Kana Funayama joins Pasadena City College as Applied Percussion faculty
Kana Funayama (ARTD ’25), acclaimed marimbist, percussionist and collaborator, has been appointed as a faculty member in Applied Percussion at Pasadena City College (PCC). Her extensive teaching background includes delivering masterclasses and guest lessons at leading institutions such as the USC Thornton School of Music, in addition to serving as percussion faculty at California State… Continue reading Kana Funayama joins Pasadena City College as Applied Percussion faculty
Two Screen Scoring alums take home 2021 Creative Arts Emmy Awards
Ludwig Göransson (GCRT ’08) won his second Emmy for his work on Disney+’s “The Mandalorian,” with Carlos Rafael Rivera (DMA ’10) earning his second Emmy with a win for “The Queen’s Gambit” on Netflix.
New York Philharmonic performs Nina Shekhar
The music of Nina Shekhar (MM ’20, Composition) will be featured as part of the New York Philharmonic’s 2021-22 season.
Daedelus and Kneebody profiled in the Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal recently profiled USC Thornton Jazz Studies alumnus Alfred Darlington (BA ’00 in Music), known professionally as Daedelus, and his role in the jazz sextet Kneedelus, which performed at the Echoplex last week. Darlington, who began experimenting in electronic music while at Thornton, took on the persona of Daedulus as he produced… Continue reading Daedelus and Kneebody profiled in the Wall Street Journal
Ben Bram and Scott Hoying win second GRAMMY Awards with Pentatonix
USC Thornton alums Ben Bram (’10, music industry) and Scott Hoying won their second GRAMMY Awards last night for their arrangement of Pentatonix’s “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy,” from the a cappella super-group’s “That’s Christmas to Me” album. For the second straight year, the duo won for Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella, the… Continue reading Ben Bram and Scott Hoying win second GRAMMY Awards with Pentatonix
Cellist Marek Szpakiewicz to be featured in Tohuku earthquake memorial concert
Cellist and USC Thornton alumnus Marek Szpakiewicz (MM ’01, DMA ’08) will be featured as a soloist in a March 13 concert with pianist Fuzjko Hemming. The concert, at the Colburn School’s Zipper Hall, will commemorate the fifth anniversary of the 2011 Tohuku earthquake and tsunami. Featuring music from Schubert to Mozart to Brahms, the… Continue reading Cellist Marek Szpakiewicz to be featured in Tohuku earthquake memorial concert
Alumna Julie Boardman produces Forest Whitaker debut on Broadway
USC Thornton alumna Julie Boardman (BS ’04, music industry) will co-produce the Broadway debut of fellow USC alumnus Forest Whitaker this month in Eugene O’Neill’s “Hughie.” The Michael Grandage-directed play is set in a faded hotel in Manhattan where a down-on-his-luck gambler mourns the death of the hotel’s night clerk, Hughie, and recalls his glory… Continue reading Alumna Julie Boardman produces Forest Whitaker debut on Broadway
Alumnus Robin Buck featured in Long Beach Opera’s “Candide”
Baritone and USC Thornton Vocal Arts alumnus Robin Buck (MM ’85) is currently appearing in the Long Beach Opera’s production of Leonard Bernstein’s “Candide,” running Jan. 23 and 30. Buck performs the roles of Pangloss and Voltaire in the operetta, which won four Tony Awards in 1974. Buck has sung extensively as a featured artist… Continue reading Alumnus Robin Buck featured in Long Beach Opera’s “Candide”
Pianist Steven Vanhauwaert releases two new albums
USC Thornton alumnus Steven Vanhauwaert (MM ’06, GCRT ’08, piano) released two collaborative albums last month, “Joseph Woelfl: The Paris Years” and “Pensées Intimes” (“Intimate Thoughts”). Both recordings were created in collaboration with violinist and UCLA professor Guillaume Sutre. The first album, “Joseph Woelfl: The Paris Years,” which also features Kyunghee Kim-Sutre on the harp,… Continue reading Pianist Steven Vanhauwaert releases two new albums
Composer alumnus Tristan Koester finds success with commissions
Composer and Thornton alumnus Tristan Xavier Koester (’15) recently premiered a piece entitled “Memory Fragments” with the Varied Trio, a chamber ensemble featuring Thornton alumni Yuri Inoo (MM ’04, DMA ’09, percussion) and Aron Kallay (DMA ’09, piano). His upcoming work includes recording projects with the trio, as well as traditional Chinese guzheng player Sun… Continue reading Composer alumnus Tristan Koester finds success with commissions