Arts News Archive

SCA’s Phase III Building Beamed Up

“Topping off” events have become a tradition at the USC School of Cinematic Arts.

Sweeney Installed as De Laurentiis Professor at SCA

The USC School of Cinematic Arts celebrated the legacy of the late producer Dino De Laurentiis.

KCET’s Open Call to Feature USC Arts Schools

Open Call, a new KCET-TV series featuring Southern California schools and arts institutions, will showcase the talent of USC students in the arts, starting April 5 at 9 p.m. with a program of student films.

Hunger Games Soundtrack Spotlights USC Thornton Musicians

The Hunger Games, the record-setting blockbuster based on the bestselling young adult series, includes a celebrated soundtrack of artists Neko Case, Taylor Swift and The Decemberists.

In Memoriam: Kenneth M. Price, 77

Kenneth Martin Price ’57, professor emeritus of fine arts at the USC Roski School of Fine Arts, has died.

Piatigorsky, the Cello and Los Angeles

We hear his name mentioned in reverence all the time, but for those outside the cello world, it’s unclear just why Gregor Piatigorsky was such an important figure.

International Artists Bring Flair to Piatigorsky Festival

When artistic director Ralph Kirshbaum named it the Piatigorsky International Cello Festival, he wasn’t exaggerating. It doesn’t get any more international than the opening concert that featured five cello concertos headlined by seven international artists in Bovard Auditorium.

A Conversation With Ralph Kirshbaum

When Ralph Kirshbaum accepted the Piatigorsky Endowed Chair in Violoncello at USC in 2007, the furthest thing from his mind was starting an international festival in Los Angeles.

Last Call for Wonderland Submissions

The eighth USC Libraries Wonderland Award is open to USC students and participating institutions throughout Southern California.

Film Students Strive to ‘Get It Right’

For many students at the USC School of Cinematic Arts (SCA), the first step into the real world can be daunting.

SCA Alumni Tapped for Fox Writing Initiative

Filmmakers Tina Mabry ’05 and Eric Nazarian ’99 graduated from the Production Division at the USC School of Cinematic Arts.

University Club Members Eye Sight Specific

The USC University Club hosted a docent-led tour last month of the USC Fisher Museum’s current exhibition Sight Specific: LACPS and the Politics of Community, followed by a lunch in the museum.

USC Thornton Partnership in the Spotlight

The USC Thornton School of Music and the Spotlight program of the Music Center of the Performing Arts Center of Los Angeles County announced a new partnership to support young musicians and advance the cause of music education in Southern California.

Game Created at School of Cinematic Arts Earns Cred

Games and music collide online in Cred.fm, a Facebook game that lets people discover great tunes, meet interesting people and get bragging rights as a music tastemaker.

Notre Dame Icon Delivers Pep Talk

Former football player Daniel “Rudy” Ruettiger, an icon of motivation and effort at the University of Notre Dame, delivered a pep talk to students in associate professor Kenneth Hall’s “Directing the Composer” class on Feb. 23.

Acting Advice From a Pro in the Know

Although known for a confidence underscored by her distinctively deep voice, Kathleen Turner admits that her self-assured attitude comes from a place of uneasiness.

Kaya Press Moves to USC Dornsife

In her first book, Magnetic Refrain, Nicky Sa-Eun Schildkraut, a Ph.D. student in literature and creative writing at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, frames her poetry collection around themes of loss and waves of flight as a result of the Korean War.

How Will Hollywood’s History be Written?

Hollywood’s deep-seated desire to honor the past most recently was evident by this year’s nominations of history-heavy movies.

Oscar-nominated Movies Lack Females, USC Study Finds

Women and girls scarcely are present either on screen or behind the scenes in Academy Award-nominated movies, according to a new USC Annenberg study.

‘White Key’ Poem Set to Music

“White Key,” a poem by California Poet Laureate Carol Muske-Dukes, has been set to music by Yale University composer Reena Esmail and will be performed in San Francisco on March 2, 3 and 4.

Time Flies When You Enter a Contest

To learn why time moves only forward, one must first understand a fundamental law of physics: the increase of entropy. The law describes the tendency for systems to go from a state of higher organization to disorder.

The Descendants Ascend With Scripter Win

Author Kaui Hart Hemmings and screenwriters Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash won the 24th annual USC Libraries Scripter Award for their creative contributions to The Descendants.

Movies and Memories

Whispers come from the hallway as Margaret Thatcher’s assistants speak about her deteriorating mental condition. As she peeks through a crack in the door, Thatcher eavesdrops and occasionally speaks with her husband, who is eating his breakfast.

From the Web to the Wall

Trousdale Parkway and Main Street intersect at Our Neighborhoods, Our Stories, a collaboration between the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism and USC Spectrum.

SCA Launches the American Film Showcase

More than 50 filmmakers, film experts and diplomats came together at the USC School of Cinematic Arts (SCA) for the first orientation of the American Film Showcase.

‘Hunger in L.A.’ Makes Its Mark at Sundance

In Nonny de la Peña’s immersive journalism piece “Hunger in Los Angeles,” the participants experience a dramatic incident at a local food bank, where a man collapses in line while awaiting his turn.

‘Sling Baby’ Wins Super Bowl Ad Prize

On the first day of film school, students are told that working with babies or producing elaborate stunts is bad business in low-budget filmmaking.

Trojan Vision Strikes Platinum and Gold Awards

Typically known for its on-air programming, USC's award-winning television station Trojan Vision took home two top honors from this year's American Video Association Awards, which recognized work by the station’s special productions unit.

Trojans Take Part in Debut Orchestra's Tour of China

Nearly 60 members of the USC Thornton School of Music’s Young Musicians Foundation Debut Orchestra performed nine concerts in seven Chinese cities on a 13-day tour that began in late December.

Behind Those Violet Eyes

Just for a hoot, M. G. Lord and a group of friends rented a mid-century modern house in Palm Springs for Memorial Day weekend five years ago.

Extremely Tiny and Incredibly Far Away

If you need to see something very small, but it's in another city or country and you want to see it blown up to a theatre-sized screen, USC School of Cinematic Arts research associate professor Richard A. Weinberg can help.

Robert A. Day Professorship in Fine Arts Announced

USC has established the Robert A. Day Professorship at the USC Roski School of Fine Arts, which supports the teaching and practice of transformational fine arts faculty at the university.

SCA Marks Banner Year at Sundance Festival

For the 12th consecutive year, the USC School of Cinematic Arts (SCA) attended the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.

Artists Share a Glimpse of the Black Diaspora

Four international artists paid a recent visit to the USC School of Theatre to share their work and experiences as playwrights and artistic directors from the modern Black Diaspora.

Artletics Exhibition Opens at Galen Center

The seventh annual Louis Galen Artletics Exhibition, a showcase of artwork by 15 Trojan student-athletes created in USC Roski School of Fine Arts classes, will be on display in the Galen Center's Hall of Fame from Feb. 1 to March 12.

Brandon Tartikoff’s Letters Coming to SCA

The vast collection of industry correspondences and effects of the late television and film executive Brandon Tartikoff is being donated in its entirety to the USC School of Cinematic Arts by his widow, Lilly Tartikoff.

Trojans Explore the Fantastic Aspects of Reality

Watching the film Godzilla with classmates, USC senior Elton Keung initially saw the scaly creature as nothing more than a monster stomping through the streets of Tokyo, Japan.

Playwright Bringing Machiavelli to USC Stage

Oliver Mayer was 16 years old when he attempted his first novel about Niccolò Machiavelli - the famed Florentine philosopher, politician and writer of the Renaissance era.

Finalists Named for 24th Annual Scripter Award

The authors and screenwriters of A Dangerous Method, The Descendants, Jane Eyre, Moneyball and Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy have been named finalists for the 24th annual USC Libraries Scripter Award.

SCA's Alternate Reality Game: Let's Make a Deal

In addition to the traditional classes during the fall semester, the USC School of Cinematic Arts launched "Reality Ends Here," a 15-week alternate reality game that stressed collaborative production.

