Juan Pablo Contreras premieres new work with LACO
Tonight, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra (LACO) will present the U.S. premiere of current doctoral student Juan Pablo Contreras’ harp concerto, Ángel Mestizo. The event, which begins at 8:00 pm at Hauser + Wirth in Downtown Los Angeles, is part of SESSION, a series in which LACO musicians collaborate with compelling composers in unique spaces. … Continue reading Juan Pablo Contreras premieres new work with LACO
Ted Hearne earns strong NY Times review
The Crossing, a Philadelphia-based choral ensemble focusing on contemporary music, recently premiered a new work by composer and USC Thornon faculty member Ted Hearne, at the Park Avenue Armory. Hearne’s Animals, which incorporated a brief text by President Donald Trump about illegal immigrants, was one of ten works on patriotism and war, environmental depredation, and… Continue reading Ted Hearne earns strong NY Times review
Sarah Gibson profiled by BMI
Composer and USC Thornton faculty member Sarah Gibson (MM ’10, DMA ’15) was recently interviewed on the BMI website about her start in the field, her new music piano duo, Hocket, and her diverse body of compositions, including those for toy piano. Gibson was recently named 2018-2019 Sound Investment Composer by Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra… Continue reading Sarah Gibson profiled by BMI
Senior Logan Nelson finalist for World Soundtrack award
The World Soundtrack Academy organizes a composition contest every year for young, international film composers. If selected, the composer will write a symphonic score for a selected film or TV excerpt and will be given the SABAM Award for the Most Original Composition by a Young International Composer, worth $2500. This year, USC Thornton Composition… Continue reading Senior Logan Nelson finalist for World Soundtrack award
Alumnus Robert Lydecker scores second season of “Iron Fist”
Composer and USC Thornton alumnus Robert Lydecker (BM ’08 Composition, GCRT ’09 Film Scoring), scored the second season of the Netlix original series Iron Fist, which premiered September 7th. Lydecker also co-scored two seasons of ABC’s Designated Survivor with composer Sean Callery, and co-composed the score for the 2017 film XXX: Return of Xander Cage… Continue reading Alumnus Robert Lydecker scores second season of “Iron Fist”
Frank Ticheli inducted into the University of Michigan’s Hall of Fame
Frank Ticheli, a member of USC Thornton’s Composition faculty, was recently inducted into the University of Michigan Hall of Fame, alongside fellow alum and renowned soprano, Jessye Norman. Ticheli, who graduated with a Master’s in trumpet and composition in 1983 and a DMA in composition in 1987, has gained worldwide recognition for his works for… Continue reading Frank Ticheli inducted into the University of Michigan’s Hall of Fame
Alumnus Jules Pegram premieres new opera
USC Thornton alumnus Jules Pegram (BM ’13, Composition) recently composed, produced, and conducted two performances of Higher Ground, a sixty-minute, one act opera with a libretto by North Carolina-based writer Jim Whiteside. Scored for seven principal vocalists, SATB chorus, and chamber orchestra, the opera was fully staged on April 4 & 5, 2018 at the… Continue reading Alumnus Jules Pegram premieres new opera
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
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
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