USC Thornton Orchestra Visits China

Published Feb. 20, 2012.

Led by USC Thornton faculty member Suli Xue and orchestra manager Michael Powers, nearly 60 members of the USC Thornton School of Music’s Young Musicians Foundation (YMF) Debut Orchestra performed in concerts in seven Chinese cities on a 13 day tour that began in late December.

The orchestra received a letter of commendation from conductor John Williams, Los Angeles mayor Antonia Villaraigosa and U.S. Sen. Dianna Feinstein for the tour, which marked the 40^th Anniversary of former President Nixon’s establishment of U.S. – China diplomatic relations and the cultural exchange between the YMF and the people of China. Among the events was a New Year’s concert televised and broadcast to nearly 28 million Chinese households.

Lucas Richman MM ’87 and Powers served as the tour’s conductors. More than 30 USC Thornton students and alumni played with the orchestra, which included students from Colburn School, UCLA, California State University, Northridge, and Harvard University.

Xue, a Los Angeles Philharmonic violinist who was born in China, was violin soloist.

The Debut Orchestra is the centerpiece of the YMF and the second oldest pre-professional training orchestra in the United States. Its 70 members, who range in age from 15 to 25, perform a minimum of four free public concerts every year.

The orchestra’s repertoire included classical works, show tunes, film scores and American standards, as well as several Chinese compositions. Xue performed “Song of Praise,” a traditional Mongolian folk song arranged by his father.