Midori to Receive Community Award in Switzerland

Violinist Midori, chair of the strings department and holder of the Jascha Heifetz Chair in Violin at the USC Thornton School of Music, will receive the Crystal Award in Switzerland.

NAI Scholars Present A Christmas Carol

Sporting industrial-looking costumes and a Victorian era script, 40 scholar-artists of the USC Neighborhood Academic Initiative (NAI) Theater Workshop performed an adaptation of A Christmas Carol at the Mudd Hall of Philosophy.

USC to Present Opening Concert of Piatigorsky Festival

Four of Los Angeles' most prestigious music institutions have come together to present the inaugural Piatigorsky International Cello Festival, a 10-day celebration of the instrument against the backdrop of one of the most culturally vibrant metropolitan areas in the United States.

PTSD Documentary Brings Home Award

Poster Girl, a film produced by USC School of Cinematic Arts adjunct professor Mitchell Block, won the International Documentary Association’s award for best short documentary.

Meet the Music Man

In 1993, in a small, dingy apartment in Berkeley, Calif., Warner Bros. Records producer Rob Cavallo ’85 sat on an overturned bucket. He listened, rapt, while a punk band of three scruffy 20-somethings belted out their latest songs.

Columnist Charts His Journey With The Soloist

When Los Angeles Times columnist Steve Lopez and musical virtuoso Nathaniel Ayers met seven years ago, Ayers was playing on a two-string violin under a Beethoven statue in Los Angeles’ Pershing Square.

A Banner Year for USC and South Los Angeles

Thanks to an artistic collaboration between USC, L.A. Commons, the Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Los Angeles and the Expo Center, several light pole banners depicting life in South Los Angeles will adorn the areas surrounding USC and Exposition Park beginning in March.

USC Games Displayed at Demo Day

The USC School of Cinematic Arts and the USC Viterbi School of Engineering are known for their ability to make visions a reality, particularly in the design and production of video games.

Haggis to Receive Scripter Literary Achievement Award

The Friends of the USC Libraries have announced that screenwriter, producer and director Paul Haggis is the recipient of the 2012 Scripter Literary Achievement Award in recognition of his contributions to the art of film adaptation.

USC Faculty Curate Urbanism and Architecture Exhibition

USC Faculty curated "6 Under 60," an exhibition on six cities transformed in the last 60 years, as part of the 2011 Shenzhen & Hong Kong Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism\Architecture.

From Ballet to Books

Author and alumna Adrienne Sharp brought to life the world of Romanov-era Russian ballet at the Nov. 17 Friends of the USC Libraries Literary Luncheon.

Archival View of a Screen Siren

The relationship between meticulous research and fascinating storytelling came together at a recent Friends of the USC Libraries Literary Luncheon as USC professor Lois Banner discussed her book MM - Personal: From the Private Archive of Marilyn Monroe.

Festival Launches New Comedy Initiative at USC

A three-day festival held by the USC School of Cinematic Arts on Nov. 18-20 celebrated the launch of the Comedy@SCA Initiative, the school’s new multidisciplinary track.

Cowan’s Top Secret Tours China

Top Secret: The Battle for the Pentagon Papers, a play co-written by University Professor Geoffrey Cowan and former journalism professor Leroy Aarons, will be performed in China through Dec. 4.

USC Roski Student’s Painting Appears at Smithsonian

USC Roski School of Fine Arts student Emily McPeek was one of 15 artists selected for Momentum: A National Juried Exhibition for Emerging Artists With Disabilities, Ages 16-25, which is on view at the Smithsonian’s S. Dillon Ripley Center in Washington, D.C., through Jan. 22.

USC Study Cites More 'Eye Candy' in Movies

A new study by USC Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism researchers Stacy Smith, Marc Choueiti and Stephanie Gall illustrates Hollywood’s bent for films that marginalize and sexualize women is as strong as ever.

KUSC Nabs National Awards

Classical KUSC took home two first place national awards at the Los Angeles Press Club’s fourth annual National Entertainment Journalism Awards competition on Nov. 17.

Journalism Project Slated for Sundance Film Festival

An experimental immersive journalism project that began at the USC Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism has been selected to appear at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival.

USC Thornton Jazz Orchestra Relives Big Band Era

In late September, the USC Thornton Jazz Orchestra traveled north to play the famed Monterey Jazz Festival, the annual Central California event that debuted in 1958.

A Quest for the Sublime

There’s a story about Beethoven performing at a salon: After he had finished playing, a man asked: “Can you tell me what that piece means?” Beethoven turned to the piano and played it again.

John Carpenter’s Student Film Found in USC Archive

Every USC School of Cinematic Arts student knows John Carpenter’s classic horror film Halloween.

Turning the Tables

Most presentations at the USC School of Cinematic Arts feature a celebrity, scholar or executive fielding questions from the student body.

USC Senior Lets Her Imagination Run Wild

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then the painting in the left corner of the Ronald Tutor Campus Center's fourth floor graduate study room speaks volumes about a USC student and her lifelong love affair with art.

On the Surface

Looking at paintings, we are conditioned to go deep, absorb the illusion of perspective, savor the effects of chiaroscuro.

Looking Up to Director Michael Apted

For the past 47 years, director Michael Apted has navigated the rough waters of documenting real voices.

In Memoriam: Norman Corwin, 101

Norman Lewis Corwin, one of the most beloved professors at the USC Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism and one of the country’s greatest radio dramatists, died on Oct. 18. He was 101.

Heggie to End Residency at USC Concert

Preeminent American opera composer Jake Heggie will culminate a residency at the USC Thornton School of Music in a concert of his works presented by vocal arts students on Oct. 30.

USC Spectrum Sleepwalks With Mike Birbiglia

If comedian Mike Birbiglia has a mission statement, it's this: "We're among strangers now: I can tell the truth."

USC Students Go on L.A. Power Trip

In the upstairs gallery of the Chinese American Museum, the sculpture of a chicken gazes over a white picket fence at a green lawn dotted with colorful eggs.

Cinematic Arts, Department of State Agree to New Partnership

The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs announced a new partnership with the USC School of Cinematic Arts to engage international audiences through American film.

Artist Shares His X Factor With USC

The Ronald Tutor Campus Center's Ellis Family Lounge recently installed 15 new paintings by artist Albert Contreras, adding to the 14 previously displayed there.

Poetry as a Human Voice

Poet Elizabeth Alexander, who became a part of history in 2009 when she composed and read a poem at President Barack Obama’s inauguration, explored the importance of multiculturalism and the role of poetry as a unifying power in an address at the USC Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism.

Mark Harris Gains Some Perspectives

USC School of Cinematic Arts professor and Academy Award-winning filmmaker Mark Harris is hosting Perspectives, a series airing in October and November on the Documentary Channel.

Larry Livingston Celebrates 25 Years at USC Thornton

Larry Livingston, chair of the USC Thornton School of Music’s instrumental conducting department and music director of the USC Thornton orchestras, will celebrate his 25th year at the school on Oct. 13 with a concert at Bovard Auditorium featuring the USC Thornton Symphony.

Words, Music and Poetry

Words - in their spectacularly diverse roles as public art and poetic outpouring - were the recent subject of two Visions and Voices signature events.

Cecil B. DeMille Chair Set at Cinematic Arts

When it comes to Hollywood history, few names stand above Cecil B. DeMille. On Sept. 26, the USC School of Cinematic Arts honored his legacy by establishing the Cecil B. DeMille Chair for the Study of Silent Film.

Illustrated Evils

A winged vampire feeds on a girl’s lifeless body. A skeleton dressed in a black cape and epaulettes juggles a knife, two pistols and a cannon ball. A woman holding a red flag emblazoned with the word svoboda (“freedom”) faces a circle of soldiers with their bayonets drawn.

