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
Ken Cazan directs largest opera in history of Central City Opera House
Last month, Ken Cazan, the Resident Stage Director of the USC Thornton Opera, directed the Central City Opera’s Colorado debut of Benjamin Britten’s Billy Budd. CBS Denver featured a story of the performance, which with its 60 performers was the biggest show in the 140-year history of the Central City Opera House. “It’s more thrilling… Continue reading Ken Cazan directs largest opera in history of Central City Opera House
Christina Linhardt’s documentary gets picked up by Amazon
USC Thornton alumna Christina Linhardt’s ’97 documentary, Guantanamo Circus, was recently released on Amazon Prime. The documentary chronicles an ad hoc circus troupe performing at Guantanamo Bay Cuba, one of the world’s most notorious and controversial prisons, in 2006. Linhardt co-directed and scored the film, which won the Hollywood F.A.M.E. Award. The score consisted of… Continue reading Christina Linhardt’s documentary gets picked up by Amazon
Karen Parks
Karen Parks is a Fulbright Scholar, Olivier Award nominee and Billboard chart-topper. She is also a master teacher and vocal consultant at YoungArts and President, CEO and Director of Stagebound. Her career highlights include performances with the San Francisco Opera, London, Budapest, Göteborg and New World Symphonies, Helsinki Philharmonic, the Boston Pops, and the APOLLO… Continue reading Karen Parks
Celka Ojakangas wins grant from Opera America
Celka Ojakangas, a DMA candidate in Composition, was one of eight recipients of Opera America’s 2019 Opera Grant for Female Composers. This grant will go towards her opera Mirror Game which examines issues of gender bias through the journey of an ambitious female video game designer. Celka and her librettist, Amy Punt, initially workshopped the… Continue reading Celka Ojakangas wins grant from Opera America
Composers, Librettists and Performers collaborate for New Opera Works performance
This Friday at noon Newman Recital Hall, New Opera Works (NOW), a new student organization at USC Thornton, will present the first performance of three opera shorts. Running 10 minutes, each short is composed by Thornton Composition majors and performed by Thornton Vocal Arts students and alumni. NOW, founded by current DMA Vocal Arts student… Continue reading Composers, Librettists and Performers collaborate for New Opera Works performance
Adan Fernandez presents on Music Education and Latino Youth in America
Adan Fernandez, a doctoral candidate in the USC Thornton Choral & Sacred Music program, presented at the 2019 California All-State Music Education Conference this February. In his presentation, “Music Education and Latino Youth in America,” Fernandez discusses how best to engage Latinos in a choir setting. “I don’t have a clear and simple answer for… Continue reading Adan Fernandez presents on Music Education and Latino Youth in America
Lynn Helding and Melissa Treinkman to participate in National Association of Teachers of Singing Intern Program
Lynn Helding, a Vocal Arts & Opera faculty member, has been selected as one of four master teachers for the National Association of Teachers of Singing Intern Program for 2019. This 10-day program in June brings together the best vocal teachers in the country with early-career teachers. One of the 15 early career teachers selected… Continue reading Lynn Helding and Melissa Treinkman to participate in National Association of Teachers of Singing Intern Program
Rod Gilfry earns positive press
The San Fransisco Classical Voice praised USC Thornton Vocal Arts faculty member Rod Gilfry as one of the most successful and sought-after baritones in the Los Angeles area. The article applauds his various portrayals of opera heroes and villains. It also interviews Gilfry on his appearance in the West Coast premiere of David Lang’s the… Continue reading Rod Gilfry earns positive press
Ken Cazan discusses Bizet’s ‘Carmen’ at The Met in HD broadcast
Ken Cazan, Resident Stage Director of the USC Thornton Opera program, shared his experiences directing the opera, Carmen as part of a broadcast of The Met in HD: George Bizet’s ‘Carmen’ on February 2 at the Eileen Norris Cinema Theater. Cazan discusses the opera’s themes of destiny, love, freedom and female self-expression and his personal connection with… Continue reading Ken Cazan discusses Bizet’s ‘Carmen’ at The Met in HD broadcast