Conservatory building named in honor of alumnus Robert L. Annis
Westminster Choir College, a music conservatory associated with Rider University of Princeton, New Jersey, has named its Playhouse venue in honor of Robert L. Annis (MM ’74, clarinet), an alumnus of USC Thornton, who served as Choir College’s dean from 1992-2014. The historical Playhouse, which was renovated in 2015, has occupied a central role at… Continue reading Conservatory building named in honor of alumnus Robert L. Annis
Jeffrey Kahane appointed music director of Sarasota Music Festival
Conductor and pianist Jeffrey Kahane, a member of the USC Thornton Keyboard Studies faculty, has been appointed music director of the Sarasota Music Festival, a program of the Sarasota Orchestra. The annual festival, founded in 1965, welcomes international faculty artists and college-aged musicians for three weeks of orchestral and chamber music concerts, recitals, masterclasses, and… Continue reading Jeffrey Kahane appointed music director of Sarasota Music Festival
Marilyn Horne celebrated at Music Academy gala
USC Thornton alumna Marilyn Horne was honored at a gala concert on June 4, 2016 at the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara, where she is director of the Voice Program. The concert, which opened the Academy’s 2016 Summer School and Festival, featured performances by vocalists Simone Osborne, Isabel Leonard, Ben Bliss, and… Continue reading Marilyn Horne celebrated at Music Academy gala
Pianist Nadia Shpachenko receives raves for Bargemusic concert in NYC
Nadia Shpachenko (DMA ’04, MM ’99, Piano Performance), an alumna of the USC Thornton Keyboard Studies program, recently presented her “Poetry of Places” recital program as part of the Bargemusic concert series in Brooklyn. The June 24th recital featured new works by six composers – Lewis Spratlan, Harold Meltzer, James Matheson, Hannah Lash, Amy Beth… Continue reading Pianist Nadia Shpachenko receives raves for Bargemusic concert in NYC
Pianist Tomomi Sato to be featured soloist at LACMA’s Sundays Live
USC Thornton Masters student Tomomi Sato (BM ’15, Keyboard Collaborative Arts) was named the winner of the 2016 Sundays Live audition through the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). She will perform a program featuring the works of Bach, Schumann and Wild on Sunday, September 11. Her performance is part of LACMA’s Sundays Live… Continue reading Pianist Tomomi Sato to be featured soloist at LACMA’s Sundays Live
Nathan Fryml joins growing list of professional appointments for Choral grads
USC Thornton DMA candidate Nathan Fryml has been appointed Director of Choral Activities at Amarillo College in Texas, where he will conduct three choirs and teach theory at the college. Fryml’s is the fifth professional appointment of Choral & Sacred Music graduates recently: Jenny Wong (MM ’13, choral) was named Assistant Conductor of the LA… Continue reading Nathan Fryml joins growing list of professional appointments for Choral grads
Classical – 3
Classical – 2
Donald Crockett remembers composer Steven Stucky
Donald Crockett, chair of the USC Thornton Composition department, was quoted in the Boston Globe about his close friendship with composer Steven Stucky, who died in February. Crockett came to know the Pulitzer Prize-winner in the 1980’s when Stucky began serving as composer in residence for the Los Angeles Philharmonic (LA Phil). “His sense of… Continue reading Donald Crockett remembers composer Steven Stucky
Calder Quartet to begin Broad Stage residency next year
The Calder Quartet, which includes USC Thornton Strings alumni Benjamin Jacobson (BM ’01, MM ’07) and Andrew Bulbrook (BM, ’02), violin, violist Jonathan Moerschel (BM ’01, MM ’03), and cellist Eric Byers (BM, ’03), will become Artists in Residence at the Broad Stage in Santa Monica next year. The ensemble will present three concerts in… Continue reading Calder Quartet to begin Broad Stage residency next year