Concerto Chamber Orchestra recruiting members
The Concerto Chamber Orchestra, a student-led ensemble for non-major musicians, will be holding auditions for performers of all orchestral instruments and skill levels, September 1st and 2nd, on the USC Thornton campus. The orchestra presents two popular concerts each semester. Interested students can email concertochamberorchestra@gmail.com to set up an audition time.
Pianist Derek Polischuk releases two albums, looks ahead to book launch
Pianist and USC Thornton alumnus Derek Polischuk (BM ’01, DMA ’06, Piano) has recently released two albums on the Blue Griffin label. It’s About Time, featuring trombonist Ava Ordman, includes music by female composers Andrea Clearfield, Lauren Bernofsky, Joelle Wallach, Karen Thomas, Ida Gotkovsky, Elizabeth Raum and Barbara York, while Anxiety Attack, with soprano Melanie… Continue reading Pianist Derek Polischuk releases two albums, looks ahead to book launch
Harpist Caroline Hales wins Music Academy’s Concerto Competition
Harpist Caroline Hales (BM ’16), a master’s candidate in the USC Thornton Strings program, recently won the Music Academy of the West’s 2018 Concerto Competition. Hales, who studies with JoAnn Turovsky, serves as principal harpist with the American Youth Symphony, the Debut Chamber Orchestra, and the USC Thornton Symphony. Winners of the Concerto Competition will… Continue reading Harpist Caroline Hales wins Music Academy’s Concerto Competition
Eric Pham
Eric Pham is a composer, multi-instrumentalist, recording producer and engineer based in Los Angeles. He received a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Production from Cal Poly Pomona, a Master of Music in Composition from the Bob Cole Conservatory at CSULB, and is currently working toward a Doctor of Musical Arts in Composition at USC. Having played… Continue reading Eric Pham
Faculty and alumni featured in summer opera productions across the country
Several USC Thornton faculty and alumni have enjoyed success on the opera stage this summer. Faculty member Ken Cazan, the USC Thornton Opera’s resident stage director, returned to Colorado’s Central City Opera to direct productions of Handel’s Acis and Galatea and Henry Mollicone’s 1978 chamber opera, The Face on the Barroom Floor. Starring as Galatea,… Continue reading Faculty and alumni featured in summer opera productions across the country
Greg Reitan receives Copland House residency award
Jazz pianist and film composer Greg Reitan (BM ’96, Composition), a USC Thornton alumnus, has been awarded a 2018 residency at the Copland House in New York state. The house, where Aaron Copland spent the last 30 years of his life, hosts selected composers for short-term, all-expenses-paid creative residencies each year. Reitan has worked as… Continue reading Greg Reitan receives Copland House residency award
Martin Chalifour to perform Saint-Saëns’ Violin Concerto at the Hollywood Bowl
Violinist Martin Chalifour, Principal Concertmaster of the Los Angeles Philharmonic (LA Phil) and a member of the USC Thornton Strings faculty, will perform Saint-Saëns’ Violin Concerto No. 1, under the baton of Paolo Bortolameolli, at the Hollywood Bowl on August 2nd. Chalifour has spent much of the summer as a Valade Teaching Fellow and Valade… Continue reading Martin Chalifour to perform Saint-Saëns’ Violin Concerto at the Hollywood Bowl
Guitarist Mak Grgić to tour with k.d. lang
Classical guitarist Mak Grgić (MM ’12, DMA ’16), a graduate certificate candidate at USC Thornton and an alumnus of the school’s Arts Leadership program, will open for k.d. lang during the artist’s Fall tour across the American South. Beginning September 7th, Grgić will perform on lang’s Ingénue Redux Tour in nine cities, closing the tour… Continue reading Guitarist Mak Grgić to tour with k.d. lang
Choral & Sacred Music students find professional success
Several graduate students of the USC Thornton Choral & Sacred Music program have recently brought their work to larger audiences. DMA candidate Irene Apanovitch-Leites presented at the Canadian Choral Directors’ Summer Conference in late June. She will bring her presentation, “How Do Singers Relate: Exploring the Connection Between Empathy and Choral Singing,” to the ACDA… Continue reading Choral & Sacred Music students find professional success
Alumnus Carlos Rafael Rivera receives two Emmy nominations
Composer and USC Thornton alumnus Carlos Rafael Rivera (MM ’04, DMA ’10) has received two Emmy Award nominations for his work on the Netflix limited series, Godless. Rivera’s music has been nominated in the categories of Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music and Outstanding Music Composition for a Limited Series, Movie or Special (Original Dramatic… Continue reading Alumnus Carlos Rafael Rivera receives two Emmy nominations