USC Associates Award for Excellence Teaching
Presented at the 32nd Annual Academic Honors Convocation
April 23, 2013

Yehuda Gilad & John Walsh

Yehuda Gilad
Associate Professor of Winds and Percussion
Guest Conductor, USC Thornton Chamber Orchestra
USC Thornton School of Music

Yehuda Gilad is one of the world's premier clarinet teachers. He has produced outstanding young musicians who regularly earn auditions with the leading orchestras of Asia, Europe, and the United States. His students and former students have won every international competition and have gone on to teach at prestigious universities worldwide. In addition to having spent countless hours developing their music skills, he is devoted to cultivating his students' self-confidence and remains a primary mentor for them throughout their lives. His dedication is a hallmark of his teaching, and his students often return for "tune-ups" prior to major auditions.

Among his many contributions to the university, Professor Gilad was music director of the USC Thornton Chamber Orchestra for a decade. During this time, the orchestra became known for its exceptional quality throughout Southern California.

Hailed as one of today's most dynamic and charismatic conductors, he has received critical acclaim throughout the world. He has guest conducted across the globe and is regularly invited to teach master classes and clinics worldwide and to sit on juries for international music competitions. He is the music director of the Colburn Orchestra and was the conductor and music director of the Colonial Symphony of New Jersey. He also served as music director of the Santa Monica Symphony and the 20th Century Unlimited concert series in Santa Fe.

Professor Gilad has earned numerous accolades, including the Distinguished Teacher Award from the White House Commission on Presidential Scholars, and for his service as music director of the Malibu Music Festival, he received the highest proclamation from both the county and city of Los Angeles.

For his stellar teaching and passionate commitment to music education, the University of Southern California is pleased to honor Yehuda Gilad with the USC Associates Award for Excellence in Teaching.

John P. Walsh
Associate Professor of Gerontology
USC Davis School of Gerontology

A dedicated instructor and educational innovator, John Walsh has been a valued member of the USC community for over two decades. He recognized early in his career that he needed to make science entertaining in order to hold students' attention. He capitalized on the multimedia revolution, realizing that it offered an opportunity to further his connection to students and to develop cutting-edge instructional tools and methods. He has received numerous awards for these efforts, including grants from USC and the National Science Foundation, as well as the USC Provost's Prize for Teaching with Technology.

Professor Walsh's students esteem him for his enthusiasm, kindness, approachability, and easy-going style, and his stellar reputation attracts students not only to his classes, but also to his movement disorders laboratory. Nearly 30 undergraduate students have worked in his lab, with many winning prestigious fellowship awards that propelled them into flourishing careers in science and medicine.

With a specialty in neuroscience and aging, Professor Walsh instructs his students in the science and research they need to enhance society and improve the human condition. Tirelessly, he emphasizes the importance of understanding and embracing life's phases and diversity, and enlists human behavior and brain function in that effort. He has touched the lives of countless students, advancing their scientific knowledge and preparing them for success in the professional world.

For his inspired teaching and enduring contributions to undergraduate and graduate education, the University of Southern California is pleased to honor John Walsh with the USC Associates Award for Excellence in Teaching.