
Jeffrey Kahane named music director of San Antonio Philharmonic
USC Thornton Keyboard Studies faculty member Jeffrey Kahane has been named music director of the San Antonio Philharmonic. Kahane will begin his tenure with the Philharmonic in their 2024-2025 season while continuing to teach at Thornton. Curated by Kahane, the 2024-2025 season will showcase pieces both classical and contemporary, including the work of Thornton alumnus… Continue reading Jeffrey Kahane named music director of San Antonio Philharmonic

Master’s student Nico Valencia selected for 2023-2025 LACO Fellowship
Nico Valencia, a violist and master’s student in the USC Thornton Strings department, was selected for Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra’s 2023-2025 Fellowship program. Presented in partnership with the Inner City Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles, the program aims to diversify American orchestras and support emerging classical musicians of color. As one of four fellows, Valencia… Continue reading Master’s student Nico Valencia selected for 2023-2025 LACO Fellowship

Meet the new faculty: Seth Parker Woods
As part of a new series this spring, USC Thornton is introducing a number of exceptional new faculty members at the school. Acclaimed cellist Dr. Seth Parker Woods joins the faculty as an assistant professor of practice, string chamber music and cello. A recipient of the 2022 Chamber Music America Michael Jaffee Visionary Award and hailed by The Guardian as “a cellist of power and grace” who possesses “mature artistry and… Continue reading Meet the new faculty: Seth Parker Woods

Seth Parker Woods
Hailed by The Guardian as “a cellist of power and grace” who possesses “mature artistry and willingness to go to the brink,” two-time Grammy-nominated cellist Seth Parker Woods has established his reputation as a versatile artist and innovator across multiple genres. Woods’ projects delve deep into our cultural fabric, reimagining traditional works and commissioning new ones to… Continue reading Seth Parker Woods

Thornton artists awarded San Francisco Classical Voice Audience Choice Awards
Multiple USC Thornton artists and alumni-founded ensembles were awarded San Francisco Classical Voice’s Audience Choice Awards for the 2019-2020 season. This year was the first-ever Audience Choice Awards with a category dedicated to celebrating the vibrant classical music scene in Los Angeles. HOCKET, the piano duo of alumni Sarah Gibson (MM ‘10, DMA ‘15) and… Continue reading Thornton artists awarded San Francisco Classical Voice Audience Choice Awards

Twelve Thornton students and alumni among winners of 2020-2021 Beverly Hills National Auditions
Winners of the 2020-2021 Beverly Hills National Auditions (BHNA) were recently announced, and among them are a long list of 12 students and alumni of USC Thornton. Each year, the BHNA selects winners to be presented the following season in a series of monthly concerts across Southern California. In consideration of restrictions on in-person events,… Continue reading Twelve Thornton students and alumni among winners of 2020-2021 Beverly Hills National Auditions

USC Thornton’s Concerto Chamber Orchestra presents The Carnival of the Animals
USC Thornton’s Concerto Chamber Orchestra, a student-run ensemble, is presenting a 14-day summer festival featuring a virtual performance of “The Carnival of the Animals” by Camille Saint-Saëns. Between July 18-31, the ensemble will release a movement each day, culminating in a livestream of the full piece on July 31 at 6:00 pm (PST). The project… Continue reading USC Thornton’s Concerto Chamber Orchestra presents The Carnival of the Animals

Lina Bahn pens advice to graduating college musicians
Lina Bahn, a faculty member in the USC Thornton Strings program, offers advice to musicians graduating from college in a recent online article. Bahn acknowledges that students graduating this semester are likely facing many questions about the future of their field in unprecedented times. Her advice to new graduates is to pull from the creativity… Continue reading Lina Bahn pens advice to graduating college musicians

USC Thornton artists featured in KUSC’s “Play On, California!”
In a daily broadcast and online feature titled “Play On, California!” Classical KUSC highlights the work California musicians and arts organizations are doing to continue sharing music and create online experiences for audiences while live concerts remain halted. The feature highlights USC Thornton’s Live! From Somewhere series, and the work of various Thornton alumni and… Continue reading USC Thornton artists featured in KUSC’s “Play On, California!”

Thornton artists feature prominently in LACO’s recently announced 2020-21 season
The Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra (LACO) has announced its 2020-21 season, the “Season of the Violin,” which prominently features a number of USC Thornton artists, many of whom have enjoyed long relationships with the orchestra. Nov. 14 and 15, Keyboard Studies faculty member and LACO’S Conductor Laureate Jeffrey Kahane, who previously served for 20 years… Continue reading Thornton artists feature prominently in LACO’s recently announced 2020-21 season