Student Accomplishments from the 2013-2014 Academic Year


Christopher Bartz places third in the Music Teachers National Association Music Competition

September 15, 2013

Alum and saxophonist, Christopher Bartz (DMA, ’13), placed third in the 2013 Music Teachers National Association Music Competition. Bartz has performed with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Burbank Philharmonic Orchestra, Colburn Orchestra, Debut Orchestra, and the Downey Symphony Orchestra and has been featured as a soloist with many orchestra’s including the USC Thornton Symphony and USC… Continue reading Christopher Bartz places third in the Music Teachers National Association Music Competition


Exist Elsewhere wins competition to perform at the MacWorld/iWorld Indie Innovation Conference

September 15, 2013

Luke Walton (BM, ’13) and Brandon Woodward (BM, ’14) and their band Exist Elsewhere won a competition to perform at the MacWorld/iWorld Indie Innovation Conference in San Francisco where they competed against another finalist.


Thornton alum and tenor, Matthew Miles, performs with the Cleveland Opera Circle

September 14, 2013

Thornton alum and tenor, Matthew Miles (MM, ’12), performed with the Cleveland Opera Circle as Count Almaviva in a production of Rossini’s Il Barbiere di Siviglia in 2013. He has recently performed as Matthew performed the role of Pinkerton in Madame Butterfly, Alfredo in Verdi’s La Traviata, and Nanki-Poo in The Mikado. Miles is co-founder… Continue reading Thornton alum and tenor, Matthew Miles, performs with the Cleveland Opera Circle


Georgi Dimitrov awarded with the Graduate Arts Award by the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation

August 29, 2013

Composition student Georgi Dimitrov (MM, ’14) was awarded with the Graduate Arts Award by the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation. The award provides individuals who display exceptional creative or artistic talent with a scholarship to use for graduate studies.


The Anthony Lucca Quintet wins the Angel City Jazz Festival’s young artist competition

August 23, 2013

The Anthony Lucca Quintet, a collective of Thornton students Daniel Fox (bm, ’15), Anthony Lucca(BM, ’15), Ryan McDiarmid (BM, ’15), Aneesa Al-Mussawwir (BM, ’14), and Rob Sheppard (BM, ’15) won the Angel City Jazz Festival’s young artist competition. The quintet performed at the festival at LACMA.


Emily Cooley wins $1000 and second prize in the MacDowell Club of Milwaukee’s 2012 Young Composer Competition

August 22, 2013

Emily Cooley (MM, ’14) won $1000 and second prize in the MacDowell Club of Milwaukee’s 2012 Young Composer Competition. Open to composers aged 25 or younger, the competition was for a 6 to 8-minute classical chamber music work for three to six instruments. Cooley’s entry, entitled Variations on a Theme from “Wit”, was scored for… Continue reading Emily Cooley wins $1000 and second prize in the MacDowell Club of Milwaukee’s 2012 Young Composer Competition


Malia Civetz sings the National Anthem at the Staples Center

August 21, 2013

Malia Civetz (BM, ’16) sung the National Anthem at the Staples Center for the LA Kings on March 7, 2012, and again on March 22, 2012, for the LA Dodgers at Camelback Ranch in Arizona. She also sung for the season openers for the Dodgers and Angels.


Victor Alsen and Andrew Sandwick awarded in the Pasadena Instrumental Competition

August 15, 2013

Victor Alsen (MM, ’15) and Andrew Sandwick (BM, ’14) were awarded in the Pasadena Instrumental Competition. Alsen won the grand prize, while Sandwick won first prize in the woodwind category.