Laura Karpman composes score for rerelease of “The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923)”
USC Thornton Screen Scoring Program Adjunct Instructor Laura Karpman and her wife, Nora Kroll-Rosenbaum, composed the score for the remake of the century-old silent film “The Hunchback of Notre Dame.”
Thornton alumni garner 2022 Emmy nominations
Three USC Thornton alumni have been recognized with 2022 Emmy nominations. Music director and Thornton Jazz Studies Department alumnus Eli Brueggemann (MM ’03) was nominated for Outstanding Music Direction for his work on “Saturday Night Live.” Executive producer and Thornton Music Industry program alumnus Bobby Campbell (’08) received a nomination for Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-recorded)… Continue reading Thornton alumni garner 2022 Emmy nominations
Justin Klunk performs benefit show for nonprofit Asian American theater company
On July 23 at 7 p.m. at the Aratani Theatre in Los Angeles, Popular Music program alumnus and saxophonist Justin Klunk (’13) performs in Guide Me Home: A Smooth Jazz Benefit Show, with proceeds benefiting The Grateful Crane Ensemble, a southern California-based, nonprofit, Asian American theater company.
Billy Childs premieres violin concerto at Grant Park Music Festival
GRAMMY Award-winning artist and Thornton alumnus Billy Childs (’79) premieres his Violin Concerto No. 2 at the Grant Park Music Festival in Chicago on July 15-16. The piece will be performed by the festival’s Project Inclusions String Quartet and features acclaimed violinist Rachel Barton Pine as a soloist. Grant Park Music Festival co-commissioned the composition,… Continue reading Billy Childs premieres violin concerto at Grant Park Music Festival
Peter Erskine named to the Percussive Arts Society Hall of Fame
Thornton Jazz Studies faculty member and GRAMMY Award-winning drummer Peter Erskine was named to the Percussive Arts Society Hall of Fame this year. The Percussive Arts Society Hall of Fame was established in 1972 to recognize the contributions of the most highly regarded leaders in percussion performance, education, research, scholarship, administration, composition and the industry.
Ron McCurdy appointed to the Association of European Conservatories’ Diversity, Inclusion and Gender Equality Working Group
Ron McCurdy, assistant dean of Thornton’s justice, equity, diversity and inclusion committee and a professor in the jazz studies department, has been appointed to the Association of European Conservatories’ Diversity, Inclusion and Gender Equality Working Group.
Grant Gershon’s 20th season with the LA Master Chorale celebrated by the LA Times
USC Thornton alumnus Grant Gershon (’85) recently celebrated his 20th season as the artistic director of the Los Angeles Master Chorale. The Los Angeles Times recognized this milestone with a story that explored how Gershon has transformed the LA Master Chorale into one of the country’s most adventurous and boundary-pushing choirs. Associate artistic director and… Continue reading Grant Gershon’s 20th season with the LA Master Chorale celebrated by the LA Times
Branden Brown premieres film score at Palm Springs International ShortFest
Thornton Jazz Studies Department alumnus Branden Brown (’21) will premiere his first original film score for What I Had to Leave Behind at the Academy Award and BAFTA-qualifying 28th Palm Springs International ShortFest in June. Brown’s score features instrumentalists and fellow Thornton alumni Ethan Chilton (’20, M.M. ’22), Cyrus Elia (’20) and Lauren Ellis (’21),… Continue reading Branden Brown premieres film score at Palm Springs International ShortFest
Bear McCreary wins at 2022 ASCAP Screen Music Awards
Composer and USC Thornton alumnus Bear McCreary (’02) was one of the winners in the Most Performed Themes & Underscore category at the 2022 ASCAP Screen Music Awards. He won the award for his score for the Apple TV+ series Foundation. McCreary is an accomplished film and video game composer who has scored many projects… Continue reading Bear McCreary wins at 2022 ASCAP Screen Music Awards
Lauren Ellis interviewed by Peter Erskine in Modern Drummer magazine
Jazz studies alumna Lauren Ellis (MM ’21) was interviewed by her former professor and mentor, Thornton Jazz Studies faculty member Peter Erskine, in the June 2022 issue of Modern Drummer magazine. Their discussion ranged from women in jazz music to perseverance in the music industry to embracing spontanety during performances.