley Art Gallery, and presented by the Department of Art, Design and Art History.
April 20, 10 a.m. and 2 p.m — “Nice & Slow”
A play, written by Lojo Simon and directed by Nicola Olsen, at the Dennis and Cheryl Woods Theatre. Presented by the Department of Theatre and Dance, and Theatre for Young Audiences.
April 22, 6 p.m. — Author Reading with Pulitzer Prize-winning poet and author Dr. Peter Balakian
Located at the Alice Peters Auditorium (Peters Business Room 191). Presented by the Armenian Studies Program.
April 24, 9 a.m. — Young Writers’ Conference
Featuring keynote speaker Navdeep Singh Dhillon at the Satellite Student Union. Presented by the Department of English.
April 24, 5 p.m. — “MCJ Screening Showcase”
Television and film screening at the TV Studio located in the Speech Arts building (Room 172). Presented by the Media, Communications and Journalism Department.
April 25, 3:30 p.m. — “Voicing Ideas”
A presentation of student papers of scholarly distinction at Kremen Education Building (Room 172). Presented by the Department of Philosophy.
April 26, 4 p.m. — Barking Bulldogs Forensics Showcase
Located at the Kremen Education Building (Room 172). Presented by the Department of Communication.
April 19-27 — Carmina Burana Manuscript Exhibition
Located at the Fresno State Library, second floor across from Starbucks. Open during library hours. Presented by the Department of Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures.
April 26 and 27, 7:30 p.m. — “Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana”
Concert at the Fresno State Concert Hall. Presented by the Department of Music. Tickets (April 26 and April 27) are $50 for reserved special seating, $20 for general admission and $15 for military/veterans, seniors and non-Fresno State students. Tickets are free for Fresno State students. Presented by the Department of Music with translation by the Department of Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures.
“Carmina Burana” is among the most popular pieces for classical music concertgoers. The opening movement, “O Fortuna,” is immediately recognizable as the backdrop to many scenes in movies, television and commercials, invoking drama unparalleled by other musical numbers.
“It is a mega piece that is recognized around the globe, and audiences truly love listening to it,” said Dr. Thomas Loewenheim, professor of cello and director of the symphony orchestra. “To make it happen, one needs a very large orchestra and choir, percussion sections, pianists, soloists and more. It truly takes our entire department to make this concert come together.”
Student ensembles include the Fresno State Symphony Orchestra, Concert Choir, Chamber Singers and Masterworks Chorus, Grand Chorus and the Clovis North Soprano Alto Choir. In addition, nearly all of the Fresno State instrumental faculty will be performing, including Dr. Peter Klimo and Dr. Michael Krikorian, on two grand pianos. Soloists include guest artist Anton Belov, an internationally recognized baritone, and soprano Dr. Maria Okunev-Briggs, Fresno State associate professor of voice.
“As we are trying to advocate and build a new concert hall on the Fresno State campus for our community, performing ‘Carmina Burana’ in our concert will showcase the true and dire need for a new, larger and acoustically immaculate concert hall on our campus, that will serve music and our community and will bring high-quality music and concerts to Fresno,” Loewenheim said.
Plans for a new concert hall at Fresno State were first seen publicly in the fall 2023 campus project update, which stated the new 1,000-seat venue will be located where the Lab School currently sits, across from the Old Music building.
The College of Arts and Humanities at Fresno State 