Spotlights Archive - Page 3 of 77 - USC Thornton School of Music

Strummed Heartstrings

Popular Music Performance Major Sofia Gomez’s single “Without Me” exemplifies her vulnerability, creative growth and determination, nurtured by her peers at the heart of the USC Thornton’s Popular Music Program.

Man smiles while holding two Grammy awards.

2/2

USC Thornton alumni shine at 68th Grammy Awards

Thornton alumni take home top honors on music’s biggest night.

Man sits in front of mixing console in music studio.

1/28

From the Classroom to the Cutting-Edge

USC Thornton Music Industry & Music Production alum Juan Razuri catapults to the Grammy Awards post-graduation with his award-winning immersive mix engineering.

A photo of smiling students sitting together outside a college campus.

12/18

Celebrating the Fall Semester

The pioneering, boundary-defying spirit of USC Thornton is celebrated at the closing of another exhilarating semester.

A photo of USC Thornton's Ivory Trio taking a bow inside of a church in France.

12/10

Chamber Music Thrives in France with International Student Collaboration

USC Thornton and the Paris Conservatoire come together to transform a rural area of France each summer.

Pianist Gerald Clayton sits at his piano by a window.

11/12

Beyond the Notes

Gerald Clayton, USC Thornton Artist-in-Residence in Jazz Studies, delivers a masterclass on the ethics of paying tribute.

vocal group Tonality poses for a photo, holding their Grammy award

11/7

2026 Grammy Nominations

From USC Thornton alumni and faculty members to Creative Vanguard Artists, our creative community is well represented amongst the 2026 Grammy Award nominees.

a mariachi vocalist is foregrounded onstage.

10/2

Ambassador Blog: Mariachi Los Troyanos de USC

Thornton Student Ambassador Ashley Melendres spotlights USC’s only student-led collegiate mariachi band, Mariachi Los Troyanos de USC.

A student saxophonist is foregrounded onstage.

8/15

2025-2026 Signature Series Announced

The USC Thornton School of Music is excited to announce its Signature Series line-up for the 2025-2026 academic year.

person standing for an outdoors photo, next to a tree.

8/7

Office Hours with Jeanine Cowen

In this ongoing series called “Office Hours,” get to know some of the exceptional scholars and artists who make up USC Thornton’s faculty as they answer questions about themselves.

Over a dozen people pose for the camera, surrounded by instruments in a workshop setting.

7/29

Bridging Communities

The Thornton Community Engagement Program (TCEP) bridges USC and local communities through music and cultural connection.

An awardee accepts his statue onstage at the Emmys.

7/22

2025 Emmy Nominations

USC Thornton alumni were well-represented as nominees in the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards.

Singers perform outside with projected visuals.

6/30

Voices of Thornton at the LA Phil

USC Thornton Chamber Singers shine at LA Phil’s Noon to Midnight festival of new music.

Sklar Funk seated on a staircase, looking up into the camera.

5/27

Sustainability Rock Star: Skylar Funk

Skylar Funk (MA ’25) — a professional rock musician and climate activist — has helped make USC a greener place as graduate co-chair of the Student Sustainability Committee.

Ashley Melendres plays the guitar, wearing a white dress and decorated Commencement sash.

5/7

Thornton Student Ambassadors Look Back

On the eve of graduating, USC Thornton Student Ambassadors reflect on what they’ve learned, offering lessons and perspectives to the incoming class.

4/22

Alumna Remi Wolf Named 2025 Commencement Speaker

Critically acclaimed musician and performer Remi Wolf will speak to Thornton School of Music graduates on May 16, 2025 at 9:00 a.m.

4/2

Inspiring the Next Generation of Artists

USC Thornton Mentorship Program connects students Ella Dunbar-Wilcox and Luke Bell to mentor, R&B star Dawn Richard.

3/31

Double Majoring at USC Thornton

Thornton Student Ambassadors Ellen Cheng and Ashley Melendres.

A trumpeter plays center stage surrounded by an ensemble.

3/26

Rockin’ in Rhythm: Re-Imagining the Music of Duke Ellington

Students and faculty from across Thornton celebrate an American master with genre-defying arrangements from his classic songbook.

A classical music ensemble takes a bow on stage.

3/21

Celebrating 40 Years of the Polish Music Center

The USC Polish Music Center dedicates an evening of music to Henryk Wars on its 40th anniversary.

Photo of person in blue light with orange hair.

3/12

PopCon 2025: Baby, It’s A Look!

The Pop Conference returns to USC Thornton with a focus on the intersection of music and fashion throughout history.

3/6

Mak Grgić: A USC Homecoming

Grammy-nominated classical guitarist and Thornton alum Mak Grgić returns to campus for a special alumni concert.

Photo of composer Katya Richardson in the recording studio.

2/28

A Composer’s Path

Composition alum Katya Richardson discusses her immersion in the world of film scoring, a path that has led her all the way to the Oscars and back.

Meghan Chen performs on stage at a rock concert.

2/26

Thornton Student Ambassadors: Performance Opportunities

Thornton Student Ambassadors Ellen Cheng and Meghan Chen offer a glimpse into the classical and popular music performance opportunities available at USC Thornton.

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