Daniel Weidlein produces debut album by vocal artist Julie Craig
USC Thornton Jazz Studies alum Daniel Weidlein (BM ’12) recently produced, arranged and orchestrated the debut album by vocal artist Julie Craig, From Here, released on Jan. 10. On the album, Craig, who is known for her roles in Broadway shows such as “Les Miserables” and “West Side Story,” performs classics and original music, backed… Continue reading Daniel Weidlein produces debut album by vocal artist Julie Craig
King Princess nominated for GLAAD Media Award
King Princess, known off-stage as Mikaela Straus, has been nominated for a 2020 GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Music Artist. Her nomination comes after the success of her debut album, Cheap Queen, that released in the fall of 2019. Straus is a non-degreed USC Thornton alum who studied in the popular music program. Her keyboardist,… Continue reading King Princess nominated for GLAAD Media Award
Thornton faculty perform at annual Jazz Education Network Conference
USC Thornton Jazz Studies faculty recently performed at the Jazz Education Network Conference on Jan. 7 in New Orleans, an annual conference bringing together jazz professionals, educators and students.
$1M gift ensures continued collaboration between USC Thornton, Kaufman School of Dance
The USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance has received an anonymous $1 million gift, which will be used specifically to support continued artistic collaboration with USC Thornton. The two schools already share a history of collaborative programming, such as the annual Choreographers & Composers concert, which pairs Thornton composer with Kaufman dancers to produce new… Continue reading $1M gift ensures continued collaboration between USC Thornton, Kaufman School of Dance
Sara Gazarek performs live set at Paste Studio NYC
USC Thornton alum and current Jazz Studies faculty member Sara Gazarek (BM ’04) recently performed a live set at Paste Studio NYC, performing three tracks from her latest album Thirsty Ghost. “The record is a truly, beautifully authentic representation of a very specific story, at a very particular time of my life,” Gazarek says of… Continue reading Sara Gazarek performs live set at Paste Studio NYC
Laura Karpman composes music for concert celebrating 100 years of women’s suffrage
Laura Karpman, USC Thornton Screen Scoring faculty member and Emmy-winning composer, will debut a new composition on Jan. 18 at the Lyric Opera of Kansas City’s “…When there are nine,” a production celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Nineteenth Amendment. Karpman and her collaborator, librettist Kelley Rourke, composed the song cycle “And Still We Dream”… Continue reading Laura Karpman composes music for concert celebrating 100 years of women’s suffrage
Remembering Jack Smalley
Jack Smalley, one of the founding faculty members of USC Thornton’s Screen Scoring program, died on Dec. 30 at his home in Studio City. He was 92. Having served and helped shape the Screen Scoring program for over 30 years, Smalley retired in 2015. He began his musical career as a jazz bassist performing in… Continue reading Remembering Jack Smalley
Ludwig Göransson shares experimental recording techniques from work with Childish Gambino
Screen Scoring alum Ludwig Göransson (GC ’08) recently shared some of the experimental recording techniques he used when producing tracks on the Childish Gambino album Because of the Internet, such as experimenting with iPhone recordings in order to generate new sounds. Göransson shares that they used low-fi iPhone recordings of sound effects and vocals for… Continue reading Ludwig Göransson shares experimental recording techniques from work with Childish Gambino
Thornton alumni end 2019 with awards nominations
Composition alumni Michael Abels (BM ’84) and Austin Wintory (BM ’07), and USC Thornton Board of Councilors member Thomas Newman, are all ending 2019 with nominations for the 2020 awards season. All three composers are nominated for the inaugural SCL Awards, granted by the Society of Composers & Lyricists: Abels’ “Us” score is nominated for… Continue reading Thornton alumni end 2019 with awards nominations
Andris Mattson of Moonchild remixes Sara Gazarek’s “Cocoon”
Andris Mattson (BM ’13), Jazz Studies alum and one third of neo-R&B trio Moonchild, recently released a remix of Björk’s “Cocoon” performed by Jazz Studies faculty member Sara Gazarek, skillfully merging faculty and alumni talent. Though Mattson primarily performs with Moonchild, a band of Jazz Studies alumni, he also releases music independently. Gazarek originally recorded… Continue reading Andris Mattson of Moonchild remixes Sara Gazarek’s “Cocoon”