Ground Zero Turns Up the Mic on Talent

There is something magical about the ambience at the Ground Zero Performance Café’s Open Mic Nights that's hard to find elsewhere on campus.

California Poet Laureate Muske-Dukes at the National Mall

USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences professor Carol Muske-Dukes will read from her two most recent books during the 11th annual National Book Festival to be held Sept. 23-25 on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

She Took the Tiger by the Tail

The past year has been a whirlwind for Téa Obreht. The USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences alumna was named one of the “20 Under 40” by The New Yorker and selected as one of the “5 Under 35” by the National Book Foundation.

In Memoriam: John Calley, 81

John Calley, former head of Warner Bros., United Artists and Sony studios, as well as a successful producer and long-standing member of the Board of Councilors at the USC School of Cinematic Arts, died on Sept. 13. He was 81.

Stark Program Celebrates Three Decades

In Hollywood, turning 30 can fill a person with dread.

Reel Life

A year of hard work came to a culmination as nine students in the Master of Arts in Visual Anthropology program at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences screened the ethnographic documentary films they spent the past 12 months producing.

Have We Got a Story for You

Want to tell a story and need help crafting it? Not surprisingly, there’s an app for that.

Peyton Place Finds a Home at USC Libraries

For generations of soap opera fans, the mere mention of Port Charles, Genoa City, Llanview, Oakdale or Pine Valley conjures memories of intrigue, infidelity and blackmail.

A Funny Thing Happened …

Everyone has them. Those moments of complete humiliation when blood rushes to your cheeks and you quickly look around hoping no one noticed.

From the Fringe to the Mainstream

As a performer, incoming freshman Morgan Lutich has spent some time on the fringe.

High-Flying Documentary Wins Emmy Award

The Legend of Pancho Barnes and the Happy Bottom Riding Club, a documentary featuring the work of USC School of Cinematic Arts alumni and faculty, won the Los Angeles Area Emmy for arts and culture/history.

USC Thornton Gets $4 Million Gift From Westerbeck Estate

The USC Thornton School of Music, one of the oldest music schools in the country, recently announced a gift of $4 million from the estate of alumna Adrienne Westerbeck ’34, MS ’43 and her husband, Robert.

30 Years Ago, USC Trojan Band Featured on MTV’s Debut

MTV launched 30 years ago, and the USC Trojan Marching Band was there - more or less.

Norman Lear Center to Expand Film Project

Journeys in Film, which since 2003 has provided foreign film-based curricula and training to U.S. teachers of 500,000 American middle and high school students, is the newest project of the Norman Lear Center at the USC Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism.

Audience Falls for Monologues

The Fall Prevention Coalition-Los Angeles, which is coordinated by USC’s Fall Prevention Center of Excellence, recently sponsored The Falling Monologues, a collection of stories reflecting the experiences of older adults after they have fallen.

USC Annenberg Presents New Film Forecaster

As the movie industry's blockbuster summer season rolls on, the USC Annenberg Innovation Lab has raised the curtain on a box-office predictor tool based on Twitter analysis.

USC Center Aims to Raise Health Awareness Through Storytelling

As the changing landscape of media creates fresh opportunities for entertainment, research and education, a new center at USC aims to position itself at the nexus of innovative storytelling and the development of novel health awareness and management strategies.

NAI Scholars Bring Pride and Prejudice to Stage

Many say that nothing can repress a teenage spirit bent on expression, especially when given a stage. Recently, a cast and crew of more than 50 high school students took that expression to heart and mounted a full-length production of “Pride and Prejudice” based on Jane Austen’s novel of the same title.

Ronald Tutor Campus Center Wins Architecture Award

USC's students, faculty and staff aren't the only ones who appreciate the Ronald Tutor Campus Center. A jury of 14 design and building professionals recently granted it a 2011 Los Angeles Architecture Award in the private education category.

Cinematic Arts Complex Wins Architecture Award

The USC School of Cinematic Arts Complex was named winner of the grand prize at the 41st annual Los Angeles Architectural Awards.

USC Students’ Video Games Honored at New York Festival

Students and staff members representing the Interactive Media Division at the USC School of Cinematic Arts were recognized for pushing the paradigm of video games at the eighth annual Games for Change Festival.

USC Annenberg Program Launches 'Pop-up' Newsroom

The arts journalism program at the USC Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism has launched Engine28, a “pop-up” newsroom designed to give extensive and thorough coverage of theatre in Los Angeles.

Devoted to the City of Roses

USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences history professor Bill Deverell has spent his academic career exploring the history and culture of California. However, there is a special place in his heart for the city of Pasadena.

In Memoriam: Laura Ziskin, 61

USC School of Cinematic Arts Board of Councilors’ member and alumna Laura Ziskin '73, who earlier this year was honored by the Producers Guild of America with its Visionary Award for her work as a producer in Hollywood, died at her home in Santa Monica on June 12 after a long battle with breast cancer. She was 61.

USC Thornton Student Advances on The Voice

USC Thornton School of Music sophomore Lily Elise currently is competing on NBC’s The Voice.

Animation in Motion at New Katzenberg Center

USC students work and collaborate in buildings and workspaces named after George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, Alfred and Alma Hitchcock, Robert Zemeckis, Harold Lloyd, Mary Pickford, John August and, as of June 1, Dreamworks Animation chief executive officer Jeffrey Katzenberg and his wife Marilyn.

From Film School to Avatar

Producer Jon Landau took time out of his hectic schedule to speak to students as part of the YouTube Creator Institute’s speaker series.

Moshe Lazar Leaves His Bookmark on USC

Moshe Lazar has a penchant for literature, an affinity evident in the sheer volume of books that comprise his personal library. As much as he prizes his carefully assembled collection, he also has a penchant for philanthropy and has been continually sharing his printed wealth with others.

Meyer to Curate MOCA Exhibition

In 1951, when bombshell actress Jayne Mansfield publicly dropped the top of her dress, photographer Arthur Fellig, also known as “Weegee the famous,” was there to capture the moment on film.

USC Study Reviews Input of African-American Directors

Hollywood movies directed by African Americans are significantly more likely to include African-American characters with speaking roles than movies not directed by African Americans.

USC Study Focuses on Female Vocal Quality

Faculty from the Keck School of Medicine of USC and the USC Thornton School of Music are embarking on a first-ever study focused on improving the consistency of the female voice during monthly hormonal variations.

Springing Into Mozart

In late April, USC Thornton Opera presented La Finta Giardiniera, a rarely seen early Mozart opera. The first half is classic comic opera, while the second half descends into surrealism.

Music Meshed With Science

Meet this year’s poster child for the joys of intellectual exploration. Samantha Ancona is graduating with a perfect 4.0 GPA biological sciences and oboe performance.

‘Student Work’ in Name Only

USC Roski School of Fine Arts dean Rochelle Steiner applied her curatorial background to organize the current exhibition at the USC Fisher Museum of Art. Featuring works by USC Roski undergraduates, Here and Now is on view through May 13.

SCA Complex Begins Final Stage

The USC School of Cinematic Arts is no stranger to collaboration. Each year, hundreds of students work together to produce films, video games and academic projects, relying on each other to bring in the best results.

Festival of Books a Success

At the opening of the 16th Festival of Books on the University Park campus this past weekend, USC president C. L. Max Nikias and Los Angeles Times publisher Eddy Hartenstein said it was fitting that the two institutions had joined forces for the sprawling, well-loved event.

USC Alum Makes a Marvelous Appearance

Kevin Feige ’95, president of production at Marvel Studios, has been on the production team for 22 superhero films - more than any other executive in history.

Following a Band’s Timeline

“Tenacity” is the second track on Timeline, the latest album by the Yellowjackets. It could just as easily be the tagline for the band itself, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year.

Score One for John Williams

John Williams’ colleagues and friends gathered to dedicate the new John Williams Scoring Stage at the USC School of Cinematic Arts.

