University of Southern California

The USC Thornton Chamber Singers & Concert Choir celebrate music exemplifying peace in the face of oppression and the transition between night and day. The concert features works from the classical repertoire of Mozart and Monteverdi to Thornton faculty member Ted Hearne as well as a collaborative commission by Stacey V. Gibbs and Shawn Kirchner. The Chamber Singers will present works highlighting issues of oppression and peaceful ways to combat it. In addition to works by Hildegard von Bingen, Salamone Rossi, Wolfram Buchenberg, and Ted Hearne, the program features a collaborative commission by composers Stacey V. Gibbs and Shawn Kirchner. Evoking the transition between night and day, the Concert Choir will focus on the poetry of dawn, performing music by Mozart and Monteverdi, American composers Daniel Elder and Eric Whitacre, Latin American composers Alberto Grau (Venezuela) and Aylton Escobar (Brazil), and one selection by the ensemble's conductor, Cristian Grases.

Following a pre-opera discussion hosted by Ken Cazan, USC Thornton and the USC School of Cinematic Arts present a delayed broadcast of Giuseppe Verdi’s Aida. The grandest of grand operas, Aida features an epic backdrop for what is in essence an intimate love story. Set in ancient Egypt and packed with magnificent choruses, complex ensembles, and elaborate ballets, Aida never loses sight of its three protagonists. Soprano Anna Netrebko sings her first Met Aida, going toe-to-toe with mezzo-soprano Anita Rachvelishvili as Amneris. Pre-Opera Discussion at 12PM HD Opera Broadcast at 1PM Presented by USC Visions and Voices: The Arts and Humanities Initiative. Organized by the USC School of Cinematic Arts in conjunction with the USC Thornton School of Music and the Metropolitan Opera.

The Jazz Honors Combo, a select group of USC Thornton jazz musicians led by Jason Goldman, headlines this ongoing showcase of contemporary jazz at Carson Center.

A concert and discussion, featuring the Los Angeles Orchestra Fellowship, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Street Symphony, and USC Thornton School of Music. The Los Angeles Orchestra Fellowship, a program designed to increase diversity in classical music, welcomed its first class this fall. To celebrate its launch, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra (LACO), Street Symphony and USC Thornton School of Music will present a wide-reaching performance and panel discussion to follow. The performance features the first class of fellows, including violinists Sydney Adedamola and Ayrton Pisco, violist Bradley Parrimore, and cellist Juan-Salvador Carrasco. The celebrated guest artists include Anthony McGill, principal clarinet of New York Philharmonic; Todd Strange, a tenor with the LA Master Chorale; and musicians from LACO including violinists Tereza Stanislav and Cheryl Norman-Brick, violist Robert Brophy, and cellist Giovanna Clayton. PROGRAM: W.A. Mozart, Clarinet Quintet in A, K. 581 I. Allegro Anthony McGill, clarinet Sydney Adedamola, violin, Ayrton Pisco, violin, Bradley Parrimore, viola, Juan-Salvador Carrasco, cello Ben Shirley, Brother Burn Anthony McGill, clarinet, Todd Strange, tenor D. Shostakovich, String Quartet No.10 in A-flat Major, Op. 118 I. Andante II. Allegretto furioso Sydney Adedamola, violin, Ayrton Pisco, violin, Bradley Parrimore, viola, Juan-Salvador Carrasco, cello J. Brahms, Clarinet Quintet in B minor, Op. 115 I. Allegro Anthony McGill, clarinet, Tereza Stanislav, violin, Cheryl Norman-Brick, violin, Robert Brophy, viola, Giovanna Clayton, cello The event includes a panel discussion to follow moderated by Derrick Spiva, LACO’s artist educator, and including clarinetist Anthony McGill, cellist Giovanna Clayton, composer Juan Pablo Contreras, and Akilah Morgan, executive assistant of the Inner City Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles (ICYOLA). Launched in August 2018, the Los Angeles Orchestra Fellowship was conceived by a partnership of ICYOLA, the country’s largest African-American-majority youth orchestra; LACO, one of the world’s leading chamber orchestras; and USC Thornton, one of the country’s top music programs. ADMISSION: Admission is free. Reservations required. RSVP at the links below. USC Students, Staff, and Faculty: RSVP USC Alumni: RSVP General Public: RSVP Presented by USC Visions and Voices: The Arts and Humanities Initiative in partnership with Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, LA Orchestra Fellowship, Street Symphony and USC Thornton School of Music.

Rhythm facilitator John Fitzgerald leads a session exploring instruments and activities that help connect us to our sense of wellbeing, while being “in play” with one another. Fitzgerald's playful approach to mindfulness addresses the stresses of life and the need for a deeper sense of connection.

Renowned lutenist, conductor, and musicologist Paul O'Dette visits USC Thornton for a masterclass in lute performance. Location: USC Thornton's University Gateway (UGW) facility on Figueroa Blvd. Room 120 This event is open to the public, but access is restricted. Those wishing to attend should email akgilber@usc.edu.

The Parkside Winds present a concert of music for wind quintet, performing works by Ibert, Hindemith, and Mozart. Relax and skip the traffic each Wednesday afternoon with a free performance by USC Thornton students. Stick around and meet the musicians at a reception following the concert!

Renowned lutenist, conductor, and musicologist Paul O'Dette visits USC Thornton for a masterclass in classical guitar performance.

The USC Thornton Wind Ensemble celebrates the centennial of visionary American composer Leonard Bernstein with a performance of favorites from West Side Story to Candide, along with music by Adam Schoenberg and faculty member Jim Self. H. Robert Reynolds and Sharon Lavery conduct. PROGRAM Jim Self – Ta Da Fanfare Adam Schoenberg – Picture Studies Leonard Bernstein – Overture to Candide Leonard Bernstein – Symphonic Dances from West Side Story Leonard Bernstein – BSO Forever March

USC Thornton's Apollo and Oriana choirs join forces to celebrate music that traces our unique individual stories as part of diverse histories, families, and faiths.

Bob Mintzer leads the USC Thornton Jazz Orchestra in an evening of standards and original compositions featuring acclaimed faculty drummer Peter Erskine, Director of Drumset Studies at Thornton.

The Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra (LACO)-Thornton Strings Mentorship Program presents the Mock Orchestral Audition, providing students with the hands-on experience of a professional orchestra audition. True to the professional process, selected USC Thornton Strings students will play orchestral excerpts behind a screen for a panel of adjudicators. At the conclusion of the audition, a special award may be given to an exceptional student at the discretion of the judges, giving them an opportunity to be mentored by a LACO principal musician and to perform as a substitute player during one week of the orchestra's 2018-19 concert season.