Author Archive


Photo of Darryl Taylor

Darryl Taylor hosts international conference for African American Art Song Alliance 25th Anniversary Celebration

September 8, 2022

Darryl Taylor (MM ‘91, DMA ‘95), founder of the African American Art Song Alliance (AASA), hosts the AASA’s 25th Anniversary Celebration Conference October 13-16 at the Claire Trevor School of the Arts at the University of California, Irvine. The international conference will focus on African American contributions to classical music in two main areas: social… Continue reading Darryl Taylor hosts international conference for African American Art Song Alliance 25th Anniversary Celebration


Photo of Yu-Ting Peng by a piano

Yu-Ting Peng wins Music Academy of the West competition

September 6, 2022

USC Thornton Keyboard Collaborative Arts program doctoral student Yu-Ting Peng won the Music Academy of the West’s Duo Competition this summer. Her classmate, Matthew Harikian, performed in the competition finals. Both students study with Kevin Fitz-Gerald, a professor in the Thornton Keyboard Studies and Keyboard Collaborative Arts programs.


Photo of Emmy composer and faculty member Laura Karpman

Laura Karpman composes score for rerelease of “The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923)”

September 2, 2022

USC Thornton Screen Scoring Program Adjunct Instructor Laura Karpman and her wife, Nora Kroll-Rosenbaum, composed the score for the remake of the century-old silent film “The Hunchback of Notre Dame.”


Photo of Alan Smith

Alan L. Smith releases song cycle featuring pianist Ryan MacEvoy McCullough

August 31, 2022

USC Thornton Professor, Chair of the Keyboard Studies Department and Director of Keyboard Collaborative Arts program Alan L. Smith has released the song cycle “Surfing The Thin Places.” Smith composed the music and words in remembrance of his mother, who passed away in April 2018. Commissioned by the Fall Island Vocal Arts Seminar, the song… Continue reading Alan L. Smith releases song cycle featuring pianist Ryan MacEvoy McCullough


Photo of JoAnn Turovsky playing the harp.

JoAnn Turovsky featured on “The Legacy of John Williams” podcast

August 29, 2022

Celebrated harpist and USC Thornton Adjunct Professor JoAnn Turovsky was the focus of an L.A. Studio Legends episode of The Legacy of John Williams podcast on July 15. Turovsky can be heard playing the harp solos on the composer’s film scores including Angela’s Ashes, A.I. Artificial Intelligence, Munich and The Book Thief.


Logo of NAME

Thornton Music Teaching & Learning program alumni win award from the National Association for Music Education

August 26, 2022

Four alumni of the USC Thornton Music Teaching & Learning program — primary investigator/author Elizabeth Palmer, (DMA ’17), Tina Huynh (MM ’14, DMA ’19), Christine D’Alexander (MM ’10, DMA ‘15) and Lisa A. Crawford (DMA ’16) — created a research group and won a competitive award from the National Association for Music Education for their pilot… Continue reading Thornton Music Teaching & Learning program alumni win award from the National Association for Music Education


Photo of USC Thornton Interim Dean Josh Kun

Josh Kun quoted in the Los Angeles Times

August 24, 2022

USC Thornton Interim Dean Josh Kun was quoted in the Los Angeles Times in a feature about Arabic-language pop and Elyanna, a 20-year-old Palestinian-Chilean pop singer from Tarzana.


Photo of Professor Beatriz Ilari

Beatriz Ilari named to the editorial board of Music Research Annual

August 22, 2022

Thornton Music Teaching & Learning Associate Professor Beatriz Ilari was named to the editorial board of Music Research Annual. The publication is the first peer-reviewed journal devoted to publishing review essays from the full range of academic disciplines that study music. Thornton Interim Dean Josh Kun is also on the editorial board, which features scholars… Continue reading Beatriz Ilari named to the editorial board of Music Research Annual


Photo of classical guitarist playing their instrument

Chris Garwood launches online learning platform for violinists

August 18, 2022

Online classical music education company tonebase, founded by Thornton Classical Guitar program alumnus Chris Garwood (’15), recently launched a learning platform for violinists. The new platform features a curated library of pre-recorded lessons and courses taught by renowned violinists and pedagogues including USC Thornton Jascha Heifetz Chair in Violin Glenn Dicterow, Aleksey Igudesman, Shmuel Ashkenasi,… Continue reading Chris Garwood launches online learning platform for violinists


Photo of Ismael Ariel Guerrero Bombut holding his cello in front of a downtown city wall.

Ismael Guerrero named 2022-23 Judith and Thomas L. Beckmen LA Phil Resident Fellow

August 15, 2022

Cellist and Thornton alumnus Ismael Guerrero (M.M. ’22) was named a 2022-23 Judith and Thomas L. Beckmen LA Phil Resident Fellow. The program trains early-career symphonic musicians who represent or serve historically underrepresented groups.