The University of Southern California (USC) Thornton Jazz Orchestra performed in Rugby Auditorium as a part of the Jazz Lunch Concert Series on April 18. Following his employment at Thornton in 2008, saxophonist and composer Bob Mintzer began conducting the band while teaching the Jazz Studies program. Minzter will be retiring from his directorship, and he performed with the group for the last time before the school audience. The band played a set of five songs, including compositions by Mintzer and students in the band.

Minster said although his experiences conducting the Thornton band are unique every year, the band is always successful in its playing.

“I’ve been teaching at USC for 16 years,” Mintzer said. “This is this year’s iteration of the band. It’s different every year. We have quite a few new people this year. It’s always a really wonderful experience to watch the trajectory throughout the year and see how these players figure out how to play together and make a unified sound.”

Jazz Director Chris Sullivan said he chose the USC Thornton Band because of his tight connection with Mintzer and his own experiences in the band.”

“[Thornton] is the band that I played in for three years,” Sullivan said. “I went to USC before I got [to the school], and I was the TA for [Mintzer]. He and I have stayed so close. He’s a good friend and a mentor of mine. I’m always looking for bands, and actually, [Thornton] was looking for a venue, so it was sort of a perfect match.”

Sullivan said the concert was a good experience for his students to listen to players from one of the top collegiate jazz programs. 

“That’s one of the best college bands in the world,” Sullivan said. “Great players come from all over the world to play in that band under Bob’s direction. So it was really cool for our students, as high school students, to see some students who are now majoring in music at the college level. It’s especially inspiring for our [students] to hear college-age students [play].”