A Soul Divided

Carol Muske-Dukes was born in St. Paul, Minn. Across the Mississippi River is Minneapolis, and together they are known as Twin Cities. The poet’s birthplace provides the trope developed throughout her new book of poetry, Twin Cities.

Study Reveals New Data on Sexiness on Screen

A new study released by Stacy Smith and Marc Choueiti of the USC Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism shows that Hollywood continues to be a difficult place for women to find on- and off-screen role models.

Music Student Hits All the Right Notes

The works of Lewis Carroll have inspired generations of writers, artists and musicians. Walt Disney, Tom Petty, Jim Henson, Grace Slick, Clive Barker, Dave Fleischer and the Beatles are among the many who have reinterpreted Carroll’s work.

Lord and Lady Eatwell to Join USC Faculty

Lord John Eatwell, a well-known British economist, member of the House of Lords and president of Queens’ College, Cambridge, and Lady Eatwell (known professionally as Suzi Digby), an acclaimed choral conductor and recipient of the Order of the British Empire for services to music education, have been appointed to the USC faculty for the fall semester.

Remembering Their Stories

Watching a visual testimony from a Holocaust survivor is a deeply moving, powerful and unforgettable experience.

Teaching Revolution and Resistance

The USC School of Cinematic Arts is home to many world-class authorities on film history and theory, and Drew Casper, holder of the Alma and Alfred Hitchcock Chair of American Film in the Division of Critical Studies, stands as one of the most prolific.

Student Athletes Tour Fisher Museum Exhibition

From the day Pat Haden accepted the job as USC’s athletic director last summer, he has talked about creating well-rounded student athletes who experience all that the university has to offer.

USC School of Cinematic Arts Unifies First Look

At the USC School of Cinematic Arts, the end of the school year means late nights studying, long days editing and student work presented as part of the annual First Look Festival.

USC School of Theatre Receives $1 Million Scholarship Gift

Robert and Elizabeth Plumleigh have pledged $1 million to the USC School of Theatre to establish and endow in perpetuity the Karen Plumleigh Cortney Scholarship in support of the school’s MFA in Acting Program.

USC Musician to Join Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra

Marking the launch of the new Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra (LACO)-USC Thornton Strings Mentorship Program, USC Thornton School of Music master’s student Mary Reed will join the orchestra’s bass section for two upcoming concerts.

20th Century Fox Dedicates Campus Soundstage

On March 30, 20th Century Fox added its name to the list of iconic institutions and artists affiliated with the USC School of Cinematic Arts at the dedication of the 20th Century Fox Soundstage.

USC Theatre Student Goes On the Town

At the tender age of 22, USC senior Emma Chandler can identify with the story at the heart of On the Town, the USC School of Theatre musical she stars in beginning Thursday night at the Bing Theatre.

USC Alum’s Film Wins Big at South by Southwest Festival

In the world of filmmaking, it’s rare when accolades from the audience and the critics are in sync.

Sorkin Pays Social Visit to Cinematic Arts Students

Writer/producer Aaron Sorkin has won one Oscar, four Humanitas Prizes, three Emmys, three Producers Guild Awards and two Writers Guild of America Awards, but he still considers himself a Hollywood outsider.

Raider of the Lost Archive

A few years before her fatal overdose on barbiturates and sedatives, Marilyn Monroe purchased two lockable filing cabinets, one tan and one gray.

Dana and David Dornsife Honored for Their Gift

USC president C. L. Max Nikias on Wednesday held up two engraved, long golden chains - an honor presented to only one other person in USC’s 131-year-history.

USC Thornton Alum Wins Met Audition

Kyung-Teak “Joseph” Lim ’10 was one of five winners of the New York Metropolitan Opera’s 2011 National Council Auditions at the Grand Finals Concert on March 13.

Deadline Set for Wonderland Submissions

The Wonderland Award is open to graduate and undergraduate students at USC and participating institutions.

Strong Showing in Central France

The short film has been the cornerstone for aspiring storytellers at the USC School of Cinematic Arts since the school was founded.

Score One for Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross

The musical score for The Social Network won both the Oscar and the Golden Globe for best musical score this year, but according to composers Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, it almost didn’t happen.

USC Receives Largest Single Gift in Its History

USC has received $200 million - the largest single gift in its history - from longtime supporters and international philanthropists Dana and David Dornsife.

A Conversation With Lamont Dozier

Lamont Dozier, a driving force in creating the USC Thornton School of Music’s popular music performance program and an artist in residence there, is one of music’s most honored songwriters, producers and singers.

Scripting Stories of the Voiceless

For USC College professor Marjorie Becker, writing is not an arduous task.

USC Fisher Museum Expands Latin-American Collection

The USC Fisher Museum of Art recently received 21 artworks as part of a Gift of the Estate of Dr. and Mrs. James L. Sheehy, enthusiastic supporters of the museum.

Bringing Little Movies to Big China

When most people think of Chinese cinema, the last thing that comes to mind is intimate indie films but, according to USC School of Cinematic Arts professor Jason E. Squire, that’s going to change very soon.

On the Clock With 24 Producer Howard Gordon

A group of USC Viterbi School of Engineering students attended an "armchair interview" with television veteran Howard Gordon.

Shifting From Page to Stage

Veronica Franco, history’s most complex and colorful courtesan, appears in many forms in the office of Margaret Rosenthal, professor of Italian, comparative literature and English in USC College.

Trojans Help Celebrate Symphony Gala

Thirteen students and alumni from the John C. Hench Division of Animation & Digital Arts at the USC School of Cinematic Arts, two animation professors and one world-class conductor came together at the opening gala for the New World Symphony’s New World Center Jan. 29 in Miami.

USC Libraries Friend The Social Network

Screenwriter Aaron Sorkin and author Ben Mezrich, respectively, were given the 23rd annual USC Libraries Scripter Award for the film The Social Network and the book The Accidental Billionaires: The Founding of Facebook, A Tale of Sex, Money, Genius and Betrayal, upon which it was based.

A Super Weekend Due for Hollywood’s Band

Trojan football fans know that when defensive stars Troy Polamalu of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Clay Matthews of the Green Bay Packers take the field for Super Bowl XLV, it will mark the 42nd time USC has been represented at pro football’s biggest game.

USC Spectrum Gives Students a Friday Night Fix

On Friday night, students chasing the hottest bands in L.A. can drive to the Hotel Café, the Echo or Spaceland — or they can head to Tommy's Place for pool, drinks and a Friday Night Fix from groups such as L.A. indie favorite Kisses.

SPPD Dissertation Turned Into PBS Documentary

Not many dissertations become PBS documentaries, but that hasn’t stopped doctoral candidate Imran Farooq from the USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development.

On the Road to Acceptance

A. J. Goodrich, a third-year graduate student at the USC School of Cinematic Arts, is set to embark on a seven-month cross-country trek to cultivate an open dialogue about same-sex marriage and document the journey on film.

Oh, Manns! Endowed Chairs With Strings

The USC Thornton School of Music and the Manhattan School of Music have announced a combined gift of $6 million from philanthropists Alfred and Claude Mann in honor of Robert Mann, founder of the Juilliard String Quartet.

Take Your Seat

To celebrate its 20th anniversary as an independent school, the USC School of Theatre is offering Trojans a unique opportunity to become a permanent part of its history by joining the Take Your Seat Sponsorship Campaign.

Classical Guitar Concertos Get Competitive

If Aranjuez and Gentilhombre mean more to you than a Spanish palace and a sign that might hang over one of its restrooms, then chances are you are a classical guitar enthusiast - more specifically a guitar concerto enthusiast.

USC Students Reach Top 10 in Oscars Contest

MTV's college channel mtvU announced that USC Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism student Sarah Erickson and her partner Joel Kutz made it to the top 10 of the Oscars Correspondent Contest.

USC Helps Preserve Classical Music in Bay Area

In an effort to assure the long-term availability of high quality classical music in the Bay Area, USC announced it has entered into an agreement with Entercom Communications to convert KDFC into a noncommercial classical music station based in San Francisco.

