
Toronto Mendelssohn Choir names Irene Gregorio as collaborative pianist
The Toronto Mendelssohn Choir has named USC Thornton alum Irene Gregorio (DMA ’12) as its new collaborative pianist.

Alum Hunter Noack hauls Steinway through Pacific Northwest parks for In A Landscape concert series
Hunter Noack (BM ’11) a Keyboard Studies alum, has created an outdoor concert series as a way to both familiarize nature lovers with classical music and introduce classical music lovers to the great outdoors.

April Chung releases children’s book with corresponding piano compositions
April Chung (MM ’16), an alum from the Keyboard Studies program, published a children’s book, “The Enchanted Bells,” with Balestier Press in May.

Rixiang Huang awarded first prize in Chopin International Piano Competition
Pianist Rixiang Huang was awarded first prize in the Piano Masters category of the Chopin International Piano Competition. Held annually in Hartford, Connecticut, the competition was held virtually this year. Huang performed Chopin’s Barcarolle, Rondo in E-flat major, Scherzo No. 3 as well as Bartok’s Piano Sonata and Rachmaninoff’s Études-Tableaux, Op. 39 in the final… Continue reading Rixiang Huang awarded first prize in Chopin International Piano Competition

New Opera West releases animated opera short
New Opera West, a nonprofit opera company co-founded by Vocal Arts doctoral student Emily Thebaut and Composition faculty member Mark Weiser, recently released “Pepito.” The animated dog opera written by Nicolas Lell Benavides, a doctoral student in the Composition program, is currently streaming on Vimeo. The work was animated by Esperanza Guevara, Connor Jacobs, and… Continue reading New Opera West releases animated opera short

Michael Tilson Thomas and Los Angeles Philharmonic win at 2021 GRAMMY Awards
The 63rd annual GRAMMY Awards, held virtually on Sunday, March 14, brought wins for faculty and alumni at USC Thornton. Celebrated conductor Michael Tilson Thomas, a Thornton alum and Judge Widney Professor at USC, won for Best Orchestral Performance for the San Francisco Symphony’s “Copland: Symphony No. 3.” And the many alumni and faculty who… Continue reading Michael Tilson Thomas and Los Angeles Philharmonic win at 2021 GRAMMY Awards

Lucinda Carver featured as Bösendorfer artist
Lucinda Carver, Keyboard Studies faculty member and Vice Dean of the Division of Classical Performance and Composition, has been selected as part of Bösendorfer’s “Artists & Friends” feature. Bösendorfer is one of the oldest piano manufacturers in the world. The artists included in the feature are those who play or have played the pianos as… Continue reading Lucinda Carver featured as Bösendorfer artist

Antoinette Perry releases album of Beethoven recordings
Pianist Antoinette Perry, a faculty member in the Keyboard Studies program, has announced the release of a new album of live recordings called Beethoven Bookends from Navona Records. The album, recorded live at the Aspen Music Festival, takes listeners from Beethoven’s early sonatas to his final sonata, Opus 111, and is available online now.

Judith Farmer releases new album of chamber music for bassoon
Winds & Percussion faculty member Judith Farmer has released a new album of chamber music for bassoon, Judith Farmer Plays Favorites. The album includes performances by Strings faculty member Andrew Shulman and alum Vicki Ray (DMA ’88), as well as a recording of a piece by alum composer Gernot Wolfgang (GCRT ’94). The album is… Continue reading Judith Farmer releases new album of chamber music for bassoon

USC Dornsife celebrates Danika Banh and the Music Inspiring Community club
Danika Banh, a biological sciences major at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences and a piano minor at the USC Thornton School of Music, was featured in an article by USC Dornsife about a music education student club she founded, Music Inspiring Community. Banh initially launched the club last year with the… Continue reading USC Dornsife celebrates Danika Banh and the Music Inspiring Community club