Posts Tagged ‘Alumni’


Malia Civetz pictured wearing glasses against a bright pink backdrop

Malia Civetz releases new EP, The Flip

November 13, 2020

Popular Music alum Malia Civetz (BM ‘16) released her debut EP The Flip on Oct. 16 with Warner Records. The album was praised for its “powerhouse vocal delivery, sharp songwriting, and a thoughtful overarching message” by ChicagoNow, highlighting singles like “Broke Boy,” which Civetz premiered earlier this year. “When I make music, I think of… Continue reading Malia Civetz releases new EP, The Flip


Formal portrait of Billy Childs dressed in black

Billy Childs featured in DownBeat Magazine

November 10, 2020

USC Thornton alum and GRAMMY Award-winning composer and pianist Billy Childs (BM ‘79) was recently featured in a DownBeat Magazine article about how he embraces music outside of boundaries and genres. The article reflects on the influence the Los Angeles jazz and improvisational music scenes had on Childs’ “borderless concept of music,” particularly in his… Continue reading Billy Childs featured in DownBeat Magazine


Julia Tai in formal attire holding conducting baton

Julia Tai named Music Director of Missoula Symphony Orchestra and Chorale

November 4, 2020

USC Thornton alum Julia Tai (BM ’02, MM ’04) has been named the new Music Director of the Missoula Symphony Orchestra and Chorale. Tai also currently serves as the Music Director of Philharmonia Northwest and Co-Artistic Director of the Seattle Modern Orchestra. In an article from the Missoulian, Tai shared that she is looking forward… Continue reading Julia Tai named Music Director of Missoula Symphony Orchestra and Chorale


Black and white portrait of William Doyle

William E. Doyle wins Saturday Visiter Award for Poe-inspired opera

November 2, 2020

USC Thornton alum William E. Doyle (DMA ‘88) was recently awarded the Saturday Visiter Award for “Original Works Inspired by E.A. Poe’s Life and Writing” from the International Edgar Allan Poe Festival in October. Doyle received the award for his 2019 work “Extraordinary Tales in Music”, a 90-minute opera that explores the works that influenced… Continue reading William E. Doyle wins Saturday Visiter Award for Poe-inspired opera


Peter Shin photographed outdoors with greenery behind him

Peter Shin announced as 2020-2021 Sound Investment composer

October 29, 2020

Peter Shin (MM ’17), an alum of USC Thornton’s Composition program, was announced this summer as the newest Sound Investment Composer in the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra’s Sound Investment program, a commissioning club enabling supporters to sponsor the work of each season’s featured composer and follow the composer’s creative process from start to finish. Shin’s… Continue reading Peter Shin announced as 2020-2021 Sound Investment composer


formal portrait of Steven Vanhauwaert in formal attire seated at a piano

Steven Vanhauwaert releases two new albums

October 28, 2020

Pianist Steven Vanhauwaert (MM ‘06, GCRT ‘08), an alum of the USC Thornton Keyboard Studies program, recently released two new albums, Paris <> Los Angeles: Milhaud, Mozart, Zeisl and Ferruccio Busoni: l’Énigme. Both albums are released by the independent French label Editions Hortus, with which Vanhauwaert has previously released multiple albums. Paris <> Los Angeles:… Continue reading Steven Vanhauwaert releases two new albums


Jenny Wong pictured outdoors smiling to the camera

Jenny Wong named Associate Artistic Director of Los Angeles Master Chorale

October 27, 2020

Jenny Wong (MM ‘13, DMA ’17), an alum of USC Thornton’s Choral & Sacred Music program, has been appointed to the newly created role of Associate Artistic Director of the Los Angeles Master Chorale (LAMC). Wong first joined the ensemble as Assistant Conductor in 2016, and was named Associate Conductor in 2017. The Los Angeles… Continue reading Jenny Wong named Associate Artistic Director of Los Angeles Master Chorale


Portrait of Elvia Puccinelli

Alumna Elvia Puccinelli launches first international society for keyboard collaborative arts

October 22, 2020

USC Thornton alumna Elvia Puccinelli (MM ’91, DMA ’00) led the launch of the first international society for keyboard collaborative arts, the International Keyboard Collaborative Arts Society, as part of the fifth annual CollabFest conference on Oct. 15-17. Puccinelli, associate professor of music and coordinator of collaborative piano at the University of North Texas College of… Continue reading Alumna Elvia Puccinelli launches first international society for keyboard collaborative arts


Black and white portrait of Angel Velez in suit and tie

Angel Velez launches Silent Films Live: Halloween Uncanceled

October 22, 2020

USC Thornton Music Education alum Angel Velez (MA ‘14), a conductor, educator and Associate Board Member for Education Through Music-Los Angeles (ETM-LA), will host Silent Films Live: Halloween Uncanceled, a family-friendly virtual celebration of silent film benefiting ETM-LA. The event will include a virtual concert of six silent film scores reimagined by guest composers and… Continue reading Angel Velez launches Silent Films Live: Halloween Uncanceled


Rozzi Cane in blue dress sitting in front of a large yellow circle

Rozzi featured in Daily Trojan

October 20, 2020

The Daily Trojan recently featured Popular Music alum Rozzi Crane (BM ‘13), known professionally as Rozzi, in an article about her musical journey as an indie-pop singer. Rozzi is a graduate of the inaugural class of USC Thornton’s Popular Music program. Looking back at her time in the program, Rozzi remembers how the rigorous lessons,… Continue reading Rozzi featured in Daily Trojan