Pop artist King Princess (Mikaela Straus) featured on ASCAP panel
Mikaela Straus, a pop artist who performs under the name King Princess, recently took part in a panel discussion at the ASCAP “I Create Music” Expo, alongside musician St. Vincent and journalist Evelyn McDonnell. Straus, who is a non-degreed alumna of the USC Thornton Popular Music program, is the first artist to be signed to […]
Rod Gilfry stars in Matthew Aucoin opera
Baritone Rod Gilfry, a member of the USC Thornton Vocal Arts & Opera faculty, will star in Matthew Aucoin’s opera, Crossing, on May 25th and 26th at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills. Produced in concert by the LA Opera, the work is inspired by poet Walt Whitman’s experiences during […]
Video of Somang Jeagal in recital at the Greystone Mansion
The Music in the Mansion concert series, which presents chamber music at the historical Greystone Mansion in Beverly Hills, recently published a video showcasing a February performance by pianist and 2018 Outstanding Graduate Somang Jeagal (AD ’15, GCRT ’17, MM ’18). The Keyboard Collaborative Arts student and three-time Beverly Hills National Auditions winner was joined […]
Choral alumna Tatiana Taylor takes faculty position in Oklahoma
Tatiana Taylor (DMA ’17), an alumna of the USC Thornton Choral & Sacred Music program, has accepted a faculty position as Director of Choirs with Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College, beginning in the fall. She is in good company with Choral & Sacred Music alumnus Christopher Haygood (DMA ’13), Associate Director of Choral Studies at Oklahoma […]
Kenneth Foster authors new book about arts leadership
Kenneth Foster, director of the USC Thornton Arts Leadership program, has authored a new book, Arts Leadership: Creating Sustainable Arts Organizations (Routledge), which will be released on May 9th. The book focuses on building sustainable models for creative organizations amidst increasing political, economic, and cultural challenges. “Foster’s experience and wisdom as an arts leader informs […]
Jennifer Marotta featured on trumpet podcast
Trumpet player and USC Thornton faculty member Jennifer Marotta was recently featured as a guest on The Other Side of the Bell, a trumpet-focused podcast produced by Bob Reeves Brass of Valencia. Marotta spoke extensively about her history with the instrument, her performance career, and professional affiliations. Marotta and her husband, faculty member Thomas Hooten, […]
Troy Quinn leads Florida concerts with Glenn Dicterow
Troy Quinn (DMA ’14), a graduate of the USC Thornton Choral & Sacred Music program and a member of the school’s Conducting faculty, will lead two concerts with the Venice Symphony Orchestra of Venice, Florida, on May 4th and 5th, 2018. The concerts, themed “A Tribute to Music in Cinema,” will feature Thornton faculty member […]
Vocal Arts alumni to be featured in Long Beach Opera production
Three alumni of the USC Thornton Vocal Arts program, mezzo-soprano Kira Dills-Desurra (’10), tenor Gibran Mahmud (MM ’17), and soprano Alexandra Martinez Turano (MM ’16), will be featured in the Long Beach Opera’s production of The Love Potion by composer Frank Martin. Based on the Celtic legends made famous in Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde, the […]
Jazz alumna Hiroe Sekine tops songwriting competition
Jazz pianist and USC Thornton alumna Hiroe Sekine (BM ’09) recently won First Place in the jazz category of the International Songwriting Competition (ISC) for the song “Nippon Barre” from her 2017 album, One World One Sun. The album, produced by Jazz Studies faculty member Russell Ferrante, blends traditional Japanese instrumentation with jazz styles and […]
Pianist Edward Cibener performs with the San Francisco City Chorus
Pianist and USC Thornton alumnus Edward Cibener (BM ’83) recently performed as a guest artist with the San Francisco City Chorus for the ensemble’s April 21st performance of Mendelssohn’s Walpurgisnacht, in an arrangement for piano, organ, and chorus. The concert was conducted by Larry Marietta.