Erna Vala performs at Icelandic Embassy in Washington, D.C.
Keyboard Studies doctoral student Erna Vala recently performed at the Icelandic Embassy in Washington, D.C. at the reception of the Fulbright Artic Initiative Symposium. Vala is a Fulbright scholar from Iceland and talented pianist who studies with faculty member Bernadene Blaha. The Fulbright Arctic Initiative works to provide the foundation for collaboration of all Arctic… Continue reading Erna Vala performs at Icelandic Embassy in Washington, D.C.
USC Thornton faculty and alumnus to perform in benefit concert for Paradise Fire victims
Sunday, Nov. 24, USC Thornton Classical Guitar faculty members William Kanengiser and Scott Tennant (of the GRAMMY-winning Los Angeles Guitar Quartet) and USC Thornton flamenco virtuoso and faculty member Adam del Monte will perform in a benefit concert, “Recuerdos de Paradise,” to support the victims of the Paradise Fire in 2018. Performing alongside them are flamenco… Continue reading USC Thornton faculty and alumnus to perform in benefit concert for Paradise Fire victims
Ernest Harrison named Music Director and Conductor of Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles
Doctoral Candidate in Choral Conducting at USC Thornton Ernest Harrison has been named the Music Director and Conductor of the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles (GMCLA). Ernest will begin working with GMCLA in December to work on season concert plans, and will begin his full-time podium position beginning in January. His first main-season concert… Continue reading Ernest Harrison named Music Director and Conductor of Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles
Nina Shekhar receives Debut Fellowship from Young Musicians Foundation
Composition graduate student Nina Shekhar is one of the first recipients of the Debut Fellowship from the Young Musicians Foundation (YMF). The newly established program aims to empower musical artists who are committed to social justice through arts in education by providing professional development and training in areas vital to building successful initiatives for systemic… Continue reading Nina Shekhar receives Debut Fellowship from Young Musicians Foundation
Thomas Mellan opens Jacaranda Music’s new season
USC Thornton Composition student and Organ Studies alum Thomas Mellan (BM ’17, MM ’19) recently opened Jacaranda Music’s 2019-2020 season in Los Angeles as a resident organist. Mellan performed in Jacaranda’s opening concert, “Organic Rush,” on Sept. 21 alongside organist and conductor Mark Allen Hilt. Mellan will also close the season in June with a… Continue reading Thomas Mellan opens Jacaranda Music’s new season
Bernadene Blaha joins violinist Robert Davidovici in Beethoven celebration
Keyboard Studies faculty member and concert pianist Bernadene Blaha will join Robert Davidovici for a two-part concert of selected Beethoven Sonatas at the FIU Music Festival. The performance will celebrate the 250th anniversary of the birth of Ludwig Van Beethoven and will be performed in two installments at Miami Beach Urban Studios in Miami Beach,… Continue reading Bernadene Blaha joins violinist Robert Davidovici in Beethoven celebration
Kathryn Eberle appointed concertmaster of Hollywood Bowl Orchestra
USC Thornton alum Kathryn Eberle (BM ’04) has been appointed concertmaster of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra. Eberle was selected after the orchestra’s summer auditions to fill the position of the late Katia Popov. Along with being a seasoned soloist and chamber musician, Eberle is the associate concertmaster for the Utah Symphony, a position she will… Continue reading Kathryn Eberle appointed concertmaster of Hollywood Bowl Orchestra
Ted Hearne releases new album “Hazy Heart Pump”
Composition faculty member Ted Hearne has released a new album, “Hazy Heart Pump,” from New Focus Recordings. The album of chamber works includes unique collaborations between Hearne and other performers, such as a piece with renowned poet Saul Williams in which Hearne composed music around Williams’ reading of a spoken word poem. The album also… Continue reading Ted Hearne releases new album “Hazy Heart Pump”
Frank Ticheli and Morten Lauridsen featured on PBS show
A new SoCal PBS show called American Voices featuring three Southern California composers, including Composition faculty member Frank Ticheli, will premiere on Nov. 1 at 8:30 p.m. American Voices will focus on Ticheli, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Composition Morten Lauridsen, and Eric Whitacre and their journeys of being American choral composers who are prominent in… Continue reading Frank Ticheli and Morten Lauridsen featured on PBS show
Chris Garwood launches online learning platform for pianists
Classical Guitar alum Chris Garwood (BM ’15) has launched an online educational platform for pianists on his music education website Tonebase. Garwood originally launched Tonebase in 2017 as a platform for learning classical guitar, with the goal of making the best in online music education available to all musicians. Tonebase’s guitar platform now has over… Continue reading Chris Garwood launches online learning platform for pianists