Author Archive


Opera singer Jasmin White performing on stage in red concert attire.

Jasmin White wins 2023 Queen Sonja Singing Competition

August 31, 2023

Jasmin White (‘15), a USC Thornton Vocal Arts & Opera alum, won first prize at the Queen Sonja Singing Competition in Oslo, Norway on August 26. The competition began with 40 singers in the preliminary rounds and came down to six finalists. White earned €50,000 and artwork by H.M. Queen Sonja, who presented the awards… Continue reading Jasmin White wins 2023 Queen Sonja Singing Competition


Violinist Francisco Fullana

Violinist Francisco Fullana featured in The Strad

August 31, 2023

Francisco Fullana, a violinist and USC Thornton alumnus (GCRT ‘15), was featured in The Strad on August 7. He discussed the childhood summers in Andalusia that inspired his latest album, Spanish Light. “One of my earliest recollections involves walking hand in hand with my great-grandmother on a hot summer night, as music and laughter filtered… Continue reading Violinist Francisco Fullana featured in The Strad


Composer Anuj Bhutani

Anuj Bhutani and Nina C. Young named 2023 Chamber Music America Classical Commissioning Grantees

August 29, 2023

USC Thornton Composition master’s student Anuj Bhutani and Composition faculty member Nina C. Young were named 2023 Chamber Music America Classical Commissioning Grantees. Bhutani, a composer and performer studying under Composition faculty member Ted Hearne, will use his grant to produce a new work with the Khemia Ensemble. Young’s grant will support her creation of… Continue reading Anuj Bhutani and Nina C. Young named 2023 Chamber Music America Classical Commissioning Grantees


Illustration of a sheet of music covered with pixelated video game characters.

Trojan Family Magazine spotlights video game scoring at USC Thornton

August 24, 2023

Trojan Family Magazine spotlighted video game scoring at USC Thornton in their Summer 2023 issue, featuring interviews with Screen Scoring program alumna Lauren Kott (MM ’23), and faculty members Jeanine Cowen and Garry Schyman. They explored how Thornton’s Screen Scoring program has contributed to the growth of the video game industry, which is now valued… Continue reading Trojan Family Magazine spotlights video game scoring at USC Thornton


Composer Ted Hearne in a black shirt.

Ted Hearne earns praise for new choral work

August 24, 2023

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 wearing a white shirt looking into the camera in front of a white background.

Luciana Souza

August 23, 2023

Luciana Souza was born in São Paulo, Brazil, in the mid 1960s, and 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… Continue reading Luciana Souza


A baroque mask on an early music piano.

Baroque ensemble Musica Transalpina presents inaugural concert

August 22, 2023

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 string quartet with their instruments in tunnel lit by red neon.

Astral Mixtape named winner of 2023 Astral Artists National Competition

August 17, 2023

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 with instrument wearing concert attire.

Arisa Makita wins second prize at 50th International Tuba Euphonium Conference Competition

August 15, 2023

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


A singer wearing angel wings sitting against a color blue and pink backdrop.

Dallas Caton awarded platinum record for production of “Numb Little Bug”

August 8, 2023

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.”