Friends and Family to Salute Jim Smith

Although Jim Smith succumbed to brain cancer in September, the classical guitar department he lovingly chaired for 35 years isn’t quite ready to let go.

Brighde Mullins Awarded Literature Fellowship

Brighde Mullins, the director of USC College’s Master of Professional Writing Program, was honored Dec. 7 in New York City as a 2010 United States Artists Fellow in literature.

USC Libraries Name Scripter Finalists

Finalists have been announced for the 23rd annual USC Libraries Scripter Award.

Score One for Elmer Bernstein

As part of its signature holiday programming, Classical KUSC 91.5 FM will present a two-hour special marking the 50th anniversary of Elmer Bernstein's arguably most famous movie score.

USC Vocalists Make the Finals on NBC's Sing-Off

A cappella has proven to be more than an extracurricular activity for the group of USC students and young alumni performing on NBC's five-episode special The Sing-Off.

USC Organist Excels at National Competition

USC student Weicheng Zhao was one of three finalists in the 12th National Organ-Playing Competition sponsored by the Ruth and Clarence Mader Memorial Scholarship Fund.

New Lauridsen Scholarship Announced

USC Thornton School of Music faculty member and Grammy nominated composer Morten Lauridsen gave the school an early holiday present by establishing a prestigious new endowed scholarship in his name.

Making the Band

USC freshman and Trojan Marching Band percussionist Krishesh Shroff taught himself how to play with a drumline on the Internet.

Keeping Healthy Dancers on Their Toes

Margo Apostolos, associate professor and director of dance at the USC School of Theatre, has a unique outlook on dance injuries.

Elephant Packs Its Trunk for Oprah’s Network

One Lucky Elephant, a documentary directed by USC School of Cinematic Arts faculty member Lisa Leeman, has been picked up by OWN, the Oprah Winfrey TV network.

A Double Bill of Dysfunctional Kin

Opera doesn’t have to be grand to be great. It can be quite small, actually, and still pack a wallop.

Starstruck: The Business of Celebrity

Celebrity, these days, takes on many forms - from the glamorous Hollywood icon to the irreverent YouTube sensation.

Poet Dana Gioia Joins USC

Dana Gioia, an acclaimed poet and essayist who served two terms as chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), has been appointed the Judge Widney Professor of Poetry and Public Culture.

Paderewski: The Modern Immortal Opens at Doheny

An exhibition celebrating the 150th anniversary of Polish musician Ignacy Jan Paderewski’s birth opens today in Doheny Memorial Library.

USC Student to Live by Advice of Strangers

Artist and first-year USC Roski School of Fine Arts MFA student Marc Horowitz is no stranger to strangers.

Microsoft Gift to Support Interactive Media

A gift from the Microsoft Corp. has established the Microsoft Next-Generation Entertainment initiative in the Interactive Media Division of the USC School of Cinematic Arts.

Grases Debuts With USC Thornton Concert Choir

On Friday, the USC Thornton Concert Choir will present its first concert under the direction of Venezuelan native Cristian Grases, the new assistant professor of choral music at the USC Thornton School of Music.

Wind Sprints From USC Composers

If you like Gershwin, Copland and Bernstein (and who doesn’t?), then chances are you’ll love USC composer Frank Ticheli’s latest composition.

Study Analyzes Women on Screen

Undergraduate students were an integral part of a 2006-09 study, led by USC communication professor Stacy L. Smith, that examined the gender of speaking characters in family films.

A Dream Collection for Cinephiles

After noted theatre director Max Reinhardt fled World War II Germany in 1933, he made his way to Los Angeles, where he mounted his legendary production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Hollywood Bowl.

A Literary Look at ‘the Other Monk’

USC College professor Robin D. G. Kelley spoke about jazz legend Thelonious Monk at the Friends of the USC Libraries Literary Luncheon on Sept. 30 in Doheny Memorial Library.

Pulling Out All the Stops

On Thursday, the USC Thornton School of Music will present the first of several performances celebrating the inauguration of President C. L. Max Nikias.

Festival de Flor y Canto Returns to USC

In 1973, USC hosted a landmark literary festival that captured the energy of the emerging Chicano movement.

Good Fortune Comes Her Way

The USC Thornton School of Music super senior sings of heartbreak and memory so convincingly despite her easy, dimpled smile and outward appearance of youth.

A Conversation With Kenneth Turan

Twenty-four years ago, Los Angeles Times film critic Kenneth Turan began an oral history of theatre impresario Joe Papp.

USC Roski MFA Weekly Noon Lecture Series

The Master of Fine Arts Lecture Series, a weekly presentation by internationally recognized artists, curators and writers, is under way at the USC Roski School of Fine Arts.

Chicano Festival, Reprised

In 1973, USC hosted the Festival de Flor y Canto (festival of flower and song, named after the Aztec word for poetry), a three-day event that featured dozens of emerging Mexican-American poets and writers. Materializing out of the nascent Chicano...

The End of Music

Even people who admit to being tone-deaf could once tell the difference between radio static and music. Not anymore.

New USC Roski Dean Welcomed

Rochelle Steiner, the new dean of the USC Roski School of Fine Arts, was informally welcomed to the Trojan Family at a reception at the USC Fisher Museum of Art.

Mark Your Calendars: Plays! Musicals! Dance!

The USC School of Theatre has announced an ambitious schedule of plays and dance performances for the 2010-11 academic year.

Performance Raises Awareness About Gender-based Harm

Unspeakable Acts, a dynamic theatre performance designed to educate incoming students about topics such as domestic violence, recently entertained audiences in Bovard Auditorium.

Fellowships Announced for Arts Journalism Program

Seven distinguished arts journalists have been selected as fellows for the USC Annenberg/Getty Arts Journalism Program.

The Trojan Family in Wool, Cotton, Silk and Gold

"The Trojan Family Tapestry,” by renowned artist John Nava, is one of more than 100 pieces of art and Trojan memorabilia installed in preparation for the building's Art Grand Opening on Sept. 30.

Summer Seminars and All That Jazz

High school students with a love of jazz displayed their skills during the USC Summer Seminars in July.

Rock Legend Steve Miller to Teach at USC

Some people call him the Space Cowboy. Some call him the Gangster of Love. But when Steve Miller, one of rock music’s all-time greats, joins the USC faculty this fall, he will have to get used another moniker.

USC Band Enjoys an All-Star Summer

As members of the USC Trojan Marching Band work 14-hour days in the August sun during Band Camp, they can wistfully look back at a summer packed with special events, unique media appearances and memorable encounters with celebrities.

Famous Faces, in One Place

Marking the centenary of the birth of one of the 20th century’s most prolific photographers, the USC Fisher Museum of Art will present Yousuf Karsh: Regarding Heroes through Nov. 28.

Thomas Eakins' Work Discussed at LACMA

Works by artists Tad Beck and Thomas Eakins are on display together at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

Sun, Sand, Surf and Copyrights

When Brian Gillogly set out to make his documentary, Accidental Icon: The Real Gidget Story, he thought his greatest challenge would be to convince Kathy Zuckerman - the real woman behind Gidget - to cooperate.

In Memoriam: David L. Wolper, 82

David L. Wolper, a producer of the groundbreaking 1977 miniseries Roots, along with more than 300 other films, died Aug. 10. He was 82.

In Memoriam: Robert F. Boyle, 100

Robert F. Boyle ’33, an acclaimed production designer whose credits include North by Northwest, In Cold Blood and The Birds, died in Los Angeles on Aug. 3.

Forum for First-Generation Writers

Quoting from his memoir, Talk Thai: The Adventures of a Buddhist Boy, Ira Sukrungruang summed up the theme of the evening, his tongue firmly in cheek.

A Brush With Beauty

Plein air painters are known for setting up their easels in pristine natural settings, but USC student Ramon Hurtado does his oil painting around the USC campus.

