School of Music
Spring 2026 CONCERTS
AND EVENTS
Brass Day
Brass players of all ages are invited to attend performances and masterclasses given by the guest artists, as well as participate in a group brass ensemble in the final concert showcase.For more information as well as registration details, please contact Dan Tembras at [email protected].
Sunday Jan. 18 All Day
Auer Performance Hall
Admission is free for everyone.
Guest Artists Recital: Joseph Bognar & Nicole Lee: Piano
Nicole Lee and Joseph Bognar from Valparaiso University will present an evening of four-hand and piano duo music featuring transcriptions of music from ballets, including works by Tchaikovsky, Copland, Debussy, Gluck, and Ravel.
Saturday, Jan. 24 7:30 p.m.
Rhinehart Recital Hall
Gene Marcus Piano Competition Finals and Winners Recital
The annual Gene Marcus Piano Competition celebrates its 15th year and regularly attracts top, young pianists from Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio. Pianists, up to the age of 18 within 100 miles of Fort Wayne, compete in four age divisions for cash prizes and Gene Marcus Piano Camp scholarships.
Sunday, Feb. 8
Finals: 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Winners Recital: 6:30 p.m.
Rhinehart Recital Hall
Admission is free for everyone.
Concerto, Aria, and Composition Orchestra Concert
This concert features the PFW School of music students chosen, by competition, for an opportunity to solo with the orchestra, or have a musical composition premiered. Student soloists featured include Braden Koble, Carter Vernon, Evan Sroufe, Christian Urizar, and Elias Washer. Michael Farr will appear as a student composer.
Monday, Feb. 9 7:30 p.m.
Auer Performance Hall
Music Therapy Client Recital
Share the joy of music with practicing music therapists who will assist their client performers in demonstrating skills they developed through participation in music therapy services. Contact Peggy Farlow, senior lecturer in Music Therapy, for additional information at [email protected]
Saturday, February 14 2:30 p.m.
Rhinehart Recital Hall
Admission is free for everyone.
Woodwind Day
This event is open to all woodwind players (flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, and saxophone) regardless of age and will feature recitals and workshops led by the PFW woodwind faculty Vivianne Belanger, Luke Fitzpatrick, Travis Larson, Pavel Morunov, Kylie Stultz-Dessent, Paul Lorenz and guest artist, Bonita Boyd - Flute Professor at the Eastman School of Music. Please contact [email protected] for questions and RSVP information.
Sunday, Feb. 15 1 p.m. – 6 p.m.
PFW Music Center
Admission is free for all participants.
Choral Concert: Music for Reflection
Join the Purdue Fort Wayne Chamber Treble Singers, Choral Union, and University Singers for Music for Reflection, an evening inviting contemplation, resilience, and hope. Anchored by Charpentier’s radiant Te Deum and the moving Elegy for Matthew, honoring Matthew Shepard who would have celebrated his 50th birthday in 2026, the program offers space for remembrance and renewal. Featuring organist Dr. Geoffrey North, the concert illuminates how choral music helps us reflect, heal, and imagine a more compassionate world.
Conductors: Dr. Wiliam Sauerland, Dr. Kelly Evans, and Mr. Tavis Schlicker
Collaborative Pianists: Mrs. Irene Ator and Dr. Geoffrey North
Monday, Feb. 16 7:30 p.m.
First Wayne Street United Methodist Church
Ticket info to follow
PFW Jazz Ensemble Presents: “Gordon, Tom, and Friends”
Join the PFW Jazz Ensemble for a fun night of eclectic jazz favorites by Gordon Goodwin, Tom Kubris, and friends The Big Phat Band.
Monday, Feb. 23 7:30 p.m.
Auer Performance Hall
Trumpet Studio Recital
Sunday, Mar. 1 2:30 p.m.
Rhinehart Recital Hall
Admission is free for everyone.
Faculty Artist Recital: Hamilton Tescarollo, piano
Dr. Hamilton Tescarollo, Professor of Music and Director of Keyboard Studies, will present a solo piano recital featuring Chopin’s Fantasy in F Minor, Op. 49, sonatas by Scarlatti and Mozart, and additional works by Bach/Busoni, Ravel, Guarnieri, and Lacerda.
Sunday, Mar. 1 5 p.m.
Rhinehart Recital Hall
Bands Concert III
This evening will feature the Bands in collaboration with the Fort Wayne Children’s Choir performing A Silence Haunts Me, a setting by Jake Runestad of Beethoven’s Heiligenstadt Testament. The concert will include works by Giroux, Turina, and Percy Grainger’s monumental Lincolnshire Posy.
