NEA grants to fund new and continued work by USC Thornton faculty and alumni
The latest round of grants awarded by the National Endowment for the Arts will fuel new and continued work by USC Thornton faculty and alumni. The LA Master Chorale, led by artistic director and USC Thornton Keyboard Studies alum Grant Gershon (BM ’85), was awarded funding for a series of contemporary choral music concerts, as… Continue reading NEA grants to fund new and continued work by USC Thornton faculty and alumni
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
Katelyn Vahala wins first prize at Rosalyn Tureck International Bach Competition
Keyboard Studies alum and current graduate student Katelyn Vahala (BM ’18) has recently won first prize at the Rosalyn Tureck International Bach Competition, and also won the prize for best contemporary performance. The international competition is named for the late Rosalyn Tureck, an acclaimed pianist, teacher, conductor, scholar, and author, who was known for her… Continue reading Katelyn Vahala wins first prize at Rosalyn Tureck International Bach Competition
Morten Lauridsen and Grant Gershon discuss 25th anniversary of “O Magnem Mysterium” on KUSC
USC Thornton alum Grant Gershon (BM ’85) and Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Composition and Thornton alum Morten Lauridsen recently appeared on KUSC’s Arts Alive to discuss the Los Angeles Master Chorale’s 25th anniversary of Lauridsen’s “O Magnum Mysterium.” The Master Chorale premiered the iconic work, and will perform it on Sunday, Dec. 15 in celebration… Continue reading Morten Lauridsen and Grant Gershon discuss 25th anniversary of “O Magnem Mysterium” on KUSC
Jeffrey Kahane lauded for performance of Bach’s “Goldberg Variations”
Keyboard Studies faculty member and acclaimed pianist Jeffrey Kahane opened the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center’s Baroque Festival on Dec. 3 with a lecture and lauded performance of Bach’s “Goldberg Variations.” As one of few masters of the work, Kahane opened the evening with a brief lecture with the assistance of the Calidore String… Continue reading Jeffrey Kahane lauded for performance of Bach’s “Goldberg Variations”
Erna Vala performs at Icelandic Embassy in Washington, D.C.
Keyboard Studies doctoral student Erna Vala recently performed at the Icelandic Embassy in Washington, D.C. at the reception of the Fulbright Artic Initiative Symposium. Vala is a Fulbright scholar from Iceland and talented pianist who studies with faculty member Bernadene Blaha. The Fulbright Arctic Initiative works to provide the foundation for collaboration of all Arctic… Continue reading Erna Vala performs at Icelandic Embassy in Washington, D.C.
Bernadene Blaha joins violinist Robert Davidovici in Beethoven celebration
Keyboard Studies faculty member and concert pianist Bernadene Blaha will join Robert Davidovici for a two-part concert of selected Beethoven Sonatas at the FIU Music Festival. The performance will celebrate the 250th anniversary of the birth of Ludwig Van Beethoven and will be performed in two installments at Miami Beach Urban Studios in Miami Beach,… Continue reading Bernadene Blaha joins violinist Robert Davidovici in Beethoven celebration
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
Three Thornton doctoral candidates among this year’s USC International Artist Fellows
USC recently announced the 2019-2020 class of International Artist Fellows, including three USC Thornton DMA candidates: Classical Guitar student Bokyung Byun, Keyboard Studies student Wesley Chu, and Composition student Guang Yang. Since 2013, the International Artist Fellowship has provided scholarships and other resources to enable talented artsits from around the world to study at USC’s… Continue reading Three Thornton doctoral candidates among this year’s USC International Artist Fellows
Seonmi Lee joins faculty at Korea National University of Arts
Pianist and USC Thornton alumna Seonmi Lee (DMA ’19) has been appointed to the collaborative piano faculty at Korea National University of Arts, which is considered one of the most prominent Korean universities for pianists. In the role, Lee, who won her first international competition at age 10, will teach both collaboration and solo piano.… Continue reading Seonmi Lee joins faculty at Korea National University of Arts