Marissa Williams, junior, Fresno, will play flute in the College Band Directors National Conference (CBDNC) Small College/University Intercollegiate Honor Band. She was one of more than 275 musicians who auditioned for the band and one of two students from California who were chosen.
"This is a wonderful way for FPU to receive positive exposure on the national level in the wind band world," said Patricia DeBenedetto, director of the university's wind and jazz ensembles.
The band will perform during the CBDNC in March at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, where auditions took place in November.
Judges sought students at the highest level of performance, according to DeBenedetto. Those selected have the potential to be accepted to a major graduate school or conservatory.
Frank Ticheli will conduct the honor band. He teaches at the University of Southern California and is a highly acclaimed composer of wind band music. The 2007 honor band comprises about 80 musicians on piccolo, flute, oboe, English horn, bassoon, clarinet, saxophone, horn, trumpet, trombone, euphonium, tuba and percussion.