Wednesday, Mar. 4 7:30 p.m.
Auer Performance Hall
TICKETS AVAILABLE SOON
Faculty Recital: Dr. Matthew Giallongo with Guest Artist Ellen Boll (piano)
Join us for a faculty recital featuring PFW faculty Dr. Matt Giallongo. Songs of the Night and Sea is a recital exploring works by Fauré, Larsen, and Granero. With guest artist Ellen Boll at the piano, this program travels through nocturnal scenes, ocean imagery, and the emotional colors they inspire.
Thursday, Mar. 5 7:30 p.m.
Rhinehart Recital Hall
Choral Concert: Invocation
Join the Manchester Symphony Orchestra with the Purdue Fort Wayne choirs for Invocation, a program that summons reflection, remembrance, and renewal. Charpentier’s Te Deum offers a brilliant call to praise, while Elegy for Matthew honors Matthew Shepard who would have celebrated his 50th birthday in 2026. This 3:00 PM performance in Cordier Auditorium evokes music’s power to heal, illuminate, and unite.
Conductors: Dr. Debra Lynn and Dr. William Sauerland
Sunday, Mar. 8 3 p.m.
Cordier Auditorium, Manchester, IN
Admission is free for everyone.
TICKETS: MANCHESTER SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Spring Vocal Division Showcase: Anti-Love Songs
Join the PFW voice students for an evening of music that explores the other side of love—the breakups, the near-misses, the disappointments, and the romances that never quite bloom. A month after Valentine’s Day, come enjoy a program that reminds us it’s not always roses and chocolates. Sometimes love falls apart… and sometimes that makes for the best music.
Wednesday Mar. 25 7:30 p.m.
Rhinehart Recital Hall
Admission is free for everyone.
Mid-America Guitar Ensemble Festival Opening Concert
Please join us for the opening concert of the Mid-America Guitar Ensemble Festival 2026. This concert will feature classical guitar ensembles from the Midwest region. Directed by Prof. Laura Lydy.
Friday, Mar. 27 7:30 p.m.
Auer Performance Hall
Mid-America Guitar Ensemble Festival 2026 Guest Artist Recital: Duo Exaudi
Duo Exuadi, featuring classical guitarists Elina Chekan and René Izquierdo, is celebrated as one of the world’s premier classical guitar duos. Renowned for their technical brilliance, emotional depth, and versatile repertoire, they have captivated audiences across North America, Europe, Asia, and Central America. Their performances encompass a diverse range of musical styles, from timeless classical works to innovative contemporary compositions, highlighting the guitar's versatility as both a solo and chamber instrument. The duo’s name, "Exaudi," comes from the Latin phrase meaning "to listen." This reflects their belief in music as a transformative art form, inviting listeners to pause, reflect, and engage deeply with the expressive nuances of sound. Their performances transcend mere technical display, offering audiences a shared experience of storytelling through music—guest artists for the Mid-American Guitar Ensemble Festival.
Saturday, Mar. 28 7:30 p.m.
Rhinehart Recital Hall
Mid-America Guitar Ensemble Festival 2026 - closing concert
Featuring classical guitar ensembles from the Midwest region. This concert will premiere "Creative Endeavour a Dramatic Suite in Four Movements" for guitar orchestra, composed and conducted by Dr. Kevin McMahon. Directed by Prof. Laura Lydy.
Sunday, Mar. 29 1 p.m.
Auer Performance Hall
Percussion Studio Recital
Experience percussion solo music performed by PFW percussionists. This concert showcases the wide array of instruments incorporated in the study of percussion. Come experience a display of virtuosity and refinement as students display the expressivity of their solo performance.
Saturday, Apr. 4 7:30 p.m.
Rhinehart Recital Hall
String Studio Recital
Tuesday, Apr. 7 7:30 p.m.
Rhinehart Recital Hall
Admission is free for everyone.
Piano Studio Recital
Thursday, Apr. 9 7:30 p.m.
Rhinehart Recital Hall
Admission is free for everyone.
Saxophone Studio Recital
Saturday, Apr. 11 2:30 p.m.
Rhinehart Recital Hall
Admission is free for everyone.
Clarinet Studio Recital
Sunday, Apr. 12 5 p.m.
Rhinehart Recital Hall
Admission is free for everyone.
Guitar Ensemble and Studio Recital
Please join us for a splendid evening of guitar music. The program will feature a wide array of musical styles showcasing students from our PFW School of Music guitar studios, directed by Prof. Laura Lydy.
