From Redwood Choir to Point Loma: Mr. Carrillo’s Redwood Farewell

Redwood’s choir director, Melchor Carrillo, is leaving Redwood to start teaching choir at Point Loma Nazarene University.

By: Beth Musto

Mr. Melchor Carrillo has been the choir director for 20 years here at Redwood, and is going to start teaching choir at Point Loma Nazarene University.

Mr. Carrillo says that his high school choir director, from Mt. Whitney, Dan Jackson, recently passed away last July.

“It was tough, because, I mean, your mentor, you know, it was really a tough loss for his students. I mean, of course, his family, obviously, but his students, former students, and then the university was really crushed by his death.” Carrillo says.

Mr. Carrillo says that he got a call from Point Loma in November of 2025, “They asked me to apply, and I thought, I’m not looking for another job. I really enjoy Redwood. But, it really felt like, we felt like the Lord, was, my wife and I, when I say we, I’m talking about my wife. We really felt like we were being led there by the Lord to go to Point Loma, to serve there.”

Lauren Carrillo, ‘26, is going to attend Point Loma in the fall, she says, “I think what I’m most excited for my college journey is probably just, like, living in a new place and getting to, you know, see some more of California that I haven’t really lived in before,”

“And then, for my dad, I’m just really excited for him to work at another level, and, you know, he’s been at high school for 20 plus years, and so it’s just exciting for him to do something new and exciting.” Carrillo says.

Hannah Board, who works in the music department beside Mr. Carrillo says, “It’s bittersweet for sure. I’m sad because we’ve worked together for 13 years, but I also know that he has really great things ahead of him, so I’m excited to see what he has in store for Point Loma.”

Transitioning to high school choir and college choir is a big change. In high school, you meet everyday, while in the college environment, you might meet once every other day.

“Well, a lot of it [is different from high school], like academia is very, it is different. You don’t meet everyday. That’s one of the big things, which could be good and bad.” Mr. Carrillo says.

Mr. Carrillo also says that it can be scary not meeting everyday because it’s normal for him to meet with his students daily, now transitioning to the college schedule, he thinks he’ll teach about 3 classes a week.

“I think it’s going to take some adjusting, getting used to a slower pace of teaching classes, and then also performing in that thing. So, it’ll be a change.” Mr. Carrillo says.

Carrillo says, “I’m really excited for him, and I’m really excited for his opportunity, because, you know, working at a college level is, like, really exciting, and it’s a bump up, definitely, but I am sad at just having, you know, Redwood’s kind of, like, feels like a home, and it’s kind of sad leaving Visalia and stuff, but, I’m really excited for the next opportunity.”

Mr. Carrillo says that it’s a beautiful experience when you get to become one of your child’s teachers. He says that they get to see you in a different way than at home.

Mr. Carrillo says, “I taught my oldest daughter, Noelle, here [at Redwood] for 4 years, and Lauren, for 4 years, and my son, who’s an eighth grader, he’s very sad about not being able to come to Redwood because he really wanted to do choir, and AG, and do all the things.”

“[Your children], they get to see you in a much different light than at home, and then you see your dad as a teacher and it’s totally different. So it’s been a beautiful experience to be able to teach your kids,” Mr. Carrillo says.

Carrillo is going to be in the choir when she goes to Point Lomal. She says that she thinks that Mr. Carrillo will be the same when he starts teaching choir at Point Loma.

She says, “I think he’s going to be the same, but, you know, it’s going to be different because it’s not the same people that are in [choir], but, you know, it’s going to be familiar just because he’s going to be there still and teaching in the same way, hopefully.”

With working at Redwood for 20 plus years, Mr. Carrillo has been on trips with the choir, going to different cities for concerts, going to Disneyland earlier this year, there are so many memories that he and Ms. Board have while working together at Redwood.

“I think, I mean, trips always have great memories. But I think some of the best memories are during class in rehearsals where either he roasts a kid, or, like, we share in a musical moment, and, like, it’s palpable in the room, you know?” Ms. Board says, “Like, those [memories] don’t always come in performances. Sometimes they come in rehearsals. We’ve had a lot of those over the years.”

Most of Redwood will miss Mr. Carrillo when he leaves. His students, the staff and friends he made during his 20 years. He will always be a Ranger at heart.

As the school year comes to a close, Mr. Carrillo will always have a special place for Redwood in his heart. He says, “I’m going to miss Redwood. I’m going to miss being here and being a part of this community, and I’m just really grateful for the opportunity I was given to serve here for the 20 years [I had here].”

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