Editor’s Note: Staff writer Ryan Heal participated in the Concert Choir tour as an instrumentalist.
In the early hours of the Friday before spring break, the 63-member Point Loma Nazarene University Concert Choir gathered outside Cooper Music Center, preparing to depart for its annual five-day tour — its first since the death of Daniel Jackson, professor of music and conductor of the choir for 24 years, who died of cancer in July 2025.
The energy was high on the way to the airport, where the excited choir took two buses. Once through TSA, they took a flight from San Diego to San Jose, about an hour-long flight, where the tour began its trek across Northern California and into Nevada. On the drive to Christ Community Church in San Ramon, Calif., songs like “Ride On, King Jesus,” and “Standin’ in the Need of Prayer” inevitably broke out, with the whole bus contributing.
Though the hype was high, something was missing. Julia Ramos, a fourth-year commercial music major, said that Jackson’s absence was felt.
“He cared so much about tour, the mission of tour,” she said. “We get to benefit from all the work that he put in.”
The tour, which was led by interim choir director Melva Morrison, took the choir to five cities where they performed in front of church congregations.
Morrison said it was difficult to plan this year’s performance schedule, picking up the pieces that Jackson left behind. She said the biggest problem was managing the logistics — travel arrangements, timing and keeping people motivated.
Ramos said it was difficult to figure out how to tour without Jackson.
“One big thing is that Jackson knew everything,” she said. “He was very organized within himself. He had everything close to his chest.”
Although Jackson did much of the heavy lifting, Morrison said that it was her joy to try to make it so future tours would be easier to plan, reducing the overall amount of work per person.
“My favorite thing to do is planning the repertoire,” she said. “The thing I look forward to the most is using some of Dan’s pieces and ideas and merging that with mine.”
Morrison made sure to keep much of the performance structure Jackson pioneered. Songs like “Hlohonolofatsa” and “Namukelekile,” both arranged by Jackson, were kept in the repertoire as a means to celebrate his life, Morrison said. Each performance on tour closed with a sung benediction, another component originally implemented by Jackson.
Morrison also devoted time to making sure the students in leadership positions were part of the planning process.
“Part of what Dan did, his teaching framework, was to have student leaders who occupied positions and be able to manage so many different jobs,” she said. “He really invested in the students.”
Titus Gluck, a first-year graphic design major, was excited. He said the Concert Choir was the first organized group he ever sang for. He grew up singing in the church, but has never participated in a formal choir.
Kyle Gould, a third-year psychology major, joined the tour as an instrumentalist. He said he was grateful to be part of the choir.
“[It was] a great social aspect that I wouldn’t have gotten if I stayed home over spring break,” he said.
Gould also reflected on how Jackson had impacted him and the choir.
“To hear that he had passed over the semester, it hit everyone hard,” he said. “He is such a big part of what is happening to the choir. It is impossible to not have him honored and revered for the tour.”
While Jackson is missed, the concert choir tour continued — going to Yuba City, Redding, Oroville and Carson City — carrying his spirit as they drove to their performances.
“I believe that he, in some way, is watching us,” Ramos said. “And his presence is still here, in every member of the choir.”
Adee Tulcan 
Kailyn Collette