Grant Gershon warmly reviewed for work with LA Master Chorale and LA Opera
USC Thornton alumnus Grant Gershon (’85, piano), artistic director of the Los Angeles Master Chorale, recently launched the ensemble’s 2018-19 season on September 22 with a performance of Shawn Kirchner’s Songs of Ascent, featuring baritone and faculty member, Rod Gilfry, and faculty harpist JoAnn Turovsky as soloists. Gershon is currently conducting the LA Opera’s production… Continue reading Grant Gershon warmly reviewed for work with LA Master Chorale and LA Opera
Four Thornton violinists join the Long Beach Symphony
The Long Beach Symphony recently welcomed four new violinists to its roster of musicians, all of whom are USC Thornton students or alumni. Chloe Chiu (GCRT ’15) joins the ensemble’s First Violin section, while YuEun Kim (GCRT ’15, ARTD ’17), Sakura Tsai (MM ’07, GCRT ’09, DMA ’13), and current Los Angeles Orchestra Fellow Sydney… Continue reading Four Thornton violinists join the Long Beach Symphony
Hank Mou appointed Associate Dean at New England Conservatory
Hank Mou (BM ’06, double bass), an alumnus of the USC Thornton Strings program, has been appointed Associate Dean for Artistic Administration at the New England Conservatory (NEC) in Boston, Massachusetts. Mou, who teaches double bass for the NEC’s Preparatory & Continuing Education program, also serves as managing director for the New York City-based East… Continue reading Hank Mou appointed Associate Dean at New England Conservatory
Delirium Musicum chamber ensemble announces call for scores
Delirium Musicum, a conductorless chamber ensemble founded by violinist and USC Thornton alumnus Etienne Gara, has announced a call for scores open to composers of any age and nationality. The deadline for submission is October 15, 2018 with the works to be premiered in a February concert. The ensemble, which won the 2018 Beverly Hills… Continue reading Delirium Musicum chamber ensemble announces call for scores
Alumnus Jules Pegram premieres new opera
USC Thornton alumnus Jules Pegram (BM ’13, Composition) recently composed, produced, and conducted two performances of Higher Ground, a sixty-minute, one act opera with a libretto by North Carolina-based writer Jim Whiteside. Scored for seven principal vocalists, SATB chorus, and chamber orchestra, the opera was fully staged on April 4 & 5, 2018 at the… Continue reading Alumnus Jules Pegram premieres new opera
Concerto Chamber Orchestra recruiting members
The Concerto Chamber Orchestra, a student-led ensemble for non-major musicians, will be holding auditions for performers of all orchestral instruments and skill levels, September 1st and 2nd, on the USC Thornton campus. The orchestra presents two popular concerts each semester. Interested students can email concertochamberorchestra@gmail.com to set up an audition time.
Harpist Caroline Hales wins Music Academy’s Concerto Competition
Harpist Caroline Hales (BM ’16), a master’s candidate in the USC Thornton Strings program, recently won the Music Academy of the West’s 2018 Concerto Competition. Hales, who studies with JoAnn Turovsky, serves as principal harpist with the American Youth Symphony, the Debut Chamber Orchestra, and the USC Thornton Symphony. Winners of the Concerto Competition will… Continue reading Harpist Caroline Hales wins Music Academy’s Concerto Competition
Martin Chalifour to perform Saint-Saëns’ Violin Concerto at the Hollywood Bowl
Violinist Martin Chalifour, Principal Concertmaster of the Los Angeles Philharmonic (LA Phil) and a member of the USC Thornton Strings faculty, will perform Saint-Saëns’ Violin Concerto No. 1, under the baton of Paolo Bortolameolli, at the Hollywood Bowl on August 2nd. Chalifour has spent much of the summer as a Valade Teaching Fellow and Valade… Continue reading Martin Chalifour to perform Saint-Saëns’ Violin Concerto at the Hollywood Bowl
Rainer Crosett wins prestigious Pierre Fournier Cello Award
Cellist Rainer Crosett (GCRT ’17), currently a graduate student of USC Thornton Strings chair Ralph Kirshbaum, has won the 2018 Pierre Fournier Award, one of the top honors in the field. Crosett, the first American cellist to win the Fournier Award, will present a debut recital at London’s Wigmore Hall, a concerto performance with the… Continue reading Rainer Crosett wins prestigious Pierre Fournier Cello Award
Students, faculty, and alumni featured in Mozart summer festivals
USC Thornton students, faculty, and alumni will be featured in Mozart festivals on both coasts this summer. Beginning June 1st, the Mainly Mozart Festival takes over venues across San Diego County for its 30th anniversary season. On June 7th, Martin Chalifour, Thornton faculty member and concertmaster of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, teams with classical guitarist… Continue reading Students, faculty, and alumni featured in Mozart summer festivals