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Faculty and alumni perform on NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert

Logo for NPR Music.

USC Thornton faculty and alumni performed on NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert in February. On Feb. 19, Composition program faculty member Camae Ayewa (Moor Mother) performed a Tiny Desk Concert with the free-jazz group, Irreversible Entanglements. She sang six tracks, including songs from the band’s new album, Protect Your Light. Watch the performance here. Jazz Studies… Continue reading Faculty and alumni perform on NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert


Polish Music Spring: Celebrating Bacewicz & Szymanowski

Verona Quartet

Kaitlin Miller named 2023-2025 Concert Artist of American Harp Society

Kaitlin Miller performs on a concert stage playing the harp.

Kaitlin Miller, a master’s student in the USC Thornton Strings department, was named the American Harp Society’s (AHS) 2023-2025 Concert Artist. As AHS Concert Artist, she will give performances, classes and/or workshops that benefit local harp communities. In February, she performed recitals and taught masterclasses in Atlanta, Minneapolis, Chicago and Denver, with more travels on… Continue reading Kaitlin Miller named 2023-2025 Concert Artist of American Harp Society


PopCon brings first-ever Los Angeles conference to USC

USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism Professor and USC vice provost for the arts, Josh Kun, speaks at a PopCon lectern inside the Annenberg building on USC's campus.

PopCon, the annual music writing and popular music studies conference, came to USC and Los Angeles for the first time on March 7-9. This year’s theme focused on music collections and archives. The conference featured over 30 events—including keynote sessions with funk legend George Clinton, filmmaker dream hampton and journalist Danyel Smith. USC Thornton Dean… Continue reading PopCon brings first-ever Los Angeles conference to USC


USC Thornton celebrates 2024 Oscar winners

Oscar-winning composer Ludwig Göransson with Jennifer Lame and Cillian Murphy at the 96th Annual Academy Awards Governor's Ball, all holding Academy Award statuettes.

USC Thornton composers were celebrated at the 96th Academy Awards, held on Sunday, March 10 at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood. Ludwig Göransson (GCRT ’08) won his second Oscar for Best Original Score for Oppenheimer, the year’s most-nominated film. He took home his first Oscar in 2019 for Black Panther. Composition alumna Katya Richardson… Continue reading USC Thornton celebrates 2024 Oscar winners


Alumni nominated for 2024 ASCAP Composers’ Choice Awards

Black and white photo of musicians practicing in a rehearsal hall.

On February 21, several USC Thornton alumni received nominations in the 2024 ASCAP Composers’ Choice Awards. Raashi Kulkarni (GCRT ’16, MM ’18) was nominated for Film Score of the Year with World’s Best. Katya Richardson (’19) was nominated for Documentary Score of the Year with The Last Repair Shop. Bear McCreary (’02), “God of War:… Continue reading Alumni nominated for 2024 ASCAP Composers’ Choice Awards


Ludwig Göransson wins 2024 BAFTA Award for “Oppenheimer” score

Black and white square image of composer Ludwig Goranssen.

Ludwig Göransson (GCRT ’08) won a 2024 BAFTA Award in the Best Original Score category for his soundtrack to Oppenheimer, marking the composer’s first BAFTA Award. The awards ceremony was held on Feb. 18 at The Royal Festival Hall in London. Oppenheimer led with wins in seven categories.


Dean Jason King quoted by NPR

Dean Jason King of the USC Thornton School of Music speaking at the Grammy Museum.

USC Thornton Dean Jason King was quoted in an NPR review of the 2024 Super Bowl halftime show, published on Feb. 9. King, an NPR contributor and music scholar, commented on the topic of Las Vegas residencies: “[Vegas Residencies] almost exist outside critical infrastructure,” he said. “These are blockbuster celebrities doing a blockbuster show for… Continue reading Dean Jason King quoted by NPR


Seoyon MacDonald’s recording of Prelude and Fugue selected for 2024 Berlin Lift-Off Film Festival

Pianist Seoyon MacDonald smiling at the camera.

Seoyon MacDonald, a DMA student in the USC Thornton Keyboard Collaborative Arts program, will present her music video and short documentary of Dmitri Shostakovich’s Prelude and Fugue in C# minor at the 2024 Berlin Lift-Off Film Festival. The festival runs through March 11 via Vimeo OnDemand. Discovered in 2019, the Prelude and Fugue was composed… Continue reading Seoyon MacDonald’s recording of Prelude and Fugue selected for 2024 Berlin Lift-Off Film Festival


Jules Pegram joins 2024 International Music Festival of the Adriatic Sea

Jules Pegram conducting while wearing a navy button down.

