Thornton alumni garner 2022 Emmy nominations
Three USC Thornton alumni have been recognized with 2022 Emmy nominations. Music director and Thornton Jazz Studies Department alumnus Eli Brueggemann (MM ’03) was nominated for Outstanding Music Direction for his work on “Saturday Night Live.” Executive producer and Thornton Music Industry program alumnus Bobby Campbell (’08) received a nomination for Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-recorded)… Continue reading Thornton alumni garner 2022 Emmy nominations
Billy Childs premieres violin concerto at Grant Park Music Festival
GRAMMY Award-winning artist and Thornton alumnus Billy Childs (’79) premieres his Violin Concerto No. 2 at the Grant Park Music Festival in Chicago on July 15-16. The piece will be performed by the festival’s Project Inclusions String Quartet and features acclaimed violinist Rachel Barton Pine as a soloist. Grant Park Music Festival co-commissioned the composition,… Continue reading Billy Childs premieres violin concerto at Grant Park Music Festival
Roger Neill premieres new musical comedy with Westwind Orchard
On June 4, Westwind Orchard will host the premiere of the musical comedy Da Ponte by Roger Neill (’86), an alumnus of USC Thornton’s Composition program, and Niel Cohen. The comedy explores the life of famous librettist Lorenzo Da Ponte, his partnership with Mozart and how he came to run a grocery store in New… Continue reading Roger Neill premieres new musical comedy with Westwind Orchard
Grant Gershon’s 20th season with the LA Master Chorale celebrated by the LA Times
USC Thornton alumnus Grant Gershon (’85) recently celebrated his 20th season as the artistic director of the Los Angeles Master Chorale. The Los Angeles Times recognized this milestone with a story that explored how Gershon has transformed the LA Master Chorale into one of the country’s most adventurous and boundary-pushing choirs. Associate artistic director and… Continue reading Grant Gershon’s 20th season with the LA Master Chorale celebrated by the LA Times
Branden Brown premieres film score at Palm Springs International ShortFest
Thornton Jazz Studies Department alumnus Branden Brown (’21) will premiere his first original film score for What I Had to Leave Behind at the Academy Award and BAFTA-qualifying 28th Palm Springs International ShortFest in June. Brown’s score features instrumentalists and fellow Thornton alumni Ethan Chilton (’20, M.M. ’22), Cyrus Elia (’20) and Lauren Ellis (’21),… Continue reading Branden Brown premieres film score at Palm Springs International ShortFest
Bear McCreary wins at 2022 ASCAP Screen Music Awards
Composer and USC Thornton alumnus Bear McCreary (’02) was one of the winners in the Most Performed Themes & Underscore category at the 2022 ASCAP Screen Music Awards. He won the award for his score for the Apple TV+ series Foundation. McCreary is an accomplished film and video game composer who has scored many projects… Continue reading Bear McCreary wins at 2022 ASCAP Screen Music Awards
Gretchen Parlato wins 2022 German Jazz Prize
USC Thornton alumna and GRAMMY-nominated composer and vocalist Gretchen Parlato recently won a German Jazz Prize for Vocal Album of the Year (International) at Deutscher Jazzpreis 2022 for her album Flor. The Deutscher Jazzpreis aims to highlight the diversity and creativity of the German jazz scene and honors exceptional, artistic and innovative achievements in a… Continue reading Gretchen Parlato wins 2022 German Jazz Prize
Donald Crockett conducts piano quartet of Thornton alumni and faculty for MicroFest at The Wende Museum
USC Thornton Composition Program Chair Donald Crockett will conduct USC Thornton alumni Vicki Ray (DMA ’88), Steven Vanhauwaert (MM ’06, GCRT ’08) and Sarah Gibson (MM ’10, DMA ’15) and Thornton faculty member Aron Kallay in Ivan Wyschnegradsky’s “Music for Four Quarter-Tone Pianos” at MicroFest on June 3 at the Wende Museum. MicroFest is the… Continue reading Donald Crockett conducts piano quartet of Thornton alumni and faculty for MicroFest at The Wende Museum
David Riccobono joins St. Louis Symphony Orchestra
David Riccobono (MM ’19), an alumnus of the USC Thornton Winds & Percussion Department and a current graduate certificate student, will be joining the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra as the associate principal timpani and section percussion. Riccobono has previously played with groups such as the Long Beach Symphony, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Malaysian Philharmonic… Continue reading David Riccobono joins St. Louis Symphony Orchestra
Tehillah Alphonso interviewed by Broadway World
USC Thornton alumna Tehillah Alphonso (’20) was recently interviewed by Broadway World, where she discussed her first GRAMMY nomination, some of her favorite projects that she’s worked on and her process for arranging songs. She also shared some advice for people of color and women looking to break into the music industry. “Whatever you’re passionate… Continue reading Tehillah Alphonso interviewed by Broadway World