Campus to Carnegie: Pacific Lutheran University Faculty Perform in NYC

Pacific Lutheran University is celebrating a significant moment in the arts as several esteemed faculty members are set to perform at the world-renowned Carnegie Hall in New York City this spring. These performances highlight PLU’s strong connection to one of the most iconic music venues and feature a diverse array of musical styles and themes.

Photo by Natalie Gaynor

Carpe Diem String Quartet: A Night of Premieres at Weill Recital Hall

On February 27, 2025, the Carpe Diem String Quartet (CDSQ) founded by Visiting Instructor of Music, Strings, and Composition, Korine Fujiwara, will take the stage at Weill Recital Hall in Carnegie Hall. The program offers a blend of new, thought-provoking compositions with timeless classical pieces. The evening includes the New York premiere of Ubuntu (2023) by Mark Lomax II, a powerful work inspired by the African concept of “humanity toward others.” Also featured are world premieres: Vanishing Point (2023) by Laura Kaminsky, exploring themes of time and memory, and Mosey (2024) by Korine Fujiwara, a piece influenced by the notion of inspiration finding the artist, rather than the other way around. Rounding out the concert will be classical works by Somei Satoh and Sergei Prokofiev, offering a balanced mix of contemporary and classical influences.

Raul Dominguez Conducts the World Premiere of Climate Mass

PLU Photo/Sy Bean

Raul Dominguez, Assistant Professor of Music and Associate Director of Choral Studies, will then conduct the world premiere of Climate Mass by Loretta Notareschi and Alyse Knorr on April 6, 2025, in the Stern Auditorium. This monumental performance will blend traditional mass texts with a socially conscious commentary on climate change. The Dominguez Singers, a group of performers from across the country, along with choirs from Regis University and local high schools, will join together to present this work. This performance marks a full-circle moment in Dominguez’s career, as he has dreamed of conducting at Carnegie Hall since his choir performed there years ago. A Washington premiere of Climate Mass will be held at PLU on April 29, conducted by Dominguez.

PLU Photo/Sy Bean

Brian Galante’s Return to Carnegie Hall

Looking ahead to March 2026, Associate Dean of the School of Music, Theatre & Dance and Director of Choral Studies, Brian Galante, will conduct a combined choir of national ensembles in Leonard Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms at Carnegie Hall. Bernstein’s deeply emotional work, which Galante has long admired, will be performed with a professional orchestra, highlighting the themes of unity through its Hebrew text. Galante, who first conducted at Carnegie Hall in 2004, will lead a four-day residency for the choirs before the culmination of this exciting performance.

A Shared Commitment to Excellence and Innovation

These performances are a proud moment for both PLU community and its faculty, who continue to push the boundaries of classical music, contemporary composition, and social commentary through their work. PLU’s involvement at Carnegie Hall highlights the university’s ongoing commitment to artistic excellence and innovation, and these concerts are sure to make a lasting impact, coast to coast.