A Private Eye for Art

Norman Rockwell pieces, these aren't. But that's why they intrigue Jason Goldman, a USC College Ph.D. student of art history.

Moving in the Write Direction

Eric Garcia '95 has written about dinosaurs disguised as humans and con men with severe psychological issues.

The Story Behind the Storyteller

Laura Skandera Trombley PhD ’89 discussed the dark side of humorist Mark Twain at a Friends of the USC Libraries Literary Luncheon.

Two Writers Who Sing for Their Screenplays

To screenwriters, the Hollywood of backbiting and endless angst is a familiar place. How refreshing, then, to encounter Cinco Paul MA ’93 and Ken Daurio, writing partners who are thriving, well-adjusted and - dare we say it - happy.

Peter Boyer’s New Work Premieres in Boston

Celebrated composer and USC Thornton School of Music alumnus Peter Boyer ’96 will premiere his new work, "The Dream Lives On: A Portrait of the Kennedy Brothers," in Boston's Symphony Hall.

The Picassos of Art History

Since its founding in 1913, The Art Bulletin has for the first time tapped a West Coast scholar to lead art history's premiere journal in the English language.

School Namesake Flora L. Thornton Dies

Flora Laney Thornton, a philanthropist with a lifelong interest in higher education, the arts, preventive medicine and numerous charities, died May 7 of pulmonary disease. She was 96.

Setting the Stage for Broadway

Zachary Wolf, an English senior at USC College, knows his professor's research well because it is also his own.

First Look Struts Indie Style

USC School of Cinematic Arts students amped up the indie factor at this year’s First Look festival with entries including an animated foreign-language documentary and an official 2009 Sundance selection.

Rochelle Steiner Named Dean of USC Roski School of Fine Arts

Noted curator, writer and contemporary art leader Rochelle Steiner has been named dean of the USC Roski School of Fine Arts, effective Aug. 1.

Risk Taker Walks Off as Wonderland Winner

Graduate student Brandon Reynolds captures the first-place prize for creative writing in the annual competition.

Confessions of a USC Trombonist

Allen Eckhouse, the son of Morris Eckhouse, historian of the Cleveland Indians, and Maria Eckhouse, a registered nurse working at the Cleveland Clinic, is a trombonist in the USC Trojan Marching Band.

Trojan Marching Band Performs With Glee

The USC Trojan Marching Band has been in high demand in the weeks leading up to the 40th anniversary gala concert for its director Arthur C. Bartner.

USC College Alum Wins Asa V. Call Award

Most people think alumnus and Academy Award-winning director Taylor Hackford is a product of USC's School of Cinematic Arts.

A Grand Performance in Beijing

While memories of the Beijing Olympics linger, there are tangible reminders in China’s capital of the historic games.

L.A.’s Love Affair With Steel and Chrome

Detroit may be the Motor City, but with more than 26 million registered vehicles, Los Angeles is the undisputed car capital of the country.

Playing the Oscars

USC Thornton School faculty violinist Endre Granat returned as concertmaster of the orchestra during the Academy Awards, while alumni Rob Schaer joined for the first time.

All Aboard the Magic Poetry Bus

The stars all aligned for The Magic Poetry Bus on the evening of March 1, to the delight of an appreciative audience.

Tilson Thomas Wins National Medal of Arts

Michael Tilson Thomas has been awarded the National Medal of Arts, the nation’s highest award for artistic achievement.

Reinvention a Key to Success

USC School of Cinematic Arts professors Judy Irola and Georgia Jeffries have been honored by the Women’s International Film & Television Showcase Foundation.

Pop Goes the Music Program

When the inaugural class of the USC Thornton School of Music’s popular music program began last fall, Luke Walton was among the most visible of the 25 select students from across the nation.

Women Still Fighting for Screen Time

A study of the 100 top-grossing films of 2007 by the USC Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism found that females continue to be a large minority both on the screen and behind the camera.

Center for Urban Education Breaks Down Barriers

The Center for Urban Education hosted Breaking Down Barriers, an art exhibition reception, on Feb. 16.

USC Students Embrace Russian Animator

A rainy week in Los Angeles did not dampen the enthusiasm of hundreds of USC students and animation devotees who were treated to a rare visit by renowned Russian animator Yuri Norstein.

Music in Two Places at Once

While music education has long been built on the personal relationship between teacher and student, new technology is allowing lessons to grow beyond the face time necessary in the past.

School of Theatre Honors Robert Redford

Celebrities and admirers from across the country celebrated the legacy of legendary film star Robert Redford, who was honored by the USC School of Theatre at its inaugural fund-raising gala at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel on Feb. 10.

A Conversation With David St. John

David St. John, who has taught poetry, literature and film classes at the USC College for 22 years, is on a creative tear. In 2009, W. W. Norton published American Hybrid, an anthology of new poetry St. John edited with Cole Swensen, to rave reviews.

Up in the Air Soars With Scripter Win

Up in the Air author Walter Kirn and screenwriters Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner took top honors at the 2010 USC Libraries Scripter Award ceremony on Feb. 6.

Michael Tilson Thomas Wins Three Grammys

Michael Tilson Thomas, one of the world’s leading conductors and an esteemed alumnus of the USC Thornton School of Music, won three awards at the 52nd annual Grammy Awards on Jan. 31.

Student Union to Host Contreras Paintings

This semester, artist Albert Contreras will bring a little color to USC, as Student Affairs and the USC Fisher Museum of Art display his paintings in the newly renovated Student Union basement.

Forbidden Documentary to Debut

“I found these paintings rolled up under the beds of old widows, buried in family trash. These were forbidden works, by artists who stayed true to their vision at a terrible cost.

The Art of Ethics

Go ahead, gripe. It’s not against the law or anything. But have you considered your negativity’s affect on others?

Paul Ellison Named as Visiting Artist

Renowned double bass performer and chamber musician Paul Ellison will join the USC Thornton School of Music double bass faculty as a visiting artist this fall.

USC Gets Asian Pop Culture Magazine

Asia Pacific Arts, one of the most prominent and influential publications documenting Asian pop culture, is now being published at USC.

In Memoriam: Mel Sloan, 86

USC School of Cinematic Arts Professor Emeritus Mel Sloan died Jan. 12 of pneumonia at his home in Van Nuys. He was 86.

Eric Roth Wins Scripter Literary Award

The USC Libraries have announced that screenwriter Eric Roth has won the 2010 Scripter Literary Achievement Award for his sustained contributions to the art of film adaptation.

Trojans Contribute to Success of Avatar

Five USC faculty members played behind-the-scenes roles onAvatar, joining a healthy number of USC cinematic arts and music alums who also lent their talents to the James Cameron sci-fi epic.

Paul Frommer Sounds Off on Avatar Language

From the age of 8 until he was a junior in college, Paul Frommer thought astronomy was his destiny.

Reveling in the Ring

Every Saturday afternoon, a 9-year-old boy sat next to his father and listened. The radio dial properly adjusted, a broadcast of the Metropolitan Opera’s production of Puccini’s La Bohème began.

Oscar to Shine on Lighting Technology

Paul Debevec and three colleagues will be honored with a scientific and engineering Academy Award for the design of a facial rendering system developed for motion pictures.

The Dudamel Phenomenon in Los Angeles

When The New York Times was preparing a recent series of stories on new Los Angeles Philharmonic music director Gustavo Dudamel, they called upon three USC experts to help put the young Venezuelan sensation into perspective.

USC Libraries Announce Scripter Finalists

The USC Libraries have named the writers of Crazy Heart, District 9, An Education, Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire and Up in the Air as finalists for the 22nd annual USC Libraries Scripter Award.

A World All Their Own

Filmmakers are storytellers, but they are also architects and anthropologists. They must create whole worlds in which their stories can unfold.

ICT Effects Lauded in Avatar

Three members of USC's Institute for Creative Technologies team have been recognized with film credits for their work using the institute’s facial screening technology in Avatar.

