Students, faculty, and alumni featured in Mozart summer festivals

USC Thornton students, faculty, and alumni will be featured in Mozart festivals on both coasts this summer.

Beginning June 1st, the Mainly Mozart Festival takes over venues across San Diego County for its 30th anniversary season. On June 7th, Martin Chalifour, Thornton faculty member and concertmaster of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, teams with classical guitarist and alumnus Mak Grgić for a special recital at the Music Box in downtown San Diego, featuring music of Vivaldi, Rachmaninoff, Paganini, and more.

Chalifour joins the Festival Orchestra on June 10th for a performance of Vaughan Williams’ The Lark Ascending at the Balboa Theatre.

On the other side of the country, several Thornton musicians have been selected as Fellows for the annual Vermont Mozart Festival. Violinist Kyle Gilner (BM ’16), bassist and DMA candidate Ryan Baird (MM ’13, GCRT ’15), bassist Eric Windmeier (BM ’14, MM ’16), and cellist and DMA candidate Allan Hon, will participate in concerts and events from July to August throughout the state.