Posts Tagged ‘Contemporary Music’


Photo of JJ Kirkpatrick

JJ Kirkpatrick tours with Phoebe Bridgers

March 29, 2022

USC Thornton Jazz Studies Department alumnus J.J. Kirkpatrick (’14) heads out on tour with Phoebe Bridgers this April for her 2022 Reunion tour. Kirkpatrick toured with Bridgers last year and has previously toured with groups AJR and Brasstracks.


Photo of Matthew Abels

Michael Abels interviewed on TODAY show

March 28, 2022

Award-winning composer and USC Thornton Composition program alum Michael Abels (’84) was featured in a Today Show segment about how he’s breaking down barriers in Hollywood. The segment detailed Abels’ career from when he started working with director Jordan Peele on the horror hit Get Out to his involvement with the Composers Diversity Collective and… Continue reading Michael Abels interviewed on TODAY show


Photo of Julie Landsman

Julie Landsman featured on the cover of International Musician

March 21, 2022

USC Thornton Winds & Percussion Department faculty member Julie Landsman was featured on the cover of International Musician, the official publication of the American Federation of Musicians. The feature celebrates Landsman’s decades-long legacy of pioneering achievement in a male-dominated field and how she’s set the tone for a generation of students. “I give my heart… Continue reading Julie Landsman featured on the cover of International Musician


Photo of Andres Peterson playing the clarinet

Anders Peterson wins second prize in clarinet competition

March 17, 2022

USC Thornton clarinet performance major Anders Peterson won second prize in the classical clarinet category of the 2022 Vandoren Emerging Artist (VEA) Solo Competition. The VEA competition began in 2010 as a way to identify the next generation of great clarinetists and saxophonists and acknowledge them for their talent, hard work and artistry. As the… Continue reading Anders Peterson wins second prize in clarinet competition


Photo of Emily Hsu playing the violin

Emily Hsu featured in USC Trojan Family

March 14, 2022

“Second-year USC Thornton student Emily Hsu was featured in a USC Trojan Family magazine story about how students can forge their own academic paths at USC. Hsu currently studies violin performance at the USC Thornton School of Music and business administration at the USC Marshall School of Business. She also manages the Student Symphony Orchestra… Continue reading Emily Hsu featured in USC Trojan Family


A black/white cool portrait of Andrew Rudy

Andrew Rudy featured in Los Angeles publication

March 10, 2022

Andrew Rudy, a USC Thornton Music Industry program student, was recently interviewed by local publication Shoutout LA. In the piece, he talked about what keeps him busy as an artist, what he wants his legacy to be and which people in his life deserve recognition. “I love every facet that goes into making my music.… Continue reading Andrew Rudy featured in Los Angeles publication


Photo of Marina Hovhannisyan singing

Marina Hovhannisyan releases EP of Armenian music

March 9, 2022

Early music vocal performance master’s student Marina Hovhannisyan released an EP, A Living Story, on Feb. 7. The project features a collection of five Armenian folk songs from different regions, composers and time periods including “Your Prominent Eyes” by Komitas and “Foreign Nightingale” by Sayat Nova.


Picture of Vimbayi Kaziboni conducting

Vimbayi Kaziboni guest conducts the LA Phil New Music Group

March 8, 2022

Critically acclaimed conductor and USC Thornton alumnus Vimbayi Kaziboni guest conducts the LA Phil New Music Group on March 8 at 8 p.m. at Walt Disney Concert Hall. The program includes two world premieres of pieces by Wadada Leo Smith and inti figgis-vizueta. Kaziboni currently serves on the artistic leadership team of the Boston Lyric… Continue reading Vimbayi Kaziboni guest conducts the LA Phil New Music Group


A strings student performs with the orchestra at Capitol Studios.

Thornton students perform in Intercollegiate Studio Orchestra at Capitol Studios

March 7, 2022

USC Thornton graduate students Floriane Naboulet, Veronika Manchur, Emma Antonides, Youngeun Choi and Amelia Hammond recently performed in the Intercollegiate Studio Orchestra at Capitol Studios as part of the Los Angeles Film Conducting Intensive’s The Intensive 2022 workshop. The LAFCI is a media conductor training program created by Thornton alumni Angel Velez (MA ‘14) and… Continue reading Thornton students perform in Intercollegiate Studio Orchestra at Capitol Studios


Photo of Emmy composer and faculty member Laura Karpman

Laura Karpman to compose The Marvels

February 28, 2022

Emmy Award-winning composer and USC Thornton Screen Scoring program faculty member Laura Karpman is set to compose the music for The Marvels, the sequel to Captain Marvel. Karpman previously worked with Marvel Studios on the score for the Disney+ animated series What If…? and she will score the show’s second season.