Six students were named as winners in the 4th Annual Art Song competition at Fresno State. During the competition, the poetry and composition finalists worked with vocalists to perform original works during the festival
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Two Fresno State poetry students and five music composition students have been selected as finalists in the fourth annual Art Song Festival competition which will take place on Feb. 26 and 27 on Zoom.
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In an annual tradition, the Fresno State choirs directed by Dr. Cari Earnhart and Fresno City College choirs, directed by Julie Dana, combine for “Walk in Peace: A Celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Black History Month” at 7:30 p.m. Friday, February 26 on YouTube.
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Displacement and dispersion loom large in the Armenian collective memory, as seen through their music and the work of the composer and musicologist Komitas. A longing to reclaim elements of lost culture pervades the Armenian diaspora, where Home is reconstituted in exile.
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For their final project, the Fresno State String Orchestra performed Tchaikovsky’s, Serenade for Strings in C major, Op. 48 and Borodin’s, Sinfonia for String, from String Quartet No. 2 in D major.
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Students, faculty, and alumni of the Fresno State College of Arts and Humanities have created some exciting products over the last year that would make fantastic gifts this holiday season!
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This semester, just two live music ensembles are permitted to meet face-to-face at Fresno State amide the COVID-19 pandemic. We talked to the students and faculty to see how these courses worked, the challenges and how we may experience more live music in the near future.
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Boone’s third album combining jazz and poetry, “The Poets Are Gathering,” was released by Origin Records on Oct. 16.
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In normal times, for a couple of weeks leading up to the start of the Fall semester, the buildings’ empty halls begin to come alive as the Bulldog Marching Band assembles for their annual Band Camp. The sounds of drums reverberate off walls around the campus as student musicians prepare to entertain during the back to school festivities and ensuing football season.
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We are excited to welcome Dr. Stephen Ivany as he joins the Department of Music as the Assistant Professor of Trombone and Euphonium.
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These extraordinary students in the College of Arts and Humanities have followed their passions to find the right mentor, overcome obstacles, and collaborate with each other to teach children how to make the world a better place. Here are three stories that will make you proud to be a Bulldog!
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Dr. Jack Fortner, music professor emeritus, composer, and founder of the Orpheus chamber ensemble, died from cancer on Thursday, June 25, in São Paulo, Brazil. He was 84 years old.
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Within weeks of his viral video posting, Travis Morris appeared on several news programs, including ABC’s Good Morning America, when his dream came true — Ellen DeGeneres invited Travis on her show.
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While most children at 9-years old were playing with their toys, Anindita Rajasekaren and her family gathered around the computer to check their green card status. Year after year, they were disappointed…
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“This is an experiment as to how we might provide a professional recording experience in a potential digital environment to help with the diminished face-to-face ensemble classes we will probably have in the fall,” said McKeithen.
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When the in-person classes became impossible, Boone and Allaire moved to Zoom’s virtual environment. To the surprise of everyone involved, that move made the experience better.
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Fresno State Music Department graduate student, Christopher Rodriguez, has advanced to the semi-final round in the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) “2020 National Student Auditions.”
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Graduate conductor Kevin Misakian directed the Fresno State Wind Orchestra in a virtual presentation of “Furioso” composed by Dr. Gary Gilroy, Professor of Music at Fresno State.
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We want to be the first to congratulate you on your achievements. The College’s faculty and staff join us in applauding you.
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“Christopher Rodriguez made a lovely gift for his mom on Mother’s Day,” said Dr. Maria Briggs – Okunev, assistant professor of voice. “He advanced to a second round of the National Classical Singer Competition.”
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Music composition student Christian Cruz, who will graduate with a master’s degree in music composition, has won the “Volterra Project Composer Award.”
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In celebration of National Poetry Month, Fresno State Provost Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval offers a message of how poetry contributes to a greater sense of community and presents “Our Valley” a fusion of poetry and music by Philip Levine, an emeritus professor of English at Fresno State and former poet laureate of the United States, and Benjamin Boone, a Fresno State Music professor.
