Garry Schyman wins Society of Composers & Lyricists Award
Garry Schyman, a Thornton alumnus and faculty member of the Screen scoring program, received an award from the Society of Composers & Lyricists along with fellow composer Mikolai Stroinski. The duo earned the award for Outstanding Original Score for Interactive Media for their work on the Kafka-inspired video game Metamorphosis. This award, given at the… Continue reading Garry Schyman wins Society of Composers & Lyricists Award
Musicology professor Lisa Cooper Vest publishes new book
Lisa Cooper Vest, a professor of Musicology at USC Thornton, recently published her book, “Awangarda: Tradition and Modernity in Postwar Polish Music,” with the University of California Press. The book explores how postwar Polish composers, scholars and political leaders created an avant-garde musical tradition. Vest frames this tradition in contrast to its counterparts in Western… Continue reading Musicology professor Lisa Cooper Vest publishes new book
Alumni featured in Los Angeles Times about pandemic loss and hope
Three USC Thornton alumni were recently featured in a Los Angeles Times article on classical musicians’ stories of pandemic loss and hope. Alexander Blake (DMA ‘19), Melissa Tong (BM ‘00), and Jonathan Karoly (BM ‘97) shared their stories of overcoming struggles during the pandemic and embracing new opportunities. “This time has confirmed that I’m a… Continue reading Alumni featured in Los Angeles Times about pandemic loss and hope
Nate Sloan quoted in USA Today
Musicology faculty member Nate Sloan was recently quoted in a USA Today article about love songs for every season of the year. Sloan said that “Love is the number one topic of popular music. Every love song has been written, pretty much, and yet there are new emotions to explore. Music is meant to move… Continue reading Nate Sloan quoted in USA Today
Beatriz Ilari to speak at 16th Annual McMaster Neuromusic Virtual Conference
Faculty member Beatriz Ilari, chair of the Music Teaching & Learning program, will be a keynote speaker at the 16th Annual McMaster Neuromusic Virtual Conference on Nov. 14. Ilari, a renowned author and researcher in the areas of music, child development and cognition, will deliver a talk entitled “Cross-cultural music research with children: Lessons from… Continue reading Beatriz Ilari to speak at 16th Annual McMaster Neuromusic Virtual Conference
William E. Doyle wins Saturday Visiter Award for Poe-inspired opera
USC Thornton alum William E. Doyle (DMA ‘88) was recently awarded the Saturday Visiter Award for “Original Works Inspired by E.A. Poe’s Life and Writing” from the International Edgar Allan Poe Festival in October. Doyle received the award for his 2019 work “Extraordinary Tales in Music”, a 90-minute opera that explores the works that influenced… Continue reading William E. Doyle wins Saturday Visiter Award for Poe-inspired opera
Angel Velez launches Silent Films Live: Halloween Uncanceled
USC Thornton Music Education alum Angel Velez (MA ‘14), a conductor, educator and Associate Board Member for Education Through Music-Los Angeles (ETM-LA), will host Silent Films Live: Halloween Uncanceled, a family-friendly virtual celebration of silent film benefiting ETM-LA. The event will include a virtual concert of six silent film scores reimagined by guest composers and… Continue reading Angel Velez launches Silent Films Live: Halloween Uncanceled
Wayne Yang featured in KUSC’s “Play On, California!”
KUSC highlighted Arts Leadership master’s student Wayne Yang’s Live! From Somewhere performance in a recent installment of its daily broadcast and online feature “Play On, California!” Yang performed Carl Vine’s “Threnody” and dedicated his performance to the victims of COVID-19 and their families. “I believe the one thing we can take away from this pandemic,… Continue reading Wayne Yang featured in KUSC’s “Play On, California!”
Nate Sloan celebrates Beethoven’s 5th Symphony with special Switched on Pop series
Switched on Pop, a podcast hosted by Musicology professor Nate Sloan and songwriter Charlie Hardin, is releasing “The 5th,” a four-part series about Beethoven’s 5th symphony featuring the New York Philharmonic. The series, presented in partnership with Vox Media, will dissect the symphony movement by movement and explore its context, legacy, and meaning. The first… Continue reading Nate Sloan celebrates Beethoven’s 5th Symphony with special Switched on Pop series
Lynn Helding releases new book bridging brain science and music performance
Vocal Arts and Opera faculty member Lynn Helding has recently released her new book, “The Musician’s Mind: Teaching, Learning, and Performance in the Age of Brain Science.” The book explores how musicians can optimize their mental wellbeing and cognitive abilities to maximize learning and performance. In her writing, Helding bridges the gap between various fields… Continue reading Lynn Helding releases new book bridging brain science and music performance