Juan Pablo Contreras and Sarah Gibson discuss their craft in LACO roundtable
Doctoral candidate Juan Pablo Contreras and alum Sarah Gibson, both accomplished composers, appeared in the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra’s first installment of “Table Talk,” a series of roundtable discussions. Originally recorded in February, before safer at home orders took effect, Contreras and Gibson are joined by José Enrique González Medina and Derrick Spiva Jr. in… Continue reading Juan Pablo Contreras and Sarah Gibson discuss their craft in LACO roundtable
Polina Cherezova publishes feature on Conrad Tao
USC Thornton Master’s student Polina Cherezova talked with pianist Conrad Tao ahead of his Power to the People! festival concert with the LA Phil. The feature was published on the LA Phil’s Watch & Listen home page. “Conrad Tao, the internationally acclaimed composer-pianist, lives in an imaginative cosmos of his own, where vulnerability reigns,” Cherezova wrote.… Continue reading Polina Cherezova publishes feature on Conrad Tao
Daily Trojan highlights Live! From Somewhere performance series
The Daily Trojan, USC’s student-led newspaper, recently highlighted USC Thornton’s new video series, Live! From Somewhere. The series was launched on March 16 in response to recent closures and event cancellations, and as the school’s artists have looked for ways to continue making music while social distancing. Live! From Somewhere presents homemade performances by Thornton… Continue reading Daily Trojan highlights Live! From Somewhere performance series
HOCKET announced as new Piano Spheres Core Artist
USC Thornton alumni duo HOCKET has been named the latest addition to Piano Spheres’ roster of Core Artists, the first to be added to the concert series’ roster in 26 years. Piano Spheres was founded in 1994 by pianist and former USC faculty member Leonard Stein with the goal of showcasing new music for the… Continue reading HOCKET announced as new Piano Spheres Core Artist
Thornton artists feature prominently in LACO’s recently announced 2020-21 season
The Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra (LACO) has announced its 2020-21 season, the “Season of the Violin,” which prominently features a number of USC Thornton artists, many of whom have enjoyed long relationships with the orchestra. Nov. 14 and 15, Keyboard Studies faculty member and LACO’S Conductor Laureate Jeffrey Kahane, who previously served for 20 years… Continue reading Thornton artists feature prominently in LACO’s recently announced 2020-21 season
Thornton artists feature prominently in concert honoring women composers, performers, directors
USC Thornton artists will feature prominently in the Los Robles Master Chorale’s upcoming collaborative concert, Women Speak, highlighting the work of women composers, performers and directors. The all-women chorus VOX Femina Los Angeles will join the Los Robles Master Chorale (LRMC) for the fist half of the evening’s program. Both choruses are led by USC… Continue reading Thornton artists feature prominently in concert honoring women composers, performers, directors
Sarkis Baltaian and Derek Polischuk release album of Latin American music for piano
USC Thornton Keyboard Studies alumni Sarkis Baltaian (BM ’99, MM ’01, DMA ’07) and Derek Kealii Polischuk (BM ’01, MM ’04, DMA ’06) have released a new album titled Latin American Music for 2 Pianos. The album features Baltaian and Polischuk’s recordings of music by Carlos Guastavino, Manuel Ponce, Octávio Pinto, Astor Piazzolla, Aaron Copland,… Continue reading Sarkis Baltaian and Derek Polischuk release album of Latin American music for piano
Alan Smith to premiere song cycle at NYC songSLAM Festival
Pianist Alan Smith, chair of Keyboard Studies and director of Keyboard Collaborative Arts at USC Thornton, will be premiering a new song cycle on Saturday, Jan. 18 at the final event of the songSLAM Festival in New York City, organized by the art song consortium Sparks and Wiry Cries. The five-song piece, titled “Surfing the… Continue reading Alan Smith to premiere song cycle at NYC songSLAM Festival
Faculty and alumni come together at fourth annual CollabFest
USC Thornton will have a strong presence at the upcoming CollabFest conference, with many alumni and faculty attending. Alan Smith, director of Keyboard Collaborative Arts, Andrew Harley (DMA ’97), Russell Miller (BM), James Douglass (DMA ’04), ChoEun Lee (DMA, ’13) and Lisa Sylvester, Chair of Vocal Arts & Opera at Thornton, will all be participating.… Continue reading Faculty and alumni come together at fourth annual CollabFest
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