FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Evan Calbi at (213) 740-3229 calbi@thornton.usc.edu Fall Concert Preview The USC Thornton School of Music presents an exciting and diverse program of concerts including the USC Thornton Symphony s theatrical performance of Tchaikovsky s Fourth Symphony, the annual New Music for Orchestra concert, the Opera Program s presentation of Osvaldo Golijov s Ainadamar, jazz tributes to Amy Winehouse and drummer Roy McCurdy, and more. Classical Music On September 9, Carl St.Clair leads the USC Thornton Symphony in an innovative presentation of Tchaikovsky s Symphony No. 4 in F Minor, Op. 36 while actors perform selections from the correspondence between the composer and his patron, Nadezhda von Meck. The USC Thornton Symphony returns on September 23 under the baton of Sharon Lavery in a program that explores the connection between music and dance through a presentation of two symphonic works that were originally conceived as ballet: Stravinsky s Petrushka and Ravel s Boléro. On October 14, Donald Crockett, chair of Thornton s Composition program, conducts this annual concert featuring original works by student composers. In years past, this concert has proved a launching pad for successful careers, including that of composer Julia Adolphe who went on to win a 2016 Lincoln Center Emerging Artists Award and was commissioned to write an original work for the New York Philharmonic. On October 28, the USC Thornton Wind Ensemble will perform a program of songs and dances, including Leslie Bassett s Lullaby for Kirsten and Russel Bennet & Nikos Skalkottas s Five American and Greek Dances. The USC Thornton Chamber Orchestra will perform Beethoven s iconic Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67 on November 11. Also on the program is Haydn s Symphony No. 49 in F Minor, La passione.
Page 2 of 5 Fall Opera From November 16-20, the USC Thornton Opera, together with the USC Thornton Symphony and flamenco guitarist and faculty member Adam del Monte, presents Osvaldo Golijov s Ainadamar. With a Spanish-language libretto by David Henry Hwang, Ainadamar (Arabic for Fountain of Tears ) imagines the final hours of Spanish poet and playwright Federico García Lorca through the eyes of Catalan actress Margarita Xirgu. Contemporary Music The Jazz Studies program s fall lineup is a series of celebrations of accomplished musicians, starting with a USC Thornton Concert Jazz Orchestra tribute to singersongwriter Amy Winehouse on September 26. Legendary drummer and Thornton faculty member Roy McCurdy turns 80 this year. The USC Thornton Jazz Orchestra will honor him with a concert on October 31. On November 3, the Jazz Honors Combo will play a celebration of noted trumpeter and composer John Daversa, a Thornton alumnus. Thornton s groundbreaking Popular Music program will present PopFest, showcasing 20 of the program s best bands in one performance at the Carson Center on November 4. Faculty Recitals Composition faculty member Sarah Gibson and Thornton alumnus Thomas Kotcheff will perform as the piano duo HOCKET on September 15. The program features music by composer Stephen Hartke, as well as the premiere of a new work by Thornton Composition chair Donald Crockett. On September 28, a group of Thornton faculty come together for a wide-ranging chamber music recital. Pianist Antoinette Perry, clarinetist Michele Zukovsky, flautist James Walker, and cellist Ben Hong present a program including Beethoven s Bagatelles, Op. 119 for piano; Mieczyslaw Weinberg s Clarinet Sonata, Op. 28; Jon Kimura Parker s Pan Dreams for flute and piano; and Brahms Clarinet Trio, Op. 114. LACO Partnership Thornton also continues its rich partnership with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra (LACO) this fall. On October 16, Thornton and LACO will host renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma for a program of Haydn and Brahms. The partnership between Thornton and LACO goes beyond just performance. The LACO-USC Thornton Strings Mentorship Program will hold a mock orchestral audition
Page 3 of 5 on October 31 which may lead to an opportunity for a student to be mentored by a LACO musician and to perform with the acclaimed ensemble in an upcoming concert. Masterclasses Thornton offers an ongoing series of masterclasses that are free and open to the public. Among the many offerings, violinist Arnold Steinhardt, co-founder and the first violin of the Guarneri Quartet, will teach a masterclass on chamber music on October 5, and internationally renowned classical guitarist and Thornton faculty Pepe Romero will teach a series of two masterclasses on November 21-22. Romero and his family have been called The Royal Family of the Guitar. EVENTS ### All events are free unless otherwise noted. Some events require reservations. For more information and a complete list of events, please see the Events page on the Thornton website. Symphony Performs Tchaikovsky s Symphony No. 4 in F minor, Op. 36 WHEN: Friday, September 9, 7:30 pm ADMISSION: Free. Reservations required. RSVP at visionsandvoices.usc.edu. HOCKET Piano Recital WHEN: Thursday, September 15, 7:30 pm WHERE: Newman Recital Hall Symphony Performs Stravinsky s Petrushka and Ravel s Boléro WHEN: Friday, September 23, 7:30 pm Jazz Concert Orchestra Tribute to Amy Winehouse WHEN: Monday, September 26, 7:30 pm Faculty Chamber Music Recital WHEN: Thursday, September 28, 7:30 pm WHERE: Newman Recital Hall Masterclass with Arnold Steinhardt
Page 4 of 5 WHEN: Wednesday, October 5, 7:00 pm WHERE: MacDonald Recital Hall Symphony Performs New Music for Orchestra WHEN: Friday, October 14, 7:30 pm Yo-Yo Ma Plays Haydn & Brahms WHEN: Sunday, October 16, 7:30 pm, 3551 Trousdale Pkwy, Los Angeles, CA 90089 ADMISSION: Single tickets start at $90. For more information, contact the LACO Box Office at (213) 622-7001 or tickets@laco.org. Wind Ensemble Performs Songs and Dances WHEN: Friday, October 28, 7:30 pm LACO-USC Thornton Strings Mentorship Program: Mock Orchestral Audition WHEN: Monday, October 31, 7:00 pm WHERE: Newman Recital Hall, 3616 Trousdale Pkwy, Los Angeles, CA 90089 Jazz Orchestra Tribute to Roy McCurdy WHEN: Monday, October 31, 7:30 pm Jazz Night Celebrating John Daversa WHEN: Thusday, November 3, 7:00 pm WHERE: Ground Zero Performance Café PopFest WHEN: Friday, November 4, 5:00 pm Chamber Orchestra Performs Beethoven s Fifth WHEN: Friday, November 11, 7:30 pm Opera Performs Ainadamar WHEN: Wednesday, November 16 & Friday, November 18, 8:00 pm; Sunday, November 20, 2:00 pm WHERE: Bing Theatre ADMISSION: Free for USC students, staff, and faculty with valid ID. General public, $18. Seniors, alumni, and non-usc students, $12. For tickets call (213) 740-4672 or visit http://www.usc.edu/tickets.
Page 5 of 5 Masterclass with Pepe Romero WHEN: Monday, November 21, - Tuesday, November 22, 7:00 pm WHERE: USC Brain and Creativity Institute s Joyce J. Cammilleri Hall ### About the USC Thornton School of Music For more than 125 years, the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music has prepared students to excel as performers, composers, industry leaders and educators on stages and in studios around the world. Founded in 1884 and today the oldest continually operating cultural institution in Los Angeles, USC Thornton is internationally recognized as one of the finest conservatories and music schools in the U.S. By blending the rigors of a traditional conservatory-style education with the benefits of a leading research university, USC Thornton offers a curriculum designed to prepare students for successful careers in the 21st century.