University
USC Thornton to Celebrate 125 Years
- Dean Robert Cutietta and Flora L. Thornton, the school's namesake
- Photo/Lee Salem
April 9, 2009 8:53 AM
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 school’s quasquicentennial will be celebrated with more than 50 events that will span 125 days, beginning in August.
The official launch begins overseas when several USC Thornton chamber music students, under the guidance of Peter Marsh, music director of the string chamber music program, travel to France to participate in the Franco-Américaines de Musique de Chambre in Missillac, France. This is the eighth year USC Thornton has been invited to participate in the festival.
On campus, the anniversary kicks off with an all-night “party of the century” on Sept. 10. USC Thornton dean Robert Cutietta will host a reception, followed by a performance by the USC Thornton Symphony Orchestra led by conductor Carl St.Clair at Bovard Auditorium and capped off with a party featuring rock music and dancing in Alumni Park.
Among the many events designed to spotlight all of the school’s departments is a jazz concert with all-star faculty members Alan Pasqua, Bob Mintzer, John Clayton and Peter Erskine; a USC Thornton Symphony Orchestra concert conducted by alumnus Michael Tilson Thomas; a concert by Eighth Blackbird, a contemporary sextet; and a recital by the school’s acclaimed classical guitar faculty members, including Pepe Romero, James Smith, William Kanengiser and Brian Head.
Additional events include a concert with USC Thornton’s Choral Artists led by conductor Helmuth Rilling; a three-day Chamber Music Marathon; and an “Opus 125 Concert” at Newman Hall with faculty members from the jazz, opera and classical music departments performing music on the theme of 125 years.
Other highlights: back-to-back fund-raising concerts by pop music legend Steve Miller during Parents Weekend and the annual Charles Dickens Dinner in December, which this year will honor opera great Placido Domingo.
The full schedule of events can be seen at www.usc.edu/schools/music/private/features/125th_release_wevents.pdf
Dean Cutietta, in his announcement on April 2 at the Davidson Conference Center, said the increase in facilities for the school is particularly noteworthy. USC Thornton will renovate the three-story Marcia Lucas Post-Production building, the Carson Soundstage and the Harold Lloyd Soundstage, which are adjacent to current USC Thornton buildings.
“Finding additional space in close proximity to Thornton has been one of our major priorities,” Cutietta said. “As we look to the future and the next 125 years, the space will enable us to expand our programs and help us remain competitive with other institutions.”
Cutietta announced that the school will add four new undergraduate programs this fall: a Popular Music Performance degree, a Bachelor of Arts in Choral Music, a Bachelor of Arts in Vocal Jazz and a Bachelor of Arts in Performing and Visual Arts Studies, which is an interdisciplinary program among all five of USC’s arts schools.
“What is unique is that these degrees were designed to welcome transfer students from community colleges,” Cutietta explained. “This is very new for us.”
At the graduate level, USC Thornton will be debuting revised versions of a doctorate in music education and one in sacred music.
In addition to new programs and celebration concerts, weekly videos that highlight each of the school’s 18 departments and programs will be displayed this fall on the school’s YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/uscthornton.
Major sponsors of the anniversary celebration include Flora L. Thornton, the school’s namesake, The Leo Buscaglia Foundation and USC’s Office of the President.
USC Thornton currently enrolls 1,072 students from 40 countries. Its faculty and alumni have been awarded numerous Grammy and Academy Awards and serve as artistic, technical and business leaders in all facets of the music industry.
It is the oldest continuously operating cultural organization in Southern California and one of the nation’s oldest music schools.
TAGS: music
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