Jerry Blackstone is artistic director of new documentary series about choral singing
Dr. Jerry Blackstone (DMA ‘86), GRAMMY Award-winner, USC Thornton alumnus, and former Artist in Residence with Thornton’s Choral & Sacred Music program, is the Artistic Director of the upcoming documentary series about choral singing in the U.S., “Choral Singing in America: Nurturing the Human Soul.” The series is being developed in response to the COVID-19… Continue reading Jerry Blackstone is artistic director of new documentary series about choral singing
Judith Farmer releases new album of chamber music for bassoon
Winds & Percussion faculty member Judith Farmer has released a new album of chamber music for bassoon, Judith Farmer Plays Favorites. The album includes performances by Strings faculty member Andrew Shulman and alum Vicki Ray (DMA ’88), as well as a recording of a piece by alum composer Gernot Wolfgang (GCRT ’94). The album is… Continue reading Judith Farmer releases new album of chamber music for bassoon
Marilyn Horne to receive Recording Academy’s Lifetime Achievement Award
USC Thornton alumna Marilyn Horne was recently announced as one of the Recording Academy’s 2021 Lifetime Achievement Award honorees. Horne is widely celebrated as one of the world’s most renowned opera singers. Her decades-spanning career has earned her four GRAMMY Awards and 15 nominations, as well as a 1992 National Medal of Arts and numerous… Continue reading Marilyn Horne to receive Recording Academy’s Lifetime Achievement Award
Austin Wintory PlayStation blog explores the making of “The Pathless”
USC Thornton Composition alum Austin Wintory (BM ‘07) wrote a blog for PlayStation in which he shares a behind-the-scenes look at the making of his score for the game “The Pathless.” The score fuses multiple musical traditions from around the world in what Wintory calls a “global jam band.” “The resulting scope was significantly beyond… Continue reading Austin Wintory PlayStation blog explores the making of “The Pathless”
USC Dornsife celebrates Danika Banh and the Music Inspiring Community club
Danika Banh, a biological sciences major at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences and a piano minor at the USC Thornton School of Music, was featured in an article by USC Dornsife about a music education student club she founded, Music Inspiring Community. Banh initially launched the club last year with the… Continue reading USC Dornsife celebrates Danika Banh and the Music Inspiring Community club
Thomas Kotcheff interviewed in The New York Times
Thomas Kotcheff (MM ‘12, DMA ‘19), an alum of USC Thornton’s Composition program, was interviewed in The New York Times about his recent album release, the first commercial recording of Frederic Rzewski’s Songs of Insurrection, which received glowing remarks from the composer himself. In the article, Kotcheff discusses his personal highlights from the recording, and… Continue reading Thomas Kotcheff interviewed in The New York Times
Lee Ritenour to release new album, Dreamcatcher, Dec. 4
GRAMMY Award-winning guitarist and USC Thornton alum Lee Ritenour recently announced the upcoming release of his first studio album in five years entitled Dreamcatcher. Dreamcatcher marks Ritenour’s first ever full-length solo guitar album and will be released on Dec. 4. Ritenour shared with GratefulWeb the significance of his first solo album, particularly during this year.… Continue reading Lee Ritenour to release new album, Dreamcatcher, Dec. 4
Jeffrey Kahane launches new podcast series about classical music in America
Jeffrey Kahane, a faculty member in the Keyboard Studies program, has released the first episode of a new podcast series, Classical Music in America, which explores the evolution of America’s musical identity through books on classical music. The series is produced in partnership with the Sarasota Orchestra, where Kahane serves as Artistic Advisor. One episode… Continue reading Jeffrey Kahane launches new podcast series about classical music in America
Doyoung Park wins first prize in Golden Classical Music Awards International Competition
Doyoung Park, a master’s student in the Keyboard Studies program, recently won first prize at the 2020 Golden Classical Music Awards International Competition. The competition aims to discover outstanding artists and provide them awards to help launch their international careers. As one of this year’s winners, Park will be invited to perform in a concert… Continue reading Doyoung Park wins first prize in Golden Classical Music Awards International Competition
Michael Abels interviewed by ScreenDaily on diversity in film scoring
USC Thornton alum and award-winning composer Michael Abels (BM ‘84) was interviewed by ScreenDaily along with “Joker” composer Hildur Gudnadottir about improving diversity in the film and television scoring industry. Abels shared how young people responding to the success of his work on “Get Out” prompted him to co-found the Composers Diversity Collective, an organization… Continue reading Michael Abels interviewed by ScreenDaily on diversity in film scoring