From the music of the Mediterranean to the treasures of the Baroque and the voices of women composers through the ages, the Pacific Artist Series at Fresno Pacific University in its 21st season more than lives up to its theme of “Global Jubilations” for 2023-24.
Admission to each concert is $15 for general audiences and $5 for members of the university community. Tickets available at the door or online at fpu.edu/pacificartist. More information at music@fresno.edu or 559-453-2267.
The series kicks off with “Tessellations” by the Cerro Negro at 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 16, in the Elizabeth V. Lyles Theater, part of Warkentine Culture and Arts Center, 4838 E. Butler Ave., Fresno, part of the main FPU campus. Through many iterations over the past 25 years, Cerro Negro has never stopped wowing audiences with its virtuosity and tight ensemble play.
The Pacific Artist Series continues with:
A Festival of Lessons & Carols: Sunday, Dec. 3 at 3 p.m., First Presbyterian Church, 1540 M St., Fresno. Celebrate the season through narrative and song with FPU choirs and ensembles, the San Joaquin Chorale and FPU faculty, directed by Jeffrey Wilson, D.M.A., professor of music and director of choral activities. The program includes traditional carols and contemporary arrangements. This FPU tradition since 2001 is inspired by the traditional Christmas Eve service held in the King’s College Chapel at Cambridge University. Advanced ticket purchase strongly recommended as past performances have sold out.
Treasures of the Baroque - Laudami Ensemble: Saturday, Jan. 20, 2024 at 7 p.m., Warkentine Culture and Arts Center, 4838 E. Butler Ave., Fresno. Known for its lively performances, the Laudami Ensemble brings the past to life through historically informed performance on period instruments. Drawing connections between diverse artistic inspirations, violinist Laura Jeannin and harpsichordist Michael Peterson present a collection of works from the Baroque era centered around the music of Johann Sebastian Bach and his contemporaries.
In Her Hands – Agave Baroque: Saturday, Feb. 10, 2024, 7 p.m., Warkentine Culture and Arts Center, 4838 E. Butler Ave., Fresno. In the exciting follow-up program to their Grammy-nominated album American Originals, Agave Baroque and soprano Michele Kennedy explore images of motherhood and the feminine divine through the ages and across continents as told through the voices of female composers. Delve into the intersections of spirituality and incarnation, grief and hope, and ultimately, transformation.
The Pacific Artists Series is the flagship cycle of concerts presented by the Music Department of Fresno Pacific University. FPU offers undergraduate, graduate and seminary programs that stress solid academic preparation and a strong ethical foundation to more than 3,000 traditional and adult students on the main campus in southeast Fresno and regional campuses in North Fresno, Visalia, Bakersfield and Merced as well as online.
