Composer and cellist Quenton Blache to make Carnegie Hall debut
USC Thornton Composition and Cello Performance alum Quenton Blache (‘23) will make his Carnegie Hall debut with the chamber orchestra Sphinx Virtuosi. The program will open with Blache’s New York premiere of Habari Gani, named after the the Swahili greeting exchanged during the celebration of Kwanzaa. Not only will Blache premiere his original piece, he… Continue reading Composer and cellist Quenton Blache to make Carnegie Hall debut
Delirium Musicum wins three S.F. Classical Voice Audience Choice Awards
Delirium Musicum, a chamber ensemble founded by violinist and USC Thornton alumnus Etienne Gara (GCRT ‘13), won three San Francisco Classical Voice Audience Choice Awards. In addition to Best Chamber Ensemble and Best New Music Ensemble, they won Best Orchestral Performance for the performance of their latest album, SEASONS, at the Younes and Soraya Nazarian… Continue reading Delirium Musicum wins three S.F. Classical Voice Audience Choice Awards
Cellist Seth Parker Woods included in Pew Grant
Seth Parker Woods, a celebrated cellist and USC Thornton Strings faculty member, was included in a major grant from The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage, alongside artist Barbara Earl Thomas. As part of a major grant won by the Arthur Ross Gallery, Woods and Thomas will present a new collaborative work for the Philadelphia… Continue reading Cellist Seth Parker Woods included in Pew Grant
Daniel Newman-Lessler conducts USC Thornton students in “Unforgettable Sunrise” premiere
On September 30, USC Thornton alumnus Daniel Newman-Lessler (MM ’17, BM ’14) will conduct 54 current students in the premiere of Unforgettable Sunrise, a 70 minute symphony by Jacob Rock and Rob Laufer. Rock, a non-verbal teenager with autism, communicated his idea for the symphony through an app on the iPad. To help realize his… Continue reading Daniel Newman-Lessler conducts USC Thornton students in “Unforgettable Sunrise” premiere
Violinist Francisco Fullana featured in The Strad
Francisco Fullana, a violinist and USC Thornton alumnus (GCRT ‘15), was featured in The Strad on August 7. He discussed the childhood summers in Andalusia that inspired his latest album, Spanish Light. “One of my earliest recollections involves walking hand in hand with my great-grandmother on a hot summer night, as music and laughter filtered… Continue reading Violinist Francisco Fullana featured in The Strad
Astral Mixtape named winner of 2023 Astral Artists National Competition
Astral Mixtape, which features USC Thornton alumni Misha Vayman (GCRT ’20), Juan-Salvador Carrasco (MM ’19, GCRT, ’20) and Michael Siess (MM ’19), was named a winner of the 2023 Astral Artists National Competition. The chamber ensemble is one of seven winners who have been invited to join the artist roster in Astral’s 23/24 season. Still… Continue reading Astral Mixtape named winner of 2023 Astral Artists National Competition
Midori named artistic director of Ravinia Steans Music Institute
Midori, a celebrated violinist and USC Thornton Judge Widney Professor of Music, has been named artistic director of the piano and strings program at Ravinia Steans Music Institute (RSMI). She will succeed esteemed violinist Miriam Fried, who has held the position since 1994. Her new appointment, effective fall 2023, will involve leading young professional musicians… Continue reading Midori named artistic director of Ravinia Steans Music Institute
Bing Wang receives honorary degree from Manhattan School of Music
World-renowned violinist and USC Thornton Strings faculty member Bing Wang received an honorary Doctor of Musical Arts degree from her alma mater, Manhattan School of Music (MSM), at their commencement ceremony on May 18. Wang earned a master’s degree from MSM in 1991 under the tutelage of Thornton Jascha Heifetz Chair in Violin, Glenn Dicterow.… Continue reading Bing Wang receives honorary degree from Manhattan School of Music
Kaitlin Miller wins first prize in 25th American Harp Society National Competition
Kaitlin Miller, a master’s student in the USC Thornton Strings department, has won first prize in the Young Professional division of the 25th American Harp Society (AHS) National Competition. The competition was held May 31-June 4 at the Colburn School in Los Angeles. In 2019, Miller won the AHS in Dallas Scholarship Competition. As this… Continue reading Kaitlin Miller wins first prize in 25th American Harp Society National Competition
Violinist Eudice Shapiro commemorated in article by The Forward
Pioneering violinist and former USC Thornton strings faculty member Eudice Shapiro was commemorated in an article by The Forward on May 9. Journalist Benjamin Ivry shared little-known facts about Shapiro’s life and the Jewish friends, composers and students who were a part of it. The article referenced USC News’ Title IX story on Shapiro, featuring… Continue reading Violinist Eudice Shapiro commemorated in article by The Forward