Norman Krieger performs with Roanoke Symphony
Norman Krieger, USC Thornton professor of Keyboard Studies, recently performed with the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra for the opening of its 20th season on October 11. In a “celebratory and infectiously positive” atmosphere, as noted by the Roanoke Times, both Krieger and Roanoke music director David Stewart Wiley performed works by George Gershwin as concert soloists… Continue reading Norman Krieger performs with Roanoke Symphony
Mezzo-soprano Stephanie Blythe conducts vocal & piano masterclass
Internationally-renowned operatic mezzo-soprano, Stephanie Blythe, visited USC Thornton for a masterclass on October 16th for students of Thornton’s Vocal Arts and Keyboard Collaborative Arts programs. The singer, who is regarded as one of the leading artists of her generation, was on campus in anticipation of the October 20th musical tribute to faculty member Alan Smith,… Continue reading Mezzo-soprano Stephanie Blythe conducts vocal & piano masterclass
Jo-Michael Scheibe conducts a choir of 680 students
Jo-Michael Scheibe, chair of the USC Thornton Choral and Sacred Music department, conducted a group of 680 high school choristers from across the state of Utah at the Mormon Tabernacle in Salt Lake City on October 10. Their 30 minute All State Choir program was preceded by a performance of the University of Utah Chamber… Continue reading Jo-Michael Scheibe conducts a choir of 680 students
Thornton new music ensembles sparkle in LATimes review
Two new music ensembles featuring USC Thornton students and faculty were reviewed in the Los Angeles Times for a recent performance as part of Tuesdays@MonkSpace. The HOCKET piano due includes DMA Composition student Thomas Kotcheff (MM ’12) and Composition faculty member Sarah Gibson (MM ’10, DMA ’15). The Sakura ensemble centers around five cellists: Jonathan… Continue reading Thornton new music ensembles sparkle in LATimes review
Composer alum Karim Elmahmoudi undertakes Minnesota residency
Karim Elmahmoudi (’07), an alumnus of the USC Thornton Composition program, has completed a guest composer residency with the Wayzata Symphony Orchestra in Wayzata, Minnesota. Following a weeklong visit in September, during which Elmahmoudi met with Wayzata students and audiences to discuss his creative process, the Wayzata Symphony presented his work, Orbit: A Symphonic Fantasy,… Continue reading Composer alum Karim Elmahmoudi undertakes Minnesota residency
Violinist YuEun Kim featured in LACMA recital
USC Thornton Artist diploma student YuEun Kim (GCRT ’15, violin), who studies under Midori Goto, won the 2015 Sundays Live at LACMA competition to present a solo recital at the Los Angeles Country Museum of Art on September 13. Kim was the winner among 13 finalists who competed for the opportunity in February. Sundays Live… Continue reading Violinist YuEun Kim featured in LACMA recital
Vocal Arts alumna studies relationship between rhythm skills and language development
USC Thornton Vocal Arts alumna Dr. Reyna Gordon (’01) has been awarded a National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) grant to study the relationship between rhythm skills and language development. Gordon, a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Otolaryngology and at the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center, has… Continue reading Vocal Arts alumna studies relationship between rhythm skills and language development
Composition alumnus Roger Zare awarded Copland residency
USC Thornton Composition alumnus Roger Zare (BM ’07) was selected for a 2015-16 Copland House Residency Award. The residency, which takes place at composer Aaron Copland’s historical home and studio in Westchester County, New York, invites emerging and mid-career composers to live and work at the residence for three to eight weeks. Zare recently won… Continue reading Composition alumnus Roger Zare awarded Copland residency
Donald Crockett’s album “Blue Earth” reviewed in Gramophone
“Blue Earth,” a recent album of original works by Donald Crockett, chair of the USC Thornton Composition program, was reviewed in the September 2015 issue of Gramophone. Reviewer Donald Rosenberg noted that the album’s three works, which were recorded by the Boston Modern Orchestra Project under conductor Gil Rose, “show the American composer fully engaged… Continue reading Donald Crockett’s album “Blue Earth” reviewed in Gramophone
Tuba student Brandon Davis receives Tommy Johnson Scholarship
Tuba player Brandon Davis (MM ’13), currently a doctoral candidate in the USC Thornton Winds & Percussion program, has received the 2015-16 Tommy Johnson Tuba Scholarship, which is awarded annually to an outstanding graduating student. Davis, a native of Washington State, also studies conducting and composition at Thornton. The scholarship honors the legacy of Tommy… Continue reading Tuba student Brandon Davis receives Tommy Johnson Scholarship