The USC Thornton Concert Choir has had a long tradition of excellence in choral music. The ensemble consists of around fifty auditioned singers, music majors and non-music majors, from all around campus. Their repertoire includes music from all eras and styles, and for over a decade under the leadership of Dr. Cristian Grases, it has actively explored the music and traditions of countries from around the world with a strong emphasis on the music of Latin America. The Concert Choir has performed at regional, national, and international festivals; most recently at the 2015 National NCCO conference in Portland, OR, and the 2018 Western Division ACDA in Los Angeles, CA. In the past two years, the Concert Choir was invited to participate in international virtual festivals in Spain, Brazil, and Venezuela. The ensemble also collaborates with orchestras to perform choral-orchestral works. Notable collaborations have led to the performance of a full production of film music with works by distinguished film composers such as John Williams and Howard Shore, Beethoven’s Symphony #9, Bach’s Mass in B Minor, Stravinsky’s Symphony of Psalms, and performances at the Walt Disney Concert Hall include George Gershwin’s opera Porgy and Bess, Lauridsen’s Lux Aeterna, and Benjamin Britten’s War Requiem.