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It’s class time for one of the Fresno State choral ensembles. Students arrive from their homes through small video windows that pop up on the online meeting screen.
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The unique competition adds another layer to the annual Art Song Festival competition.
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It was hot! It was the summer of 2018 in the city of Accra, about 400 miles north of the equator, and Benjamin Boone and the Ghana Jazz Collective had gathered in the UVSL recording studio — a white concrete building down one of the many dirt side roads. Even with the high-tech equipment, to get clean recordings, the studio had to turn off the air conditioning during recording sessions.
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“I learned that diversity is something to be celebrated and that a large part of my identity is the path that I choose. I am Chinese and White, and I have chosen to embrace Spanish.”
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“Music is a large part of my life, and I hope to pass the love of music and art to others, no matter their age or experiences.”
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“Expression through music has always been important to me. Expression through art is just part of who I am.”
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The stage was set. A xylophone, two clustered sets of percussion instruments, a set of timpanis, and a grand piano for the accompanist filled the performance area of the Fresno State Concert Hall. The room of 270 seats was largely empty and the doors locked.
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We regret to announce that the Arts in Motion, scheduled for 2 p.m., Saturday, March 28 at the Concert Hall has been canceled. All public events in the Arts in Motion Showcase scheduled for March 22-28 have also been canceled.
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A true rising star among classical musicians, Monica Czausz has quickly made a name for herself as one of the finest young American organists on the scene today receiving praise for her “artistic mastery far beyond her years” (The American Organist).
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During the winter break, music students Marina Malcolm and Christopher Rodriguez presented at national conferences. Dr. Maria S. Briggs-Okunev was also with them and presented.
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A renowned Russian dramatic baritone, Dr. Belov has been praised by the New York Times as “A baritone with a rich mellifluous voice…Mr. Belove sounded particularly fine, singing with urgency and soulful pathos.”
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Prize-winner at competitions in the United States, Armenia, Italy, Greece, and Lithuania, Nara Avetisyan has garnered accolades for her performances around the world.
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The Fresno State Wind Orchestra and Central High School Wind Ensemble will perform at 8 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 27 in the Concert Hall.
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Natasha Paremski is lauded for her “fiery and widely dynamic playing” (London Classical Source), and has performed as a soloist with such noted orchestras as the Los Angeles Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony, Houston Symphony, Toronto Symphony, Tonhalle Orchester Zürich, and the Moscow Philharmonic.
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Six finalists will compete for the opportunity to perform as a soloist with the Fresno State Wind Orchestra and the Fresno State Symphony Orchestra.
Read MoreThe Fresno State Choirs, directed by Dr. Cari Earnhart, and the Fresno City College Choirs, directed by Julie Dana, will come together for an emotional evening of music and readings celebrating the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Black History Month.
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Guest artists and members of “Imani Winds” Toyin Spellman-Diaz, oboist, and Monica Ellis, bassoonist, will teach and perform.
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An eruption of the senses in a journey through life’s indulgences, Carl Orff’s “Carmina Burana” is among the most popular pieces for classical music concertgoers.
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Just days after her Fresno performance, Claire Huangci will play dates in Umeå and Sundsvall, Sweden ahead of other tour highlights such as the Lucerne Festival, Philharmonie de Paris, and Festspielhaus Salzburg.
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Students, faculty, and alumni of the Fresno State College of Arts and Humanities have created some exciting products over the last year that would make fantastic gifts this holiday season!
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The Fresno State Symphonic Band will perform a unique mix of historic and contemporary pieces under the direction of Steve McKeithen at 8 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 10 at the Concert Hall.
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Jumpstart your holiday season with classics such as Hark the Herald Angels Sing,” “Carol of the Bells,” and “We Wish You A Merry Christmas” with the Fresno State choirs at 2:30 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 8 in the Fresno State Concert Hall.
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Kneebody is known for their explosive energy and adventurous improvisation with keyboardist Adam Benjamin, trumpeter Shane Endsley, saxophonist Ben Wendel and drummer/bassist Nate Wood.
