Posts Tagged ‘Classical Performance and Composition’


Photo of Lisa Sylvester

Lisa Sylvester

July 17, 2012

Lisa Sylvester, pianist/coach/conductor, is Chair of Vocal Arts & Opera at the USC Thornton School of Music. She teaches courses in diction, vocal repertoire and collaborative piano on USC Thornton’s Vocal Arts faculty. She is also faculty coach at OperaViva!, a summer training program for young singers in Verona, Italy. Sought after as a coach… Continue reading Lisa Sylvester


Portrait of Mark Weiser

Mark Weiser

November 30, 2011

Composer Mark Lanz Weiser’s music has been described as “brilliantly expressive” (Washington Post), “potent and well-made” (San Francisco Chronicle) and “ravishing” (San Jose Mercury News). His compositions have been performed by a variety of notable groups, including the Baltimore and Indianapolis symphony orchestras, the Oakland East Bay Symphony, Pulse Chamber Music, the Capitol Quartet, the… Continue reading Mark Weiser


David Howard

November 7, 2011

David Howard, adjunct associate professor of winds and percussion, has been a member of the Los Angeles Philharmonic since 1981 when he was hired by then music director Carlo Maria Giulini. He has performed and given masterclasses at international festivals in Tel Aviv, Vancouver, Helsinki, Beijing, and Stockholm. He and a small contingent of Philharmonic colleagues coached… Continue reading David Howard


Scott Tennant

September 20, 2011

Scott Tennant is a founding member of the the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet, the Grammy-winning ensemble composed entirely of alumni of the USC Thornton School of Music, and is himself considered to be one of the world’s top classical guitarists. During his student years at USC (1980-1986), he studied with Pepe Romero and James Smith and… Continue reading Scott Tennant


Chris Rozé

September 20, 2011

The music of Chris Rozé has been performed throughout the U.S. by ensembles such as the Boston Chamber Music Society, Earplay, Music Mobile, NuClassix, the Wellesley Music Conference, the Atlantic String Quartet with Laura Flax, The Washington Island Music Festival Chamber Players, Ingrid Gordon (founder of Percussia), the Zinkali Trio and others. His clarinet quintet,… Continue reading Chris Rozé


Ola Gjeilo’s “Dark Night of the Soul” performed by the USC Thornton Chamber Singers

April 8, 2011

close


Joseph Silverstein, former Boston Symphony concertmaster, visits USC

March 29, 2011

close From March 29 through April 7, 2011, internationally acclaimed conductor and violinist Joseph Silverstein came to the USC Thornton School of Music for a week of masterclasses, lectures, and performances. Silverstein, the former concertmaster and assistant conductor of the Boston Symphony, took part in masterclasses, lectures, and two highly anticipated performances: a chamber music… Continue reading Joseph Silverstein, former Boston Symphony concertmaster, visits USC


Brent McMunn

October 4, 2010

Brent McMunn is conductor/music director of USC Thornton Opera and assistant professor of vocal arts. His professional operatic conducting debut was with the New York City Opera National Touring Company in La fille du regiment. Shortly after, he made his Lincoln Center debut with the New York City Opera in Les contes dÂ’Hoffmann, and subsequently conducted in four separate… Continue reading Brent McMunn


Bernadene Blaha

October 4, 2010

Bernadene Blaha commands the piano, whether featured as recitalist, concerto soloist or chamber musician, and has been heralded in performances throughout North America, Europe, Australia, Asia and Mexico. Piano and Keyboard magazine reviewed her as “a pianist of integrity, with lovely sonorities and total clarity of line.” Highlights include return engagements at the Piatigorsky International Cello Festival,… Continue reading Bernadene Blaha


Alumnus, faculty Aron Kallay on the supportive USC Thornton environment

September 21, 2010

close As part of a new series documenting USC Thornton alumni, pianist and faculty member Aron Kallay, DMA ’09, talks about his interest in new music and the support he received as a student at the Thornton School.