Ronald C. McCurdy and Anita Dashiell-Sparks present Nobody Knows: Voices Unmuted at the GRAMMY Museum
Ronald C. McCurdy, the assistant dean of Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) Initiatives for the USC Thornton School of Music, along with Anita Dashiell-Sparks, the associate dean of JEDI for the USC School of Dramatic Arts, has curated a collaborative interdisciplinary project entitled Nobody Knows: Voices Unmuted. This student-driven project features empowered voices from… Continue reading Ronald C. McCurdy and Anita Dashiell-Sparks present Nobody Knows: Voices Unmuted at the GRAMMY Museum
Meet the new faculty: Seth Parker Woods
As part of a new series this spring, USC Thornton is introducing a number of exceptional new faculty members at the school. Acclaimed cellist Dr. Seth Parker Woods joins the faculty as an assistant professor of practice, string chamber music and cello. A recipient of the 2022 Chamber Music America Michael Jaffee Visionary Award and hailed by The Guardian as “a cellist of power and grace” who possesses “mature artistry and… Continue reading Meet the new faculty: Seth Parker Woods
Seth Parker Woods
Hailed by The Guardian as “a cellist of power and grace” who possesses “mature artistry and willingness to go to the brink,” two-time Grammy-nominated cellist Seth Parker Woods has established his reputation as a versatile artist and innovator across multiple genres. Woods’ projects delve deep into our cultural fabric, reimagining traditional works and commissioning new ones to… Continue reading Seth Parker Woods
Ted Hearne commissioned by UCLA to reimagine Stephen Sondheim composition
UCLA’s Center for the Art of Performance commissioned USC Thornton Composition faculty member Ted Hearne to write a re-imagined version of a Stephen Sondheim piece. The song will be played by celebrated pianist Anthony de Mare in his performance of Liaisons: Re-Imagining Sondheim from the Piano on April 10 at 7 p.m.
Molly Miller featured in Fretboard Journal
USC Thornton alumna and Studio Guitar program faculty member Molly Miller (’11, MM ’13, DMA ’16) was interviewed in the latest edition of the Fretboard Journal. The feature discusses instrumental storytelling and Miller’s early days with the guitar. “I think what I’ve learned this year in quarantine is, I’ve gotten to connect with people from… Continue reading Molly Miller featured in Fretboard Journal
Thornton Edge releases album of music by Thornton emeritus professor Frederick Lesemann
A new recording of the USC Thornton Edge, directed by Donald Crockett, celebrates the life and work of Frederick Lesemann, emeritus professor of composition at the USC Thornton School of Music. Frederick Lesemann: Songs and Concertinos features three concertinos for small ensembles, as well as a collection of three songs inspired by poetry written more… Continue reading Thornton Edge releases album of music by Thornton emeritus professor Frederick Lesemann
Michael Abels interviewed on TODAY show
Award-winning composer and USC Thornton Composition program alum Michael Abels (’84) was featured in a Today Show segment about how he’s breaking down barriers in Hollywood. The segment detailed Abels’ career from when he started working with director Jordan Peele on the horror hit Get Out to his involvement with the Composers Diversity Collective and… Continue reading Michael Abels interviewed on TODAY show
Matthew Daley featured in Los Angeles Sentinel
Matthew Daley, a doctoral student in the USC Thornton Organ Studies program, was featured in a Los Angeles Sentinel article about his performance at the 14th annual President’s Day Organ Festival. At the event, Daley played Johann Sebastian Bach’s “Partite diverse sopra: Sei Gegrusset, Jesu Gutig” on a pipe organ. Daley has previously performed around the… Continue reading Matthew Daley featured in Los Angeles Sentinel
Diana Newman makes her Metropolitan Opera debut
Soprano and USC Thornton alum Diana Newman (’12, MM ’14) made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Papagena in The Magic Flute on December 27. Newman previously debuted with the Dallas Opera as First Lady in The Magic Flute in 2019, and she is a recent graduate of the Lyric Opera of Chicago’s Ryan Opera Center.
Julie Landsman featured on the cover of International Musician
USC Thornton Winds & Percussion Department faculty member Julie Landsman was featured on the cover of International Musician, the official publication of the American Federation of Musicians. The feature celebrates Landsman’s decades-long legacy of pioneering achievement in a male-dominated field and how she’s set the tone for a generation of students. “I give my heart… Continue reading Julie Landsman featured on the cover of International Musician