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A holiday tradition returns as the Fresno State Symphony Orchestra performs a special concert for the holiday season with traditional favorites including Strauss’ “Die Fledermaus Overture,” the famous waltz “Under Thunder and Lightning” (Unter Donner und Blitz), and the “Radetzky March.”
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Kenny Broberg, an international award-winning pianist, will perform works by J.S. Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, Franck and Medtner at 7:30 p.m., Nov. 22, at the Concert Hall as part of his 2019 tour with dates in the United States, Canada and Australia.
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In 2018, the Clendenin Brass Endowed Scholarship was created with $300,000 in memory of June Clendenin by her son, Dr. W. Ritchie Clendenin, former professor of trumpet at Fresno State.
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The fall tradition continues as three of Fresno State’s finest ensembles unite for an evening of music both inside the Concert Hall and on the lawn outside.
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The sounds of western Mexico come alive as the next generation performs folk favorites at 3 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 24, at the Concert Hall.
Read MoreRomantic songs and poetry reading mingle for a romantic evening of Russian art song at 7 p.m., Friday, Nov. 15 in the Fresno State Concert Hall.
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A prizewinner of national competitions and soloist in venues around the country, Fresno State professor of flute Elisa Moles will perform a faculty recital at 7 p.m., Nov. 8 in the Wahlberg Recital Hall.
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The Horn Studio Recital will feature a new composition for horns by Fresno State student Alexander Gooch.
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A free on-campus performance of the children’s opera “Lucinda y las Flores de la Nochebuena” will be performed at 12:30 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 7, at the Concert Hall. Parking is $5.
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The Fresno State Percussion Ensemble, under the direction of David Gabrielson, will perform at 8 p.m., Nov. 4 in the Concert Hall.
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An eruption of the senses in a journey through life’s indulgences, Carl Orff’s “Carmina Burana” is among the most popular pieces for classical music concert-goers. The opening, ‘O Fortuna, is immediately recognizable as the backdrop to many scenes in movies, television and commercials invoking drama unparalleled by other musical numbers.
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This year, Fresno State is proud to welcome Prof. Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi, one of the most notable musicians of his generation and respected mentor. He was Professor of Cello at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, President of the Toho Gakuen School of Music in Japan, Music Director of Kirishima International Music Festival, and is currently the President of the famed Suntory Hall in Tokyo. He is a recipient of the National Academy of Arts Prize in music by the Emperor, Japan’s Medal with Purple Ribbon, the highest honor in Japan, and was awarded Person of Cultural Merit in 2013.
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As Fresno State rolls out their crowdfunding platform, three areas in the College of Arts and Humanities look to raise funds for scholarships, student travel and preserving local history. The campaigns end on Oct. 31.
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The Fresno State Concert Choir and Masterworks Chorus under the direction of Dr. Cari Earnhart, director of choral activities, will combine with two pianos and a percussion section to perform six selections from Carl Orff’s “Carmina Burana” during the Fall Concert Choir at 2:30 p.m., Oct. 27 at the Concert Hall.
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The Fresno State Jazz Orchestra directed by Richard Lloyd Giddens Jr. and The Fresno State Jazz Ensemble directed by Les Nunes will open for trumpeter and composer Ralph Alessi at 8 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 29 in the Concert Hall.
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In 1974, a young boy sent in a mail order for the “10 Albums for a Penny” promotion from his TV guide. The rest is history.
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The event will showcase 27 percussion music majors and minor performing solos on marimba, timpani and snare drum.
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The community is invited as we celebrate the rich diversity of music from an instrument with a multiplicity of forms and sonority during two Guitar Festival concerts.
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The Fresno State Symphonic Band invites the community to attend their first concert of the school year under the direction of Steven McKeithen at 8 p.m., Oct. 10 in the Concert Hall.
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Fresno State alumnus Michael Krikorian will perform in recital as part of the “Young Armenian Talent” series of the Philip Lorenz International Keyboard Concerts at Fresno State. The performance will take place at 3 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 20, at the Fresno State Concert Hall.
