Thornton alumni garner 2022 Emmy nominations
Three USC Thornton alumni have been recognized with 2022 Emmy nominations. Music director and Thornton Jazz Studies Department alumnus Eli Brueggemann (MM ’03) was nominated for Outstanding Music Direction for his work on “Saturday Night Live.” Executive producer and Thornton Music Industry program alumnus Bobby Campbell (’08) received a nomination for Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-recorded)… Continue reading Thornton alumni garner 2022 Emmy nominations
Justin Klunk performs benefit show for nonprofit Asian American theater company
On July 23 at 7 p.m. at the Aratani Theatre in Los Angeles, Popular Music program alumnus and saxophonist Justin Klunk (’13) performs in Guide Me Home: A Smooth Jazz Benefit Show, with proceeds benefiting The Grateful Crane Ensemble, a southern California-based, nonprofit, Asian American theater company.
Nate Sloan featured on BBC’s The Inquiry
Assistant Professor of Musicology Nate Sloan was featured as an expert source in a new episode of BBC’s podcast The Inquiry: “Is Spotify Killing The Music Industry?”
Garrett McQueen named American Composers Orchestra’s director of artist equity
American Composers Orchestra (ACO) has appointed bassoonist, radio host and USC Thornton alum Garrett McQueen (MM ’12) as its new director of artist equity. According to a press release, McQueen will “play an essential role in the documentation, evaluation and dissemination of ACO’s 40-year history of composer discovery and development, driving composer advancement and programming… Continue reading Garrett McQueen named American Composers Orchestra’s director of artist equity
Billy Childs premieres violin concerto at Grant Park Music Festival
GRAMMY Award-winning artist and Thornton alumnus Billy Childs (’79) premieres his Violin Concerto No. 2 at the Grant Park Music Festival in Chicago on July 15-16. The piece will be performed by the festival’s Project Inclusions String Quartet and features acclaimed violinist Rachel Barton Pine as a soloist. Grant Park Music Festival co-commissioned the composition,… Continue reading Billy Childs premieres violin concerto at Grant Park Music Festival
Daniel Strychacz named assistant professor at Muskingum University
USC Thornton Department of Choral & Sacred Music alumnus Daniel Strychacz (MM ’15, DMA ’21) has been named an assistant professor of choral music at Muskingum University, a private liberal arts college in New Concord, Ohio.
Steven Vanhauwaert joins faculty at University of Utah School of Music
Pianist Steven Vanhauwaert (MM ’06, GCRT ’08), an alumnus of the USC Thornton Keyboard Studies program, was named an assistant professor of piano/collaborative piano at the University of Utah’s School of Music. He will begin his new position in the fall 2022 semester.
Peter Erskine named to the Percussive Arts Society Hall of Fame
Thornton Jazz Studies faculty member and GRAMMY Award-winning drummer Peter Erskine was named to the Percussive Arts Society Hall of Fame this year. The Percussive Arts Society Hall of Fame was established in 1972 to recognize the contributions of the most highly regarded leaders in percussion performance, education, research, scholarship, administration, composition and the industry.
Ron McCurdy appointed to the Association of European Conservatories’ Diversity, Inclusion and Gender Equality Working Group
Ron McCurdy, assistant dean of Thornton’s justice, equity, diversity and inclusion committee and a professor in the jazz studies department, has been appointed to the Association of European Conservatories’ Diversity, Inclusion and Gender Equality Working Group.
Taeguk Mun named laureate of the 2022 Queen Elisabeth Competition
Cellist, current graduate certificate student and alumnus Taeguk Mun (MM ’20) was named a finalist, or laureate, at this year’s Queen Elisabeth Competition in Brussels. Mun has won first prize at various competitions, including the Pablo Casals competition in 2014, the Andre Navarra International Cello Competition and the National Sung-Jung Competition in Korea. He is… Continue reading Taeguk Mun named laureate of the 2022 Queen Elisabeth Competition