Ted Hearne releases new album “Hazy Heart Pump”
Composition faculty member Ted Hearne has released a new album, “Hazy Heart Pump,” from New Focus Recordings. The album of chamber works includes unique collaborations between Hearne and other performers, such as a piece with renowned poet Saul Williams in which Hearne composed music around Williams’ reading of a spoken word poem. The album also… Continue reading Ted Hearne releases new album “Hazy Heart Pump”
Frank Ticheli and Morten Lauridsen featured on PBS show
A new SoCal PBS show called American Voices featuring three Southern California composers, including Composition faculty member Frank Ticheli, will premiere on Nov. 1 at 8:30 p.m. American Voices will focus on Ticheli, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Composition Morten Lauridsen, and Eric Whitacre and their journeys of being American choral composers who are prominent in… Continue reading Frank Ticheli and Morten Lauridsen featured on PBS show
Alexander Miller stages multi-media performance about lost LA landmarks
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
Austin Wintory scores new game “John Wick Hex”
Composition alum Austin Wintory (’07) has composed the music of “John Wick Hex,” a new video game based on the popular John Wick movie series. Wintory is best known for his GRAMMY-nominated score for the game “Journey” and his score for “Assassin’s Creed Syndicate.” Lionsgate and game developer Bithell Games made the announcement of Wintory’s… Continue reading Austin Wintory scores new game “John Wick Hex”
USC Thornton faculty and alumni enter GRAMMY Award consideration
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
Three Thornton doctoral candidates among this year’s USC International Artist Fellows
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
Patrice Rushen returns to Monterey Jazz Festival with Christian McBride Situation
Patrice Rushen, chair of the USC Thornton Popular Music program, was recently featured in the San Francisco Chronicle ahead of her return to the Monterey Jazz Festival on September 27 with the Christian McBride Situation. Rushen first performed at the festival as a senior in high school in 1972, when she led her combo to… Continue reading Patrice Rushen returns to Monterey Jazz Festival with Christian McBride Situation
Sarah Gibson to join faculty at UCSB Department of Music
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
Michael Lee commissioned by Ensemble Ari
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
Billy Childs to join Berklee as visiting scholar
USC Thornton alumnus and celebrated jazz musician Billy Childs ’79 will serve as a visiting scholar at Berklee College of Music for the 2019-20 academic year. During his stint in Boston, Childs, a five-time GRAMMY award recipient, will teach jazz composition classes, coach a student ensemble and offer master classes.