Hollywood Calls USC Linguist for Help

When the alien characters voice their feelings in James Cameron’s upcoming sci-fi epic Avatar, they are literally speaking a new language, one developed by Paul Frommer, a professor at the USC Marshall School of Business.

A Dickens of an Evening

Heartfelt accolades, lush music and joyful toasts abounded at the USC Thornton School of Music’s 23rd annual Charles Dickens Dinner at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles.

GamePipe Lab Offers Ninth Demo Day

The USC GamePipe Laboratory presented the ninth annual Demo Day in Tutor Hall.

Orchestrating Change

When incoming Los Angeles Philharmonic music director Gustavo Dudamel conducted his first concert at the Hollywood Bowl in September, David Bohnett ’78, the new chairman of the board of the L.A. Philharmonic Association, experienced a welter of emotions.

Does the World Need Museums?

Even before the financial crisis hit last year, top museum directors worldwide knew they were operating in a bubble that couldn’t last.

Pixar Co-Founder Mulls Meaning of Success

Ed Catmull, co-founder of Pixar and current president of both Pixar Animation and Walt Disney Animation Studios, spoke to a packed house in the Ray Stark Theatre.

Artful Laws

Leading attorneys specializing in art law recently told students how they broke into the industry and rose to represent some of the world’s most famous museums, artists and collectors.

Van Gogh Revisited

Years ago, I had the privilege of writing a screenplay for MGM about the life and work of Vincent Van Gogh. It started out to be based on Lust for Life, a novelized biography of Van Gogh written by the late Irving Stone.

Comic Capers

Comic books are not solely about superheroes anymore. Nor are they reserved for children.

Crockett, St. John Create an Opera

Wooing a poet in operatic verse was not exactly out of the professorial playbook for Donald Crockett, professor of composition at the USC Thornton School of Music.

In Memoriam: Herbert Farmer, 89

Herbert Farmer ’42, M.A. ’54, archivist, professor emeritus and USC School of Cinematic Arts alumnus, died Nov. 22. He was 89.

Broccolis Endow New Faculty Chair

When James Bond producer Albert R. “Cubby” Broccoli and his wife Dana first invested in USC, the film program did not have a single endowed professor’s chair.

Indian Playwright’s Work Staged at USC

Imagine setting out to be Shakespeare, George Bernard Shaw and Tom Stoppard all rolled into one. Immodest as it sounds, that’s the goal Girish Karnad has set himself.

Dinner Salute to the Samples, Marilyn Horne

The USC Thornton School of Music’s 23rd Annual Charles Dickens Dinner, to be held on Dec. 11 at The Millennium Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles, will herald two turning points in the university’s history.

No Myths, Just Monk

Every day for almost a year, USC College professor Robin D. G. Kelley dug through junk to find a man. In a storage facility stacked to the ceiling with overflowing bags and boxes, Kelley donned a dust mask and spent...

Lost Woody Guthrie Recordings Revived

It sounded too good to be true. Pristine metal 78-rpm masters of more than a hundred recordings made by folk musician Woody Guthrie in the mid-1940s, including a few songs that had never been released, had been unearthed in cardboard barrels in a basement in Brooklyn.

USC Thornton Alums Come Together

At first glance, pairing Mozart, Titanic film music, jazz and humor-tinged stories might seem an odd mix for a concert program.

Meet the Music Man

Song and story. Story and song. In Bob Santelli’s eyes — rather, to his ears — tunes and tales are inextricably linked.

The Bond Between Sisters and History

At the Oct. 22 Literary Luncheon, novelist Lisa See shared the family stories and nearly forgotten Los Angeles history that inspired her latest novel.

It’s a Generational Thing

Thirty years ago, it was a different Lippit teaching at USC.

As Usual, Anything Goes for Mel Brooks

USC School of Cinematic Arts students were treated to an afternoon with Mel Brooks as part of the Jack Oakie and Victoria Horne Oakie Masters Lecture Series on Oct. 16.

In the Midst of a Phantom Presence

A sleeping baby, an upheld moth with wings outstretched, a portrait of a stately pug … Recent visitors to the USC University Club likely have noticed a collection of striking images lining the restaurant’s dining room walls.

In Memoriam: Anne Friedberg, 57

Anne Friedberg, historian, theorist of modern media culture and USC School of Cinematic Arts professor, whose work pioneered the field of visual studies, died on Oct. 9, following a long struggle with colorectal cancer.

Corwin’s One World Flight Enjoys Safe Landing

A gathering at the Barnes & Noble Westside Pavilion store honored Norman Corwin, a Los Angeles literary treasure, on Sept. 15.

Life, the Universe and Everything

From Zero to Infinity: The Story of Everything recently debuted in Doheny Memorial Library, drawing one of the largest-ever audiences to a USC Libraries opening exhibition.

Cinematic Arts Gets Star Treatment

The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce gave the Hollywood Walk of Fame a special detour along 37th Street on Sept. 10 to honor the USC School of Cinematic Arts for its eight decades of contributions to film, television and interactive media.

In Memoriam: Pierre Cossette

Innovative producer, philanthropist and USC alumnus Pierre Cossette, whose career included successes across the entertainment spectrum, died Sept. 11. He was 85.

USC Thornton Toasts 125 Melodious Years

The USC Thornton School of Music, one of the oldest and most illustrious music schools in the country, celebrated its 125th anniversary in grand style at Town & Gown on Sept. 10.

Getting to the Roots of the Miniseries

During his 40-year career in Hollywood, the late Stan Margulies produced several of the most acclaimed miniseries in the history of television, including Roots and The Thorn Birds.

Taking a Vow to be Heard

In James Moll’s documentary Inheritance, the daughter of Nazi Amon Goeth and one of his victims return to Goeth’s villa in Poland more than a half century after the sadistic camp commandant was hanged for war crimes.

Flying High With a World War II Legend

USC Marshall School of Business alumnus Kevin Gonzalez ’93 became familiar with World War II hero Gregory “Pappy” Boyington and his legendary fighter pilot exploits through the 1970s TV series Baa Baa Black Sheep.

In Memoriam: Arts Patron Virginia Ramo, 93

Virginia Ramo, a USC alumna, life trustee and 2002 recipient of the university’s highest honor, the Presidential Medallion, died Aug. 19. She was 93.

Old Structure Gives Way to New Park

The George Lucas Instructional Building, cinematic home to thousands of students from 1984 until 2008, was demolished during the months of June and July, using the most sophisticated equipment available.

Olmos Famous

Jose Olmos ’09 is and is not your typical Trojan. A native of Los Angeles, the School of Cinematic Arts graduate is still wrapping up summer courses as he splits time between homework and his job at the university’s dental school.

Bracing for Unexpected Success

Listening to Edna Ceballos’ passionate voice as she commands the stage in the Spanish Zarzuela Luisa Fernanda, it’s hard to imagine this accomplished soprano once had a collapsed lung.

SCA Alumnus Helvey Wins Student Oscar

Writer/director Gregg Helvey MFA ’09 at the USC School of Cinematic Arts, has turned bricks into gold with his film Kavi, which won the gold medal for narrative short film at the 36th annual Student Academy Awards on June 13.

From Finance to Filmmaking

For USC Marshall School of Business alumnus Thomas “Tommy” J. Papa MBA ’00, an investment banker based in Newport Beach, one of his most recent ventures is turning out to be one of the most fulfilling.

All Power to the Linemen

MFA art student Michael Parker happened upon his thesis project while riding his bicycle to class. It was hard to miss. A grid of gigantic wood poles suddenly had appeared on a dirt lot on the corner of Washington and Flower streets.

What I Will Do on My Summer Vacation

Four students from USC College's Master of Professional Writing earn scholarships to attend the New York State Summer Writers Institute program.

Poland’s Culture Minister Honors Music Dean

Bogdan Zdrojewski, Poland’s minister of culture and national heritage decorated USC Thornton School of Music Dean Robert A. Cutietta with his country’s Gloria Artis medal.

