Ted Hearne earns praise for new choral work
Ted Hearne, a composer and USC Thornton Composition program faculty member, earned praise from The New York Times and NPR for his new choral work, Farming. The piece premiered on June 22 on a Pennsylvania farm and was performed by The Crossing. Featuring 24 vocalists as well as guitars, percussions and electronics, Farming grapples with… Continue reading Ted Hearne earns praise for new choral work
Luciana Souza
Luciana Souza was born in São Paulo, Brazil in 1966. Souza grew up in a family of Bossa Nova innovators—her father, a singer and songwriter, her mother, a poet and lyricist. Her work as a performer transcends traditional boundaries around musical styles, offering solid roots in jazz, sophisticated lineage in world music and an enlightened… Continue reading Luciana Souza
Baroque ensemble Musica Transalpina presents inaugural concert
The new baroque sacred music ensemble Musica Transalpina—formed by USC Thornton alumni Bryan Roach (’14) and Noah Gladstone (MM ’08), as well as Pomona College faculty member Luc Kleiner—will present their inaugural concert on August 27 at 3 p.m. at St. Mark’s Presbyterian Church in Newport Beach. Dedicated exclusively to repertoire of the 17th century,… Continue reading Baroque ensemble Musica Transalpina presents inaugural concert
Astral Mixtape named winner of 2023 Astral Artists National Competition
Astral Mixtape, which features USC Thornton alumni Misha Vayman (GCRT ’20), Juan-Salvador Carrasco (MM ’19, GCRT, ’20) and Michael Siess (MM ’19), was named a winner of the 2023 Astral Artists National Competition. The chamber ensemble is one of seven winners who have been invited to join the artist roster in Astral’s 23/24 season. Still… Continue reading Astral Mixtape named winner of 2023 Astral Artists National Competition
Arisa Makita wins second prize at 50th International Tuba Euphonium Conference Competition
Arisa Makita, a euphonium player and USC Thornton Winds & Percussion graduate certificate student, won second prize in the Solo Euphonium Artist Division of the 50th International Tuba Euphonium Conference Competition. The conference was held May 29-June 3 at Arizona State University and drew musicians from around the world. In addition to participating in the… Continue reading Arisa Makita wins second prize at 50th International Tuba Euphonium Conference Competition
Dallas Caton awarded platinum record for production of “Numb Little Bug”
Dallas Caton (BS ’20), a music producer and USC Thornton Music Industry program alumnus, was awarded a platinum record by the Recording Industry Association of America for his production of Em Beihold’s hit song “Numb Little Bug.”
Tara Aesquivel
The arts have shaped Tara Aesquivel’s life and, through her work, she hopes to share the power of the arts with others. Tara is a classically-trained musician and earned a B.A. in Music from the University of Missouri–Kansas City. Convinced that she could have a broader impact offstage, Tara earned a Master’s degree in Arts… Continue reading Tara Aesquivel
Dean Jason King honors Sinéad O’Connor in NPR feature
In an NPR feature published on August 2, journalist and USC Thornton Dean Jason King honored the music and life of Irish singer Sinéad O’Connor, who died last week at age 56. Drawing on her 1993 performance of “Make Me a Channel of Your Peace,” King described O’Connor as a freedom singer akin to the… Continue reading Dean Jason King honors Sinéad O’Connor in NPR feature
Jacob Sustaita
Jacob Sustaita serves as the assistant conductor for Pacific Symphony, a position he has held since the fall of 2020. Sustaita also serves as music director and conductor for Pacific Symphony Youth Orchestra (PSYO), the premier training orchestra of Orange County, recognized as one of the most outstanding youth orchestras in the country. Sustaita is… Continue reading Jacob Sustaita
Tom Hall
Tom Hall is a Tasmanian and Australian electronic audio-visual artist who now calls Lake Arrowhead, CA his home. With a two-decade career in the music industry across multiple continents, Hall’s journey has been expansive. His educational background includes graduating from the Australian National University, majoring in Media Arts and pursuing further studies in sound at… Continue reading Tom Hall