Fall 2022 Semester in Review
Looking back on an amazing fall 2022 semester at USC Thornton.
Antoinette Perry releases CD “Moments Musicaux”
USC Thornton Keyboard Studies faculty member Antoinette Perry released “Moments Musicaux” on Navona Records in July. The album of solo piano music, which was recorded live in USC Thornton’s Newman Recital Hall, features a blend of German, Austrian, Russian and American music.
Cameron Akioka wins silver medal at the Seattle International Piano Competition
USC Thornton Keyboard Studies graduate student Cameron Akioka won the silver medal, the James Miles Memorial Presidential Prize and attendee-vote Audience Favorite Award at the Seattle International Piano Competition. The announcement was made on Oct. 9. 43 pianists from North America, Europe and Asia submitted entries for the Collegiate Artists category. Akioka, who studies with… Continue reading Cameron Akioka wins silver medal at the Seattle International Piano Competition
Derek Polischuk performs on PBS series “Music for Justice”
Pianist and USC Thornton alumnus Derek Polischuk (DMA ‘06) was featured in an episode of the “Music for Social Justice” series on PBS. In the episode, he performed music from his album “Terra Incognita” with composer Tom Osborne (DMA ‘06). The album celebrates the beauty of Hawaii while also sharing its traumatic path to statehood.
Yu-Ting Peng wins Music Academy of the West competition
USC Thornton Keyboard Collaborative Arts program doctoral student Yu-Ting Peng won the Music Academy of the West’s Duo Competition this summer. Her classmate, Matthew Harikian, performed in the competition finals. Both students study with Kevin Fitz-Gerald, a professor in the Thornton Keyboard Studies and Keyboard Collaborative Arts programs.
Alan L. Smith releases song cycle featuring pianist Ryan MacEvoy McCullough
USC Thornton Professor, Chair of the Keyboard Studies Department and Director of Keyboard Collaborative Arts program Alan L. Smith has released the song cycle “Surfing The Thin Places.” Smith composed the music and words in remembrance of his mother, who passed away in April 2018. Commissioned by the Fall Island Vocal Arts Seminar, the song… Continue reading Alan L. Smith releases song cycle featuring pianist Ryan MacEvoy McCullough
Lenny Hayes debuts at Walt Disney Concert Hall with the Inner City Youth Orchestra
Keyboard Studies doctoral student, graduate teaching assistant and pianist Leonard (Lenny) Hayes was the featured guest artist during a performance with the Inner City Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles at Walt Disney Concert Hall on July 10. His debut at the storied hall, the performance featured a piano and orchestra arrangement of Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata.”
Katelyn Vahala named a prize winner at 2022 International Bach Competition
Thornton Keyboard Studies Department doctoral student Katelyn Vahala (’18, MM ’21) was named a Bach prize winner in piano at the 2022 International Johann Sebastian Bach Competition held July 12-23 in Leipzig, Germany. In 2019, Vahala was among the winners of the Rosalyn Tureck International Bach Competition, where she also won the contemporary music award.… Continue reading Katelyn Vahala named a prize winner at 2022 International Bach Competition
Steven Vanhauwaert joins faculty at University of Utah School of Music
Pianist Steven Vanhauwaert (MM ’06, GCRT ’08), an alumnus of the USC Thornton Keyboard Studies program, was named an assistant professor of piano/collaborative piano at the University of Utah’s School of Music. He will begin his new position in the fall 2022 semester.
Thornton Keyboard Studies program student Cameron Williams featured in The Daily Trojan
Cameron Williams, a USC Thornton student majoring in piano performance and computer science games, discussed his passions for both music and designing video games in an article for the Daily Trojan. Williams began studying piano with USC Thornton faculty member Bernadene Blaha when he was a senior in high school, and he has continued to… Continue reading Thornton Keyboard Studies program student Cameron Williams featured in The Daily Trojan