Law Students Represent Filmmakers at D.C. Hearings

USC Gould School of Law students represented a coalition of documentary filmmakers at hearings on a proposed exemption to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.

USC Roski Professor’s Film Headed to Cannes

A short film by Charlie White, director of the MFA program at the USC Roski School of Fine Arts, has been selected for the Director’s Fortnight section at the Cannes Film Festival.

Inspired by Alice

USC School of Cinematic Arts graduate student Ghia Godfree won first prize for Alicia en Loteria Land, her inventive mash-up of Alice in Wonderland and the popular loteria card game.

Best (Orchestra) Seats in the House

More than 60 musicians from the USC Thornton Symphony Orchestra were involved in the filming of The Soloist, a DreamWorks picture opening on April 24.

Earth Day Video to Debut on YouTube

The Tijuana River flows across the U.S.-Mexico border just south of San Diego, and it carries loads of pollution that contaminate coastal waters.

Recalling the Holocaust In Perpetuity

While he was in Europe filming Schindler’s List, Steven Spielberg said he spoke with many Holocaust survivors.

Learning the Bard Via Body Language

Although Shakespeare is famous for his cerebral language, USC College scholar Bruce Smith wants his students to absorb the Bard with not only their minds, but their entire bodies.

USC Thornton to Celebrate 125 Years

On April 2, the USC Thornton School of Music previewed its 125th anniversary with the news that its physical size will increase by 50 percent over the next two years as it takes over and renovates three buildings from the USC School of Cinematic Arts.

The ‘X Factor’ at Cinematic Arts’ First Look

Fifteen of this year’s 35 productions are directed by women, whose films feature female production crews.

In Memoriam: John Blankenchip, 89

The professor emeritus, who joined USC in 1955, was synonomous with the School of Theare and was integral in developing its BFA and MFA programs.

In Their Own Words

Six of USC’s professional writing students will offer their interpretations of the works at a LACMA exhibition.

Raymond Chandler Remembered

USC College marks the 50th anniversary of the mystery writer’s death and his timeless, passionate prose.

Cinematic Arts Unveils New Digs

The illustrious school marks its 80th anniversary with a stellar celebration attended by George Lucas and Steven Spielberg.

Barrymores in the Limelight at Doheny Library

One of Hollywood’s most renowned families takes center stage in a photographic retrospective at USC’s David L. Wolper Center.

Sure, It’s a Dirty Job …

Free arts workshops encourage USC students to ‘get physical’ by dropping eggs, snapping images and strumming guitars.

Beat the Drum: New Lab First of Its Kind

Their collaboration results in establishment of the Roland Drumlab, a class that allows students to better understand drumming and its role in popular music.

USC Roski School Dean Twice Honored

Ruth Weisberg garners a lifetime achievement award from the Women’s Caucus of Art and chronicles her work at a College Art Association event.

A Novel Way to Treat a Spanish Legend

USC Libraries’ rare editions illustrate Miguel de Cervantes’ adventures of Don Quixote in La Mancha.

Shedding Light on History’s Darkest Hours

Spell Your Name, a Holocaust documentary filmed in Ukraine, was created using the USC Shoah Foundation Institute archive.

Spell Your Name to Screen at USC

Documentary about the Holocaust in Ukraine will be followed by a panel discussion with director Sergey Bukovsky.

Lecture Series on Folklore Studies Debuts

The speaker series, which continues through April, supports a new minor in folklore at USC College.

USC Shines at the Grammys

The USC Thornton School of Music claims wins in six categories on music’s biggest night of the year.

USC Undergrad Gets Lost

Melissa Farman, an honors student who was discovered in an acting class, has a new role on the Emmy-winning series as young Danielle Rousseau.

Looking Forward to the Sound of Music

Grammy Career Day gives hundreds of students the chance to start thinking about a college education and the music business.

Richard Meyer Receives Art Journal Award

The USC College art historian has been selected for one of the College Art Association’s top honors.

Chabon Wins Scripter Achievement Award

USC Libraries will honor the author of Wonder Boys and The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay at annual gala.

Scripter Finalists Named by USC Libraries

Compelling stories about aging, poverty, conformity, heroics and the Holocaust vie for this year’s USC Libraries Scripter Award.

New USC College Commons

A new series of workshops, lectures, debates and film screenings this spring at the USC College is designed to unite faculty, students, staff and alumni around compelling topics, recalling the Greek Akademia.

A Quilter Doesn't Quit

Ahmanson Senior Center quilters show USC Davis School students and Andrus Volunteers that artistic expression never wanes.

A Woman’s Touch?

USC College professor Tania Modleski surveys significant female influences on Alfred Hitchcock’s films.

Theatre's Sharp Transforms Holiday Staple

Veteran choreographer strides on stage as a stylish Drosselmeyer in Los Angeles Ballet production of The Nutcracker.

Muske-Dukes Named Calif. Poet Laureate

USC College professor will educate Californians about the state’s literary icons and inspire new poets.

Ancient Art, Modern Lessons

USC College Department of Classics doctoral student reinvigorates humanities’ oldest discipline.

America’s Next Top (Role) Model

Glamour magazine names USC College undergrad Pauline Yang among the 'Top 10 College Women' in America.

Pop Music Performance Now USC Major

New USC Thornton program is open to aspiring vocalists and songwriters in pop/rock, folk/rock, R&B/urban and Latin/salsa.

New Major: Popular Music Performance

USC Thornton program is open to aspiring musicians in pop/rock, folk/rock and Latin/salsa.

Hidden L.A. Stories Coming to Campus

Rare materials from the city’s diverse past await visitors at Saturday’s Archives Bazaar.

Two Nights of ‘Chit Chat’

A Visions and Voices showcase for nationally known freeform artists begins tonight.

Conversation With Joe Saltzman

The USC journalism professor reflects on the impact of a stirring 1968 documentary set in South Los Angeles. Black on Black will be screened next Monday in Annenberg Auditorium.

Gamble House Celebrates Its Centennial

The National Historic Landmark residence in Pasadena defines Craftsman style

Greatest Jews of the 20th Century?

USC art historian Richard Meyer revisits Andy Warhol's controversial exhibition.

Good Neighbors Sets $1.1 Million Goal

Annual effort to improve the community through partnerships looks to raise more than last year.

Armed and Ready for Filmmaking

Wounded veterans train to enter the film industry via classes at the USC School of Cinematic Arts.

Facing Her Fears on Film

USC cinema graduate student Wendy J.N. Lee's documentary follows her road to implant surgery.

A Melding of the Artful Minds

USC College and the USC Roski School join Los Angeles museums to launch The Contemporary Project, a partnership directed by Richard Meyer.

It's a Wonderful Life

The School of Cinematic Arts celebrates seven sensational decades with Herb Farmer.

USC Observes Constitution Day

The university commemorates the 221st anniversary of the U.S. Constitution.

Lesson of a Lifetime

Teenage cancer patient gets his wish to take a clarinet class with USC music professor Yehuda Gilad.

Emmy Nod for College’s Shelley Berman

The legendary comedian, who plays Larry David’s father on Curb Your Enthusiasm, taught in the Master of Professional Writing Program for 23 years.

Doheny More in Fashion Than Ever

The architecture and atmosphere of USC’s landmark library inspire stylish Los Angeles magazine photography.

Doheny Gets Its Groove on With Album Art

New exhibit showcases many of the iconic record jackets once used to market music to a mass audience.

Newsmakers

Music to His Ears

New School of Theatre Building Opens

The McClintock Building, featuring classrooms, recording studio and library, is finished in less than 10 months.

Jenova Chen Named a Top Innovator

The 2006 USC alum, whose creations include "Cloud" and "flOw," is lauded as one of the world's foremost developers of video games.

Shakespeare on the Subway

Two USC School of Theatre students bring the Bard to Manhattan, entertaining commuters with a memorable scene from Romeo and Juliet.