University of Southern California

Percussion soloist David Moliner Andrés presents a masterclass and recital. The native of Spain, who is also a multi-faceted artist and composer, has performed recitals across Europe with acclaimed musicians in several of the continent’s most iconic concert halls. He describes the style of his compositions as the exploitation of drama. Andrés is professor of Dramatic Art applied to the soloist performance at Centro Superior Katarina Gurska of Madrid and professor of composition at Centro Superior Progreso Musical Madrid.

Resident conductor Sharon Lavery leads the USC Thornton Symphony in an all-Dvořák program featuring the Carnival Overture and New World Symphony. Written in 1893 by Dvořák while he was the director of the National Conservatory of Music of America, New World Symphony earned its place in history when a recording of the piece was taken to the moon on the Appollo 11 mission.

H. Robert Reynolds and Sharon Lavery lead the USC Thornton Wind Ensemble in a diverse program that features a celebration of the 25th-anniversary of Blue Shades by Composition faculty member Frank Ticheli. The evening also includes Zhou Tian's Seeker's Scherzo, Bach's My Soul Longeth to Depart in Peace and Little Fugue, Holst's Suite No. 1, and Schoenberg's Theme and Variations. PROGRAM: Zhou Tian – Seeker’s Scherzo J. S. Bach – My Soul Longeth to Depart in Peace and Little Fugue in G Minor Gustav Holst – Suite No. 1 in Eb Arnold Schoenberg – Theme and Variations, Op. 43a Frank Ticheli – Blue Shades, 25th Anniversary Edition

H. Robert Reynolds and Sharon Lavery lead the USC Thornton Wind Ensemble in a majestic rendition of Aaron Copland's Fanfare for the Common Man. Other works include Petite Symphonie by Charles Gounod, Symphonies of Wind Instruments and Concertino by Igor Stravinsky and Gunther Schuller's Symphony for Brass and Percussion, Op. 16. PROGRAM: Charles Gounod – Petite Symphonie Igor Stravinsky – Symphonies of Wind Instruments Saxophone Quartet – to be determined Igor Stravinsky – Concertino Gunther Schuller – Symphony for Brass and Percussion, Op. 16

Joseph Pereira leads the USC Percussion Group in a program of new works for percussion that are influenced by natural objects: sand, stone, wood, and metals. The program features pieces from new Composition faculty member Nina C. Young, 2019 Pulitzer Prize winner Ellen Reid, and Felipe Waller’s Teguala, for 120 Ceramic Tiles and Electronics.

As part of a three-day festival, USC Thornton’s Winds & Percussion students present an afternoon of chamber music under the direction of Kristy Morrell.

As part of a three-day festival, USC Thornton’s Winds & Percussion students present an afternoon of chamber music under the direction of Kristy Morrell.

Celebrate the holidays in style with our annual gala concert, featuring 250 singers and instrumentalists ringing in the season with carols and songs, in support of scholarships for USC Thornton's most talented students. An optional, pre-concert dinner at the USC University Club will take place at 5:00 PM, before the gala concert, for an additional fee.