Remembering Lynn Harrell
Lynn Harrell, the internationally-acclaimed cellist and former faculty member at the USC Thornton School of Music, died on Monday, April 27. He was 76. From 1986 to 1993, Harrell held the Gregor Piatigorsky Chair in Violoncello at USC Thornton where he taught countless cellists who have gone on to remarkable careers including faculty member Ben… Continue reading Remembering Lynn Harrell
Ted Hearne releases new album, Place, from New Amsterdam Records
Composition faculty member Ted Hearne released a new album, Place, from New Amsterdam Records on April 3. The 72-minute reflection on gentrification and displacement is a collaboration with poet Saul Williams. The work was set to have its West Coast premiere March 24 with the LA Philharmonic New Music Group as part of the group’s… Continue reading Ted Hearne releases new album, Place, from New Amsterdam Records
Rina Ritivoiu and Micah Bland publish articles in Choral Journal
Choral & Sacred Music alum Rina Ritivoiu (DMA ’19) and doctoral candidate Micah Bland have published articles in the latest issue of Choral Journal, the official publication of the American Choral Directors Association. Ritivoiu’s article, entitled “Choir as a Caretaker of Caregivers,” and Bland’s article, entitled “Mouthing the Text: The Advantages and Disadvantages,” can be… Continue reading Rina Ritivoiu and Micah Bland publish articles in Choral Journal
Juan Pablo Contreras and Sarah Gibson discuss their craft in LACO roundtable
Doctoral candidate Juan Pablo Contreras and alum Sarah Gibson, both accomplished composers, appeared in the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra’s first installment of “Table Talk,” a series of roundtable discussions. Originally recorded in February, before safer at home orders took effect, Contreras and Gibson are joined by José Enrique González Medina and Derrick Spiva Jr. in… Continue reading Juan Pablo Contreras and Sarah Gibson discuss their craft in LACO roundtable
Thornton students talk transition to remote classes with Daily Trojan
In an article published April 13, the Daily Trojan interviewed students from USC Thornton and other USC performing arts schools about the unique challenges they faced in the transition to remote instruction, and how they and their instructors have adapted to the new format. Dominic Anzalone, a sophomore in the Popular Music program, told the… Continue reading Thornton students talk transition to remote classes with Daily Trojan
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 compose new works for online commissioning project “Alone Together”
USC Thornton student, alumni and faculty artists have joined violinist Jennifer Koh’s collaborative online commissioning project, Alone Together, created as a way to bring composers together to create new music for live streamed performances while social distancing. The project has received acclaim for its ingenuity and proactive approach to elevating the work of composers during… Continue reading Thornton artists compose new works for online commissioning project “Alone Together”
Thornton alumni musicians host and perform online concerts with U.S. Army Field Band
The United States Army Field Band, featuring many alumni of USC Thornton, has launched We Stand Ready, a series of daily concerts streamed live on the band’s YouTube channel. The full-length, interactive concerts are hosted by the band’s members, such as USC Thornton alums Kevin Pick (MM ’01) and J.G. Miller (DMA ’13). While the… Continue reading Thornton alumni musicians host and perform online concerts with U.S. Army Field Band
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