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After completing his concert in Fresno, Biss will continue his North American tour before ending his season with two concerts in the United Kingdom.
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Feature guest artist, composer and former Fresno State faculty Dr. James Miley who will be performing several of his arrangements with the two ensembles.
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The Fresno State Music Department invites the community experience two nights of exquisite strings during the 2019 Fresno State Violin and Viola Festival concerts at 8 p.m., Oct. 4 and 5 at the Concert Hall, featuring renowned guest artists, violinist Martin Beaver, and violist, Che-Yen Chen.
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Stanek is a Flute Professor at Willamette and Corban Universities, Oregon known for performances with Oregon Symphony, Eugene Symphony, Eugene Opera, and Vancouver Symphony.
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Educated at the Royal Conservatory of Madrid and the École Normale de Musique Alfred Cortot in Paris, Melikyan has gained international attention while performing in such prestigious venues as Carnegie Hall in New York, Jordan Hall in Boston, Palau de la Música Catalana in Barcelona, and Salle Cortot in Paris.
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The Fresno State Wind Orchestra and the Clovis High Wind Ensemble will perform under the direction of Dr. Gary P. Gilroy, Esmeralda Rocha Lozano, and guest conductor Michael J. Corrigan at 8 p.m., Oct. 3 in the Fresno State Concert Hall.
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It was the early 1990s in New York City when Professor of Piano Andreas Werz found himself in Steinway Hall tasked with purchasing three pianos for Fresno State. Even though he was surrounded by first-rate instruments, he struggled to find that perfect one worthy of the world-class musicians he was bringing to campus for the Philip Lorenz International Keyboard Concert Series.
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With $50,000 in new donations to its endowment, the Bulldog Pride Fund has announced a new $2,000 per year vocal award in honor of local opera legend Edna Garabedian. The Department of Music will select the inaugural “Bulldog Pride Fund: Edna Garabedian Vocal Performance Award” for the 2010-21 school year.
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It was late July 2016 in Philadelphia when FOOSA Musician Kelvin Diaz Inoa made his decision. He packed his red 1999 Ford Focus with a few small personal belongings and his cello and hit the road. He didn’t know much about where he was going. All he knew was he had finally found the teacher and mentor he had been searching for…
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“The motto of the festival is to bring the world to Fresno, and then Fresno to the world.” ~ Dr. Thomas Loewenheim
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Philip Lorenz International Keyboard Concerts presents Francesco Piemontesi who will perform works by J.S. Bach, Rachmaninoff and Debussy during the last concert of the 2018-19 season at 8 p.m., Friday, May 24 in the Fresno State Concert Hall. Tickets are $25 general, $18 for seniors and $5 for students. Parking is free in lot P1. […]
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Congratulations to graduate Mason Lamb and undergraduate Primavera Leal Martinez for earning the College of Arts and Humanities Dean’s Medal award!
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The Wind Festival captures that invigorating spirit and serves as a way for college ensembles to meet, play for larger audiences, and receive constructive feedback from adjudicators.
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The concert, titled “Spotlight on our Students”, will include four works showcasing top students from the Department of Music, and collaborating with all four of the Department of Music’s choirs, to create the Fresno State Grand Chorus, conducted by Dr. Cari Earnhart.
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French horn student Anthony Perez-Medina will perform as a featured soloist with the Fresno State Wind Orchestra under the direction of Dr. Gary P. Gilroy at 8 p.m. on Thursday, May 2 in the Fresno State Concert Hall.
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Cadence Ensemble has rapidly developed into one of the world’s premier ensembles performing original works and arrangements by classical and contemporary European, Russian, Armenian, and American composers including world music and pop.
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Born in Locarno, Switzerland, and a protégé of the great Alfred Brendel, Francesco Piemontesi rose to international prominence after winning prizes at several major competitions including the 2007 Queen Elisabeth in Brussels.
