
Ismael Guerrero named 2022-23 Judith and Thomas L. Beckmen LA Phil Resident Fellow
Cellist and Thornton alumnus Ismael Guerrero (M.M. ’22) was named a 2022-23 Judith and Thomas L. Beckmen LA Phil Resident Fellow. The program trains early-career symphonic musicians who represent or serve historically underrepresented groups.

Taeguk Mun named laureate of the 2022 Queen Elisabeth Competition
Cellist, current graduate certificate student and alumnus Taeguk Mun (MM ’20) was named a finalist, or laureate, at this year’s Queen Elisabeth Competition in Brussels. Mun has won first prize at various competitions, including the Pablo Casals competition in 2014, the Andre Navarra International Cello Competition and the National Sung-Jung Competition in Korea. He is… Continue reading Taeguk Mun named laureate of the 2022 Queen Elisabeth Competition

Yura Lee named principal violist of Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra
USC Thornton Strings Department Associate Professor of Practice Yura Lee was appointed principal violist of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra (LACO). Lee assumes her new post in the 2022-23 season. Lee is a recipient of the Lincoln Center’s prestigious Avery Fisher Career Grant, and at age 12, she became the youngest artist to ever receive… Continue reading Yura Lee named principal violist of Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra

Gabriel Martins joins Opus 3 Artists roster
USC Thornton Strings Department alum Gabriel Martins (’19) has signed to independent artist management firm Opus 3 Artists. Martins is an acclaimed cellist who has been recognized for his artistry in many competitions including the 2020 Sphinx Competition, the David Popper International Cello Competition and the International Tchaikovsky Competition for Young Musicians. Earlier this year,… Continue reading Gabriel Martins joins Opus 3 Artists roster

Meet the new faculty: Seth Parker Woods
As part of a new series this spring, USC Thornton is introducing a number of exceptional new faculty members at the school. Acclaimed cellist Dr. Seth Parker Woods joins the faculty as an assistant professor of practice, string chamber music and cello. A recipient of the 2022 Chamber Music America Michael Jaffee Visionary Award and hailed by The Guardian as “a cellist of power and grace” who possesses “mature artistry and… Continue reading Meet the new faculty: Seth Parker Woods

Seth Parker Woods
Hailed by The Guardian as “a cellist of power and grace” who possesses “mature artistry and willingness to go to the brink,” two-time Grammy-nominated cellist Seth Parker Woods has established his reputation as a versatile artist and innovator across multiple genres. Woods’ projects delve deep into our cultural fabric, reimagining traditional works and commissioning new ones to… Continue reading Seth Parker Woods

Emily Hsu featured in USC Trojan Family
“Second-year USC Thornton student Emily Hsu was featured in a USC Trojan Family magazine story about how students can forge their own academic paths at USC. Hsu currently studies violin performance at the USC Thornton School of Music and business administration at the USC Marshall School of Business. She also manages the Student Symphony Orchestra… Continue reading Emily Hsu featured in USC Trojan Family

Thornton students perform in Intercollegiate Studio Orchestra at Capitol Studios
USC Thornton graduate students Floriane Naboulet, Veronika Manchur, Emma Antonides, Youngeun Choi and Amelia Hammond recently performed in the Intercollegiate Studio Orchestra at Capitol Studios as part of the Los Angeles Film Conducting Intensive’s The Intensive 2022 workshop. The LAFCI is a media conductor training program created by Thornton alumni Angel Velez (MA ‘14) and… Continue reading Thornton students perform in Intercollegiate Studio Orchestra at Capitol Studios

Quenton Blache performs with the Peninsula Symphony with guest conductor Andrew Shulman
USC Thornton composition and cello performance student Quenton Blache performs with the Peninsula Symphony on Feb. 20 at 7 p.m. The concert will feature guest conductor Andrew Shulman, a USC Thornton Strings Department faculty member, who will be giving a pre-concert lecture at 6:15 p.m. Blache is an accomplished cellist and composer. In 2021, he… Continue reading Quenton Blache performs with the Peninsula Symphony with guest conductor Andrew Shulman

Justus Ross performs as part of concert celebrating Black creativity
USC Thornton strings alumnus Justus Ross is performing at Castle of our Skins’ inaugural Inter-Collegiate Black Student Union Fellowship concert, What is Black Creativity?, on Feb. 12 at 8 p.m. This performance is the capstone event of a five-month program in which Black students from the Longy School of Music, the New England Conservatory and… Continue reading Justus Ross performs as part of concert celebrating Black creativity