On the Horizon: Spring Music, Community and Opportunity at FPU

This free concert will feature the FPU Concert Choir, San Joaquin Valley Chamber Winds and Kings River Brass, with each ensemble performing several selections that reflect renewal, anticipation and fresh beginnings.

Admission is free, and a reception will follow the performance, making it the perfect opportunity to enjoy outstanding music, connect with performers and experience the vibrant creative community at FPU.

But this concert is more than just one evening on the calendar. It represents something bigger happening within the FPU music program.

A Season of Growth and Excellence

This spring is full of meaningful milestones for FPU music students.

Several senior vocal students are preparing for their capstone recitals, a culmination of years of study, discipline and artistic growth. These recitals showcase not only vocal ability but also interpretive skill, stage presence and leadership. All of these are hallmarks of the program’s commitment to excellence.

The FPU Concert Choir recently participated in a Collegiate Consortium performance at the opening concert of the Western Region American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) Conference on March 4 in San Jose. Performing at ACDA is a significant honor and places FPU students alongside respected collegiate programs from across the western United States.

The following evening, on March 5, music students presented their midterm recital, offering another opportunity for the campus and community to hear the developing artistry of FPU musicians.

All these performances reflect the heart of the music program: consistent growth, real-world experience and opportunities that stretch students beyond the classroom.

A Program Designed to Make a Difference

At Fresno Pacific University, studying music is about more than performance. It’s about purpose.

The music program is designed to help students develop their musical expertise and enrich lives. Whether they envision themselves as dynamic performers, inspiring educators, church music leaders or creative composers, FPU equips students to make a meaningful impact within their communities and beyond.

Students engage deeply with music theory and history while gaining hands-on performance experience. The curriculum is crafted to shape not only skilled musicians but also articulate communicators, innovative teachers and compassionate leaders.

The program welcomes a wide range of students—whether first-generation, transfer or returning learners—providing a supportive environment where growth happens both musically and personally.

Concert Choir

Under the direction of Carrie Vail, the Concert Choir brings together students and community members to worship, praise and perform across campus and throughout the Fresno region. The ensemble explores diverse repertoire from sacred classics to contemporary works, strengthening vocal technique, musical literacy and a sense of belonging.

San Joaquin Valley Chamber Winds 

Led by Frank Velasco, the San Joaquin Valley Chamber Winds provides a collaborative space for musicians of all backgrounds to perform together and grow. Open to music majors, non-majors, faculty, staff and community musicians, the ensemble performs throughout the academic year at campus events and community engagements.

Both groups embody what makes FPU distinctive: excellence paired with accessibility, artistry grounded in faith and community at the center of it all.

Join Us “On the Horizon”

The upcoming “On the Horizon” concert is an invitation to celebrate spring, to support student musicians and to experience firsthand what makes Fresno Pacific’s music program so special.

Whether you are a prospective student, an alum, a local music educator or simply someone who loves live performance, this is your chance to step into the story.