Wednesday, Apr. 15 7:30 p.m.
Rhinehart Recital Hall
Opera Ensemble Presents: Love, Tricks, & Trouble: An Evening of Opera Scenes
Join the PFW Opera Ensemble for an entertaining evening of famous, fabulous, and unforgettable songs from a variety of composers about the highs and lows of romantic love.
Friday, Apr. 17 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Apr. 18 7:30 p.m.
Rhinehart Recital Hall
Jazz Ensemble Presents "It Might as Well Be Spring"
The PFW Ensemble presents a lively evening of hopeful, delightful music destined to put a spring in your step and get you excited for warmer weather ahead.
Sunday, Apr. 19 7:30 p.m.
Auer Performance Hall
Orchestra Final Concert
PFW Director of Keyboard Studies Dr. Hamilton Tescarollo will perform the Second Piano Concerto of Camille Saint-Saens. Vocal faculty member Ashlee Bickley McCrory will sing Elgar's Sea Pictures with the orchestra.
Tuesday, Apr. 21 7:30 p.m.
Auer Performance Hall
Percussion Ensemble Concert
PFW percussion students perform chamber music works by the leading composers of our time. Exclusively a new music ensemble, the PFW percussion ensemble performs pieces at the intersection of classical music and popular appeal. Prepared with the nuance and precision of classical music and the expression and aesthetic of popular styles, this music offers an exhilarating experience for audiences of all types.
Wednesday, Apr. 22 7:30 p.m.
Auer Performance Hall
Pop & Rock Supershow #1
Dive into the ultimate musical experience with Pop ‘n’ Rock Supershow! This high-energy concert will feature popular music ensembles delivering an exciting mix of classic covers and original hits, making for an unforgettable night of pop and rock entertainment.
Wednesday, Apr. 22 6 p.m.
Sweetwater Training Center
Admission is free for everyone.
Pop & Rock Supershow #2
Dive into the ultimate musical experience with Pop ‘n’ Rock Supershow! This high-energy concert will feature popular music ensembles delivering an exciting mix of classic covers and original hits, making for an unforgettable night of pop and rock entertainment.
Thursday, Apr. 23 6 p.m.
Sweetwater Training Center
Admission is free for everyone.
Nova Musica Ensemble of PFW Composer's Studio
Join us for an exciting premier performance by PFW’s newest ensemble, Nova Musica Ensemble of the PFW Composer’s Studio, led by Dr. Kevin McMahon.
Friday, Apr. 24 7:30 p.m.
Rhinehart Recital Hall
Admission is free for everyone.
Crafting a Career- How to Build Your Business: A Conversation with Composer Jorge Sosa
Sponsored by Heartland Sings, the School of Music is proud to bring Sosa to campus for an exciting discussion about how to build a successful career as a creative spirit. Learn more about Sosa at https://www.jorgesosa.com/
Saturday, Apr. 25 11 a.m.
Rhinehart Recital Hall
Admission is free for everyone.
Jazz Combo Spring Concert
PFW Jazz Combo presents a concert of classic jazz repertoire from the 1950’s to the present. Individual improvisational creativity is explored in a variety of styles including bebop, modal, Latin jazz, and jazz-funk.
Sunday, Apr. 26 7:30 p.m.
Rhinehart Recital Hall
Bands Concert IV: Cornerstones
Tonight will be filled with cornerstone works for wind band including Jonathan Young performing Stravinsky’s Concerto for Piano and Wind Instruments, Holst’s First Suite, Armenian Dances, and Hindemith’s Symphony in Bb.
Thursday, Apr. 30 7:30 p.m.
Auer Performance Hall
From Sea to Shining Sea: Choral Music of the United States
Celebrate the nation’s 250th anniversary with From Sea to Shining Sea: Choral Music of the United States, featuring the Purdue Fort Wayne Chamber Treble Singers, Choral Union, and University Singers. Showcasing the breadth of American choral traditions—folk, spirituals, classical, contemporary, and global influences—the program honors the diverse voices that shape our national story. Joined by high school singers from the inaugural Pearl-Purdue Choral Festival, this concert highlights the vibrant musical tapestry that continues to define the American experience.
Conductors: Dr. Wiliam Sauerland, Dr. Kelly Evans, and Mr. Tavis Schlicker
Collaborative Pianists: Mrs. Irene Ator and Dr. Geoffrey North
Friday, May 1 7:30 p.m.
Auer Performance Hall