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When asked what accomplishment he is most proud of, Mason Lamb didn’t look his many music premieres — including his orchestral concert overture which was played by FOOSA at the Walt Disney Concert Hall — instead, he looked to his daughter.
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The community is invited to celebrate the College of Arts and Humanities’ top students with an afternoon of performances and recognition on Saturday, April 6, 2019 at 2 p.m. in the Fresno State Concert Hall. The event will be followed by a reception in the Phebe Conley Gallery.
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For Theresa Lopes, music is a powerful medium which brings people together and improves lives. She has been especially interested in how music can enrich the lives of the handicapped. In her Honors Project through the College of Arts and Humanities Honors Program, Lopes has explored and investigated “The Current Status of Music in Special […]
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The concert marks the beginning of the Chamber Singers and Concert Choir Spring Choir Tour and will include be something for everyone with music by Poulenc, Palestrina, Whitacre, Forrest, Kverno and more.
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With a heavy Indian music influence, the Arohi Ensemble’s “ragajazz” repertoire features original compositions and improvisations with influences from Africa, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, jazz and western chamber music.
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The community is invited as the Fresno State Wind Orchestra and the Fresno Pacific University Wind Ensemble perform at the 40 annual Dr. Lawrence R. Sutherland Wind Festival Gala Concert at 8 p.m. on Saturday, March 16 in the Fresno State Concert Hall.
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The Fresno State Symphony Orchestra and Opera Theatre will present Puccini’s famous opera with performances at 8 p.m. Friday, March 8, and at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 10, at the Fresno State Concert Hall. Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for faculty and seniors and $5 for students.
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Every two years, music faculty at Fresno State take on the endeavor of producing a full-scale opera in the Fresno State Concert Hall. During the planning meetings, the faculty decided they would likely hire someone to play the role of Cio-Cio-San (Butterfly). That’s when assistant professor of voice Dr. Maria Briggs stepped in and offered to take on the challenge.
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Filling the lead roles for an opera can be tricky. The person in question must have not only a strong voice and acting ability but the capacity to memorize nearly two-and-a-half hours of music which is performed entirely in Italian.
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Fresno State’s Middle East Studies Lecture, Performance and Film Series, and Global Music Series presents “An Evening of Iranian Classical Music” featuring Behrouz Sadeghian playing the Santur, accompanied by Faramarz Amiri playing the Zarb and Daf at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, March 8 in the Alice Peters Auditorium (PB191).
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Oud master Richard Hagopian will present a talk and performance on “Armenian Song Repertoire of the Middle East” at 5 p.m. Thursday, April 26, in the University Business Center, Room 191.
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The Fresno State Wind Orchestra will perform under the direction of Dr. Gary P. Gilroy at 8 p.m. on Thursday, Feb 28 in the Concert Hall.
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It promises to be a night of swing as both of the Fresno State jazz ensembles perform at 8 p.m. on Friday, March 1 in the Concert Hall.
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Ahead of the concert, the Fresno State Violin and Viola Festival offers an intensive training experience to violinists and violists on intermediate to advanced level.
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After obtaining an injury to her hand, cellist Patricia Fronda was inspired to advocate for greater awareness of injury in the performing arts. She has now redirected her efforts towards the field of occupational therapy and hopes to provide musicians with more specialized treatments.
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The Fresno State Guitar Festival features two recitals on Friday, Feb 15. The first, features George Sakellariou at 3 p.m. followed by Thomas Patterson at 8 p.m. in the Wahlberg Recital Hall. Tickets for the Sakellariou and Patterson recitals are $15 general, $10 seniors, $5 students, faculty and staff. The festival will also include two […]
Read More“Walk in Peace: A celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Black History Month” at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 8 at the Fresno City College Old Administration Building Auditorium.
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A concert to celebrate both the CD Release and the life of Levine will be held at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, Feb 1 at Cal Art’s Severance Theatre located at 1401 N Wishon Ave, Fresno. Tickets are $15 and will be available at the door.
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The College of Arts and Humanities at Fresno State 