Posts Tagged ‘Classical Performance and Composition’


Alexander Miller stages multi-media performance about lost LA landmarks

October 17, 2019

USC Thornton alumnus Alexander Miller (DMA ’10) will perform a multi-media project To…Oblivion: Historic Landmarks Around Los Angeles for the first time in its entirety on Friday, October 25 at Boston Court Pasadena. Using electric guitar and audio and visual effects, Miller’s performance will explore six LA landmarks that have been irreparably altered or destroyed.… Continue reading Alexander Miller stages multi-media performance about lost LA landmarks


Photo of Alan Smith

Faculty and alumni come together at fourth annual CollabFest

October 11, 2019

USC Thornton will have a strong presence at the upcoming CollabFest conference, with many alumni and faculty attending. Alan Smith, director of Keyboard Collaborative Arts, Andrew Harley (DMA ’97), Russell Miller (BM), James Douglass (DMA ’04), ChoEun Lee (DMA, ’13) and Lisa Sylvester, Chair of Vocal Arts & Opera at Thornton, will all be participating.… Continue reading Faculty and alumni come together at fourth annual CollabFest


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USC Thornton faculty and alumni enter GRAMMY Award consideration

October 9, 2019

A number of Thornton faculty and alumni have entered consideration for GRAMMY award nominations. Jazz Studies faculty member Sara Gazarek’s album Thirsty Ghost is up for consideration in multiple categories including Best Jazz Vocal Album. Alumnus Gernot Wolfgang’s (GCRT ’94) chamber music album, Vienna and the West, was entered in the Best Classical Compendium category.… Continue reading USC Thornton faculty and alumni enter GRAMMY Award consideration


Photo of violinist Bing Wang smiling.

Bing Wang judges nation-wide songwriting competition in Singapore

October 8, 2019

USC Thornton faculty member and music producer Bing Wang landed a spot on the judging panel for Singapore’s nation-wide Mandopop songwriting festival, SG:SW2017 I Write The Songs. Wang was joined by Singaporean xinyao pioneer Liang Wern Fook and singer-songwriter Wong Hong Mok to judge the 12 performances given at the finale concert on Saturday, Sept… Continue reading Bing Wang judges nation-wide songwriting competition in Singapore


Photo of David Allen Moore with double bass

David Allen Moore releases book of double bass instruction

October 1, 2019

Thornton faculty member and alumnus David Allen Moore has published his first book, “Fractal Fingering: A scaleable concept of fingerboard geography for the Double Bass.” The book is founded on 10 years of scholarship and teaching and redefines the methods for fingerboard organization and double bass left-handed technique. The book has already been put on… Continue reading David Allen Moore releases book of double bass instruction


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Three Thornton doctoral candidates among this year’s USC International Artist Fellows

September 30, 2019

USC recently announced the 2019-2020 class of International Artist Fellows, including three USC Thornton DMA candidates: Classical Guitar student Bokyung Byun, Keyboard Studies student Wesley Chu, and Composition student Guang Yang. Since 2013, the International Artist Fellowship has provided scholarships and other resources to enable talented artsits from around the world to study at USC’s… Continue reading Three Thornton doctoral candidates among this year’s USC International Artist Fellows


Photo of Sarah Gibson on red backdrop

Sarah Gibson to join faculty at UCSB Department of Music

September 23, 2019

Thornton alumna Sarah Gibson (MM ’10, DMA ’15) will join the faculty at the UC Santa Barbara Department of Music and College of Creative Studies as Teaching Professor in Composition this fall. Gibson will be teaching courses in composition, music theory, orchestration and other performance-related courses. “Her background and support of new musical compositions, along… Continue reading Sarah Gibson to join faculty at UCSB Department of Music


Photo of Connie Sheu with guitar

Connie Sheu leads new Suzuki Guitar program at Colburn’s Community School of Performing Arts

September 17, 2019

The Colburn Community School of Performing Arts has launched a new guitar program, directed by Thornton alumna Connie Sheu (DMA ’11), that seeks to make classical music and instruments more accessible to beginning students. The program is based in the Suzuki teaching method, founded by Japanese violinist Shinichi Suzuki. Sheu sees classical guitar as a… Continue reading Connie Sheu leads new Suzuki Guitar program at Colburn’s Community School of Performing Arts


Portrait of Seonmi Lee

Seonmi Lee joins faculty at Korea National University of Arts

September 11, 2019

Pianist and USC Thornton alumna Seonmi Lee (DMA ’19) has been appointed to the collaborative piano faculty at Korea National University of Arts, which is considered one of the most prominent Korean universities for pianists. In the role, Lee, who won her first international competition at age 10, will teach both collaboration and solo piano.… Continue reading Seonmi Lee joins faculty at Korea National University of Arts


Michael Lee commissioned by Ensemble Ari

August 21, 2019

Ensemble Ari will premiere USC Thornton alumnus Michael Lee’s (DMA ’17) “Ghost Break Dance” at the Friends of Chamber Music concert series at the University of the Pacific on September 22. The work was commissioned by the Bay Area ensemble. Additionally, a composition written by Lee while he was at USC, “Unmasked for Classical Guitar,”… Continue reading Michael Lee commissioned by Ensemble Ari