USC Thornton Alums Come Together

By Libby Huebner on November 4, 2009 8:15 AM

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

But on Oct. 25, for 125 glorious minutes, more than two-dozen of the USC Thornton School of Music’s illustrious alumni showcased their considerable talents and wit in a musical extravaganza billed as “125 Minutes of Connections” that featured all of that and more.

Held at Alfred Newman Recital Hall, the free concert staged by the USC Thornton Alumni Association included humorous and touching reminiscences by many of the artists.

Among the headliners were international opera stars Marilyn Horne, BM ’53 and Jonathan Mack, ’71, MM ’74; Grammy Award-winning guitarists William Kanengiser MM ’83 and Scott Tennant MM ’86, both members of the famed Los Angeles Guitar Quartet; pianist Robert Edward Thies ’93; Los Angeles Master Chorale music director/L.A. Opera associate conductor Grant Gershon ’85, who conducted the USC Thornton Alumni Chorale; and film composer David Newman, ’76, MM ’82, performing with his daughter, vocalist Diana Newman ’12.

MaryAnn Bonino, MA ’63, Ph.D. ’71 served as master of ceremonies.

Both live and videotaped recollections offered a unique perspective on the USC Thornton School of Music, which is celebrating its 125th anniversary.

Marcia Dickstein ’86, a harpist with the Debussy Trio, recalled as a young girl hearing a harpist playing in a concert with her mother, who was a violinist. She realized at that moment that she had found her calling. The very place where she experienced that transformative moment is the Alfred Newman Recital Hall. The acclaimed trio is celebrating its 20th anniversary.

Miran Kojian ’64, associate concertmaster of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra and the youngest person ever appointed concertmaster of the National Symphony at Kennedy Center - which was under the direction of maestro Mstislav Rostropovich at that time - reminisced about studying under Jascha Heifetz at USC.

Rising young composer Austin Wintory ’07 wrote the music for Captain Abu Raed, a Jordanian film that won the audience award at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival. Describing how he came to compose the music for that film, which the country of Jordan submitted as its first Oscar entry in the category of best foreign film, Wintory noted that the awareness of the USC film music-scoring program is so great worldwide that the producers simply called the school and asked for a composer. Wintory got the job.

Film music composer James Newton Howard (’69) related via videotaped comments that when he came to the school, he was embraced as a brilliant pianist. Then USC introduced him to a whole new world of higher musical expectations and standards.

Josh Levy ’94, of the eclectic band Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, discovered after he graduated that he was prepared as a musician as well as an all-around entertainer. His group has appeared at small venues, stadiums, Super Bowl half-times and before the president of the United States.

David Newman recalled that his personal mentor, orchestra conductor Daniel Lewis, inspired him to explore the world of musical orchestration and how to create and make a commitment to an interpretation of a musical score. The composer of the music for the film Anastasia also noted that he and his daughter, a USC undergraduate soprano, were performing in the very hall that is named after his father Alfred Newman, the composer of “Conquest.”

Opera star Thomas Hampson (’80) talked about his years in Los Angeles, including the affection and respect that he has for the USC faculty. He also relayed a story about singing $50 “graveyard gigs” at one of the city’s cemeteries to “stay alive.”

Other stellar alumni performers included Tom Boyd, Lynn Vartan DMA ’04; Tim Landauer ’85, MM ’87; Burton Karson ’56, MA ’59, DMA ’64; Lee Allen, MM ’08; Marissa Benedict ’84; Kevin Brown BM ’80; James Self, DMA ’76; Terry Cravens DMA ’72; the Debussy Trio: Marcia Dickstein ’86, Angela Wiegand MM ’87 and David Walther ’97, MM ’99; Steve Fraider (’79-’82); Michael Freed (’82-’84); Lesley Leighton MM ’91; Paul E. Sobosky BS ’07; Matthew Thomas MA ’05; Tracy Van Fleet BM ’85, MM ’05; Beverly Brule MM ’94; Danielle Ondarza ’02; and Raya Yarbrough BM ’02.

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