Popular Music alumna Malia Civetz sings National Anthem at the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl
USC Thornton Popular Music alumna Malia Civetz (BM ’16) recently sang the National Anthem at the 2017 NFLPA Collegiate Bowl. Earlier this year, Civetz performed Steve Hackman’s mash-up of rapper Drake’s music and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5, Tchaikovsky V. Drake with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. She will reprise Hackman’s piece on March 22 with the… Continue reading Popular Music alumna Malia Civetz sings National Anthem at the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl
Alumnus Jacques Brautbar featured in KQED’s “Film School Shorts”
USC Thornton Screen Scoring alumnus Jacques Brautbar (’15, GCRT ’16, Screen Scoring) was recently profiled by “Film School Shorts,” a national series showcasing student filmmakers by San Francisco’s KQED Public Television. In the piece, Brautbar recounts his non-traditional career path and provides valuable insight into the balance between creative artistry and effective collaboration in the… Continue reading Alumnus Jacques Brautbar featured in KQED’s “Film School Shorts”
USC Thornton faculty and musicians attending music education camp in Brazil
USC Thornton Dean Robert Cutietta is currently attending GLOMUS, a gathering of international music and arts education professionals in Natal, Brazil, along with several Thornton students and faculty. The biennial event, which is hosted by the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, aims to “create a forum for intercultural exchange in the fields of… Continue reading USC Thornton faculty and musicians attending music education camp in Brazil
Bassist Brian Robert Jones joins Gwen Stefani on the road
Bassist Brian Robert Jones (BM ’15), an alumnus of the USC Thornton Popular Music program, recently performed with singer Gwen Stefani at the Aria Resort and Casino in Las Vegas. The special engagement followed Stefani’s 28 city “This Is What The Truth Feels Like” tour, on which Jones performed from July through October of 2016.… Continue reading Bassist Brian Robert Jones joins Gwen Stefani on the road
Lawrence Shragge
Screen Scoring faculty member Lawrence Shragge has spent a lifetime studying film and examining the emotional impact of music in the movies. His successes include two Emmy Nominations for Outstanding Music Composition and composing the score to over 160 movies and television shows, including the award-winning Anne of Green Gables.
Michael Stever
Jazz trumpeter and composer Michael Stever teaches at the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music. An alumnus of the school, Stever has performed widely, most notably as lead/solo trumpet for the “Mancini at the Movies” tour, and has recorded with Steve Miller, Brian Culbertson, Eric Marienthal, and Eric Darius. As a composer, Michael… Continue reading Michael Stever
Drew Mikuška wins ASCAP Screen Scoring scholarship
Drew Mikuška (BM ’14, composition), a graduate student in the USC Thornton Screen Scoring program, was recently honored by the American Society of Composers, Authors & Publishers (ASCAP) Foundation with the Betty Rose Scholarship. The scholarship is awarded annually to an exceptional Screen Scoring student who will receive intensive mentorship sessions with a prominent screen… Continue reading Drew Mikuška wins ASCAP Screen Scoring scholarship
Trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire to premiere work with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra
This February, jazz trumpeter and USC Thornton alumnus Ambrose Akinmusire (MM ‘07, jazz studies) will premiere an original composition with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra’s “Liquid Music” series. Akinmusire’s piece was co-commissioned by the Ecstatic Music Festival and he created the work with rapper Kool A.D. The premiere will include performances by the Mivos Quartet,… Continue reading Trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire to premiere work with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra
USC Thornton comes in at #2 in latest “Hollywood Reporter” ranking
The Hollywood Reporter has again named USC Thornton on its list of the top music schools, ranking the school at number two in the world. The article, “Top 25 Music Schools, 2016” makes special mention of Thornton’s cutting-edge Screen Scoring program and its relationship to the Los Angeles music industry. Composer and Screen Scoring faculty… Continue reading USC Thornton comes in at #2 in latest “Hollywood Reporter” ranking
Daedelus creates original score for Chaplin film
USC Thornton Jazz Studies alumnus Alfred Darlington (’00), known professionally as Daedelus, recently presented an original electronic music score to Charlie Chaplin’s 1917 silent film, “Easy Street.” The live performance was part of a film series at Fig@7th known as UnSilent Cinema, in which contemporary musicians perform original accompaniment to silent films.