Music can entertain, inspire and bring people together. But what happens when musicians set aside the written score and create something in the moment? A special event at University of the Pacific will explore how improvisation can become a powerful tool for education, communication, creativity and healing.
On Saturday, October 17, Pacific's Conservatory of Music will present “Breaking Free: The Transformative Power of Music Improvisation,” a free, daylong event bringing together music education and music therapy. The program runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Pacific's Stockton campus and is open to the public.
At the center of the event is acclaimed violinist and educator Christian Howes, who will join musicians and music therapists in exploring the possibilities of improvisation. Rather than focusing solely on musical performance, the program looks at what can happen when people use music spontaneously to communicate, respond to one another and express ideas and emotions that may be difficult to put into words.
The October 17 program is part of a two-day residency by Howes at Pacific. Saturday's activities include an improvisation workshop, discussions about the transformative potential of art, and sessions connecting improvisation with music education and therapy. The day concludes with a live concert featuring Howes alongside Pacific jazz faculty and students, putting many of the ideas explored during the day into practice on stage.
The residency also includes a free screening of “Redemption Time” on Friday, October 16 at 7 p.m. at Faye Spanos Concert Hall. The multimedia performance film features poet Jimmy Santiago Baca and Howes and examines trauma, incarceration and the redemptive potential of artistic expression. The screening is also open to the community.
For educators, musicians, students and families interested in the arts, Breaking Free offers a different way to think about music. Improvisation is often associated with jazz solos or musicians experimenting on stage, but the Pacific program expands that idea by examining how spontaneous music-making can encourage creativity, listening, interaction and personal expression.
It is also an opportunity for Stockton residents to experience the work happening within Pacific's Conservatory of Music without the barrier of an admission price. Both the Friday film screening and Saturday's Breaking Free program are free and open to the public.
Event Details
What: Breaking Free: The Transformative Power of Music Improvisation
When: Saturday, October 17, 2026, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Where: University of the Pacific, Stockton Campus, 3601 Pacific Avenue
Presented by: Conservatory of Music
Featured Artist: Christian Howes
Highlights: Music improvisation, music education, music therapy, workshops, discussions and live performance
Admission: Free and open to the public
Breaking Free event information at University of the Pacific
At its heart, Breaking Free asks the community to consider music as more than something we simply listen to. Music can be a conversation, a teaching tool, a means of expression and, sometimes, a pathway toward connection and healing.