Jules Pegram (‘13), a USC Thornton Composition program alumnus, has joined the composition faculty for the 2024 International Music Festival of the Adriatic Sea (IMFA). Set in Duino, Italy, IMFA is a collaborative music-making program that provides masterclasses, workshops and recitals for musicians 18 and up. The program will be held on June 2-29. Pegram’s… Continue reading Jules Pegram joins 2024 International Music Festival of the Adriatic Sea


A Life in Music

Photo of radio host and performer Suraj Partha.

Sharing stories of USC Thornton alumni whose passions evolved into multifaceted careers, creating something that is uniquely their own.


Diana Newman and Arnold Geis perform in New York Philharmonic’s U.S. premiere of Émigré

Split screen photo of two opera singers in casual attire.

USC Thornton Vocal Arts & Opera alumni Diana Newman (‘12, MM ‘14) and Arnold Geis (MM ‘14) will be soloists in the New York Philharmonic’s U.S. premiere of Émigré, composed by Aaron Zigman. The performance takes place on Feb. 29–Mar. 1 at David Geffen Hall. Émigré is a musical drama of love and loss that… Continue reading Diana Newman and Arnold Geis perform in New York Philharmonic’s U.S. premiere of Émigré


USC Thornton Symphony concert program

Two harp players on stage with the USC Thornton Symphony

Alumni win at 2024 Society of Composers and Lyricists Awards

A screen scoring session with a hand controlling a mixing board.

USC Thornton alumni have won in several categories of the fifth annual Society of Composers and Lyricists Awards, which were held on February 13 at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles. Ludwig Göransson (GCRT ’08) won Outstanding Original Score for a Studio Film with his score for Oppenheimer. Carlos Rafael Rivera (MM ‘04, DMA… Continue reading Alumni win at 2024 Society of Composers and Lyricists Awards


Jane Davidson quoted in L.A. Times

Photo of music lawyer Jane Davidson

USC Thornton Music Industry program alumna and faculty member Jane Davidson (‘14) was quoted in a Los Angeles Times article profiling Ben Crumps, an attorney best known for his civil rights cases who has shifted to entertainment law. Having represented the families of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor in their wrongful-death lawsuits, Crumps is leading… Continue reading Jane Davidson quoted in L.A. Times


Remi Wolf collaborates with Norah Jones on Spotify single

Popular music artist Remi Wolf performs on stage.

USC Thornton Popular Music alumna Remi Wolf (‘18) collaborated with Norah Jones on her new Spotify single, a cover of Big Thief’s “Change,” which was released on January 31. Wolf recently joined Jones on her podcast, “Playing Along,” where the duo discussed their tour schedules and creative outlets, and duetted a selection of songs.


Pop Conference 2024 Moving to Los Angeles 

Graphic design of a pink and blue logo in front of a black & white photograph of records on a shelf.

USC Thornton will host the premier music writing and popular music studies conference.


Vimbayi Kaziboni wins 2024 Ditson Fund Conductor’s Award

Photo of conductor Vimbayi Kaziboni

Celebrated conductor and USC Thornton alumnus Vimbayi Kaziboni (‘10) has won the 2024 Alice M. Ditson Fund Conductor’s Award. He earned $5,000 and a citation from Columbia University’s president, Minouche Shafik. Established in 1945, the Alice M. Ditson Fund is the oldest continuing award honoring conductors for distinguished contributions to American music. “This comes as… Continue reading Vimbayi Kaziboni wins 2024 Ditson Fund Conductor’s Award


Joe Poindexter named chief communications officer and executive VP, digital of PULSE Music Group

Photo of music executive Joe Poindexter

USC Thornton Music Industry program faculty member Joe Poindexter was named chief communications officer and executive vice president of digital at PULSE Music Group. Poindexter has worked with PULSE for 12 years, overseeing the company’s digital marketing strategy. Based in Los Angeles, PULSE is an independent music publisher and record label with an award-winning client… Continue reading Joe Poindexter named chief communications officer and executive VP, digital of PULSE Music Group


Ben Gunnarson joins “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band

A musician holding a trumpet standing next to someone in a military uniform.

Ben Gunnarson, a master’s student in the USC Thornton Winds & Percussion program, has won a position in “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band, the oldest active musical organization in the country. Gunnarson will join a community of Thornton graduates, including clarinetists Angelo Quail (MM ‘15) and Andrew Jacobi (MM ‘14, GCRT ‘16) and… Continue reading Ben Gunnarson joins “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band