Gregg Field featured in CBS Sunday Morning segment on Henry Mancini
USC Thornton Board of Councilors Chair Gregg Field was featured in a new CBS Sunday Morning segment on the late composer Henry Mancini. Field discussed the fame of Mancini’s film and television music, such as the ubiquitous “Pink Panther Theme” and “Moon River” from Breakfast at Tiffany’s. The segment included a recording session of his… Continue reading Gregg Field featured in CBS Sunday Morning segment on Henry Mancini
Dana Gioia writes libretto for opera “The Three Feathers”
Dana Gioia, the Judge Widney Professor of Poetry and Public Culture at USC who teaches in USC Thornton’s Arts Leadership and Musicology programs, wrote the libretto for an opera titled, The Three Feathers. Based on a Brothers Grimm fairytale, the opera premiered on September 8 and 10 at the Lesher Center for the Arts in… Continue reading Dana Gioia writes libretto for opera “The Three Feathers”
Angelica Cortez
Angelica Cortez (she/her) is a Los Angeles-born arts administrator and educator. She is the executive director of the Suzuki Association of the Americas, where she supports an international community of teachers, artists and leaders who believe in the transformative power of music. She has served as interim president and CEO of El Sistema USA, and… Continue reading Angelica Cortez
Tara Aesquivel
The arts have shaped Tara Aesquivel’s life and, through her work, she hopes to share the power of the arts with others. Tara is a classically-trained musician and earned a B.A. in Music from the University of Missouri–Kansas City. Convinced that she could have a broader impact offstage, Tara earned a Master’s degree in Arts… Continue reading Tara Aesquivel
Celeste Butler presents multimedia performances at the Grammy Museum
Popular music and arts leadership alum Celeste Butler (BM ‘18, MS ‘19) premiered two multimedia performances titled “Harlem South: A View Through the Lens” at the Grammy Museum on February 18. Featuring a cast of Grammy award-winning musicians and original compositions, the production spotlighted African American life in 1920’s South Carolina through the photography of… Continue reading Celeste Butler presents multimedia performances at the Grammy Museum
Alumni featured in Los Angeles Times about pandemic loss and hope
Three USC Thornton alumni were recently featured in a Los Angeles Times article on classical musicians’ stories of pandemic loss and hope. Alexander Blake (DMA ‘19), Melissa Tong (BM ‘00), and Jonathan Karoly (BM ‘97) shared their stories of overcoming struggles during the pandemic and embracing new opportunities. “This time has confirmed that I’m a… Continue reading Alumni featured in Los Angeles Times about pandemic loss and hope
Wayne Yang featured in KUSC’s “Play On, California!”
KUSC highlighted Arts Leadership master’s student Wayne Yang’s Live! From Somewhere performance in a recent installment of its daily broadcast and online feature “Play On, California!” Yang performed Carl Vine’s “Threnody” and dedicated his performance to the victims of COVID-19 and their families. “I believe the one thing we can take away from this pandemic,… Continue reading Wayne Yang featured in KUSC’s “Play On, California!”
Polina Cherezova publishes feature on Conrad Tao
USC Thornton Master’s student Polina Cherezova talked with pianist Conrad Tao ahead of his Power to the People! festival concert with the LA Phil. The feature was published on the LA Phil’s Watch & Listen home page. “Conrad Tao, the internationally acclaimed composer-pianist, lives in an imaginative cosmos of his own, where vulnerability reigns,” Cherezova wrote.… Continue reading Polina Cherezova publishes feature on Conrad Tao
Alum-led choral ensemble Tonality receives Adventurous Programming Award
Choral ensemble Tonality, led by USC Thornton alum Alexander Lloyd Blake (DMA ’19), has received the Chorus America/ASCAP 2020 Adventurous Programming Award. The award recognizes choruses that demonstrate a commitment to fostering and promoting new music. Blake founded Tonality in 2016, while studying at USC Thornton, with the goal of advancing underrepresented voices in choral… Continue reading Alum-led choral ensemble Tonality receives Adventurous Programming Award
Dana Gioia inducted to Hawthorne Hall of Fame
Dana Gioia, the Judge Widney Professor of Poetry and Public Culture at USC who teaches in USC Thornton’s Arts Leadership and Musicology programs, is a 2019 inductee to the Hawthorne Hall of Fame. A native of Hawthorne, Calif., the renowned poet has received many honors during his career, including being named the Poet Laureate of… Continue reading Dana Gioia inducted to Hawthorne Hall of Fame