Alumnus Gabriel DiMarco excels as composer and musician
USC Thornton Screen Scoring alumnus Gabriel DiMarco (GCRT ’14, scoring for motion pictures and television) won Best Score for the feature film, Children of the Mountain, at the 2016 Ghana Movie Awards in Accra, Ghana. Described as “moving” by Daniel Glenn of Film Forward, DiMarco’s score reinforces the emotional journey of an unmarried mother in… Continue reading Alumnus Gabriel DiMarco excels as composer and musician
Classical Guitarist Michael Kudirka profiled for Adès collaboration
Internationally acclaimed guitarist and USC Thornton alumnus Michael Kudirka (’04, DMA, ’12) was the subject of a feature profile in the spring 2017 issue of Classical Guitar Magazine, exploring his collaboration with composer Thomas Adès. The duo worked together on a “guitar aria” for Adès’ surrealist opera, The Exterminating Angel, which is based on the… Continue reading Classical Guitarist Michael Kudirka profiled for Adès collaboration
KuanFen Liu receives Ventura Mayor’s Arts Award
USC Thornton alumna KuanFen Liu (DMA ’10, choral music) has received the Ventura Mayor’s Arts Award in the category of Artist in the Community. This award honors established artists in any discipline who show artistic excellence and contribute to Ventura’s cultural vitality. Outside of working on year-round music programs for several school districts, Liu is… Continue reading KuanFen Liu receives Ventura Mayor’s Arts Award
Clarinetist Micah Wright takes 2nd place in Backun International Competition
USC Thornton Winds & Percussion alumnus Micah Wright (DMA ’15, clarinet) received 2nd place in this year’s Backun International Clarinet Competition. The competition, which took place March 9-11 at Vanderbilt University’s Blair School of Music in Nashville, featured 16 participants from 8 different countries. Wright also recently received an honorable mention in the William C.… Continue reading Clarinetist Micah Wright takes 2nd place in Backun International Competition
Pacific Symphony performance with Peter Boyer to be broadcast on PBS
Ellis Island: The Dream of America, a multimedia orchestral work by composer and USC Thornton alumnus Peter Boyer (GCRT ’96, SMPTV) was the centerpiece of the Pacific Symphony’s recent American Composers Festival from April 6-8. Conducted by music director and USC Thornton faculty member Carl St.Clair, the GRAMMY-nominated piece incorporates narration and projected imagery to… Continue reading Pacific Symphony performance with Peter Boyer to be broadcast on PBS
Popular Music alumni, MUNA featured in heartwarming Vice video
The band MUNA, which was formed by Thornton Popular Music alumni Katie Gavin (BA ’15) and Josette Maskin (’16), along with Naomi McPherson, recently sat down to record a video for Vice’s Noisey series “Call Your Dad” — but things didn’t go exactly as planned. When band member Josette rang up her South African father… Continue reading Popular Music alumni, MUNA featured in heartwarming Vice video
Gail Samuel serving as LA Phil’s Acting President
The Los Angeles Times reports that USC Thornton Board of Councilors member and alumnus Gail Samuel (BA ’89, psychology & music, MBA ’02) has been appointed as Acting President of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association, in addition to her duties as Chief Executive Officer for the Los Angeles Philharmonic (LA Phil). Samuel serves as an… Continue reading Gail Samuel serving as LA Phil’s Acting President
Choral Music alumna combines music and neuroscience to treat Parkinson’s
USC Thornton Choral & Sacred Music alumna Bronte Ficek (’15, Choral Music) explores the effects of group singing on patients with Parkinson’s Disease in her work as a clinical neuroscience researcher at The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. As part of her research, Ficek acts as assistant and accompanist for the Parkisonics, a choir for… Continue reading Choral Music alumna combines music and neuroscience to treat Parkinson’s
Choral alumnus David Means leads South Texas choir
USC Thornton Choral & Sacred Music alumnus David Means (DMA ’97, choral music) is the founder of the Valley Choral Artists, South Texas’s first semi-professional chamber choir. He formed the ensemble in 2013 after he was appointed Director of Choral Studies at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. Following a highly successful 2015 performance… Continue reading Choral alumnus David Means leads South Texas choir
Strong USC Thornton showing in LA Phil’s 2017-18 season
The Los Angeles Philharmonic (LA Phil) recently announced its 2017-18 concert season, which includes featured performances by numerous USC Thornton faculty and alumni. In December, the Calder Quartet, which includes Thornton alumni Benjamin Jacobson (BM’01, MM’07, violin), Andrew Bulbrook (BM ’02, violin), Jonathan Moerschel (BM ’01, MM ’03, viola) and Eric Byers (BM ’03, cello),… Continue reading Strong USC Thornton showing in LA Phil’s 2017-18 season