Tongue in Chic: Socks were my way of rebelling against the dress code


Throughout middle and high school, I attended Oxford Academy, the No. 10 public school in the nation (the ranking has since dropped to 19). To maintain our reputation as an academically rigorous institution, we were discouraged from engaging in frivolous pursuits like football games, home economics and dressing ourselves. Our school uniforms consisted of white […]

Let’s Wine Down: Ranking the most Instagrammable wines


There is no shame in admitting that some of us drink wine for the aesthetics. It wouldn’t be the first time someone daydreams of standing on the rooftop with a glass of red wine in hand overlooking the city’s skyline. Can’t you just imagine that Instagram-worthy shot? One of the great things about wine is […]

REVIEW: Charli XCX claims pop throne with latest project


It’s hard to believe that, with the Billboard Hot 100 top-10 charting songs (including the number one ‘Fancy’), four platinum singles and a niche fan base with the loyalty of a European mafia, Charli XCX is still underrated. The artist’s extra-layered bubblegum bass instrumentation has made her solo work too jarring for casual radio listeners, […]

Conductor sets out to unite audience’s hearts and minds


Before the Thornton School of Music was even called the Thornton School of Music, Maestro Carl St. Clair was conducting at USC.  St. Clair began teaching when he was just 24 years old and now has over 42 years teaching across the country. His fascination with music began at a young age when he started […]

Violinist reflects on classical music and its future


While most kids grew up singing along to the catchy tunes of Sesame Street and Disney movie soundtracks, the Siess household was filled with the emotionally evocative sounds of Pyotr Tchaikovsky and classical violinists like Perlman.  “As a young kid … I thought Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture was awesome because when you’re a little kid [the […]