PDF reflects print USC Thornton School of Music
 | Students from the new USC Thornton popular music program have done everything from opening for prominent acts to launching successful tours to placing numerous songs in film and television productions. From left, popular music students Peter Johnson, Eric Radloff and Luke Walton in rehearsal. |
Since its founding in 1884, the USC Thornton School of Music has become the center of higher education in music in the western United States and ranks among the top schools of music in the nation. Situated in the heart of the vital musical life of Los Angeles, the Thornton School of Music brings together a distinguished faculty and gifted students from around the world. It is in this wonderfully diverse cultural milieu that students are offered instruction in virtually all professional and scholarly branches of music, including instrumental and vocal performance, jazz, early music, conducting, composition, film scoring, music industry, musicology, music education, pedagogy, popular music performance, choral and sacred music, conducting and opera. In addition to its major programs, the Thornton School of Music also offers a wide array of music minors and general interest courses for students majoring in other disciplines.
The USC Thornton Symphony, Chamber Choir, Concert Choir, Opera, Wind Ensemble, Trojan Marching Band, Jazz Orchestra, Contemporary Music Ensemble, Early Music Ensemble and a wide variety of large and small choral and instrumental ensembles assure students the broadest performing experience. More than 500 formal and informal concerts and recitals are presented on campus each year and the school regularly presents eminent visiting artists and scholars in master classes, workshops, lectures, seminars and in performance.
Los Angeles is the home of numerous musical organizations whose performances contribute immeasurably to the cultural life of the region, and also the home of the nation’s major recording, radio, film and television industries. All offer abundant opportunities to the serious young musician.
Music Student Affairs
Marcia Lucas Post Production Building 200(213) 740-4721
FAX: (213) 740-5950
Email: studentaffairs@thornton.usc.edu
Director: Debra Penberthy
Music Admissions
Marcia Lucas Post Production Building 200(213) 740-8986
FAX: (213) 740-8995
Email: uscmusic@thornton.usc.edu
Assistant Dean: Phillip Placenti
Doctoral Programs
Music Faculty Building 415(213) 740-2774
FAX: (213) 740-2714
Email: dhuffman@thornton.usc.edu
Associate Dean: Debora Huffman
Choral Music
Music Faculty Building 308(213) 740-7418
Chair: Jo-Michael Scheibe
Classical Guitar
Marcia Lucas Post Production Building 115(213) 740-7399
Chair: Brian Head
Composition
Music Faculty Building 308(213) 740-7416
Chair: Donald Crockett
Conducting
Music Faculty Building 308(213) 740-7416
Chair: Larry Livingston
Jazz Studies
Marcia Lucas Post Production Building 115(213) 740-3119
Chair: Alan Pasqua
Keyboard Studies
Ramo Hall of Music 112(213) 740-7703
Chair: Alan Smith
Musicology
Music Faculty Building 317(213) 740-3211
Chair: Bruce Brown
Music Education
Music Faculty Building 416(213) 740-3211
Email: mwinches@thornton.usc.edu
Chair: Sheila Woodward
Music Industry
Marcia Lucas Post Production Building 117(213) 740-3224
Email: scmusind@usc.edu
Chair: Richard McIlvery
Organ
Ramo Hall of Music 112(213) 740-7703
Chair: Ladd Thomas
Popular Music Performance
Marcia Lucas Post Production Building 117(213) 740-3244
Director: Christopher Sampson
Strings
Ramo Hall of Music 112(213) 740-7703
Chair: Midori Goto
Studio Guitar
Marcia Lucas Post Production Building 115(213) 740-7399
Chair: Frank Potenza
Vocal Arts
Ramo Hall of Music 112(213) 740-7704
Chair: Elizabeth Hynes
Winds and Percussion
Music Faculty Building 308(213) 740-7416
Chair: Terry Cravens
Keyboard Collaborative Arts
Ramo Hall of Music 112(213) 740-7703
Director: Alan Smith
Scoring for Motion Pictures and Television
Marcia Lucas Post Production Building 118(213) 821-4192
Email: smptv@usc.edu
Director: Brian King
All departments may be reached by writing to:
Music Faculty Building
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0851
FAX: (213) 740-3217
email: uscmusic@usc.edu
www.usc.edu/music
Administration
Robert A. Cutietta, D.Ed., DeanJeffrey de Caen, M.B.A., Associate Dean for Operations
Debora L. Huffman, Ed.D., Associate Dean for Doctoral Programs
Susan Miltner Lopez, M.B.A., Associate Dean for Administration and Finance
Christopher Sampson, M.M., Associate Dean for Division of Popular Music and Industry Studies
Brian Head, M.M., Assistant Dean for Curriculum
Erica Muhl, D.M.A., Assistant Dean for Faculty Affairs
Phillip Placenti, M.P.A., Assistant Dean for Admission and Student Affairs
Faculty
Jascha Heifetz Chair in Music: Midori Goto, B.S.Bowen H. “Buzz” McCoy and Barbara M. McCoy Endowed Chair in Jazz at the Flora L. Thornton School of Music, Honoring President Steven B. Sample, 10th President of the University of Southern California: Bob Mintzer, B.A.
Gregor Piatigorsky Chair in Violoncello: Ralph Kirshbaum, B.A.
H. Robert Reynolds Chair in Wind Conducting: H. Robert Reynolds, M.M.
Stephen Crocker Professor of Music: Rod Gilfry, M.M.
Alice and Eleanore Schoenfeld Endowed Chair in String Instruction: Alice Schoenfeld, Dipl.
Distinguished Professor of Composition: Morten Lauridsen, D.M.A.*
Distinguished Professor of Composition: Stephen Hartke, Ph.D.
Professors: Arthur C. Bartner, Ed.D.*; Bruce Brown, Ph.D.; Terry Cravens, D.M.A.; Donald Crockett, Ph.D.*; Robert A. Cutietta, D.Ed.; Kevin Fitz-Gerald, Art. Dipl.; Gary Glaze, M.M.; Stewart Gordon, D.M.A.; Norman Krieger, Dipl.; Frederick Lesemann, D.M.A.*; Larry Livingston, M.M.; Thom Mason, D.M.A.; Ronald McCurdy, Ph.D.; Richard McIlvery, M.M.; Donald McInnes, M.M.; Erica Muhl, D.M.A.; John Perry, M.M.*; Daniel Pollack, M.S.*; Frank Potenza, M.M.; Jo-Michael Scheibe, D.M.A.; Bryan Simms, Ph.D.*; Alan Smith, D.M.A.; Richard Smith, M.M.; John Thomas, M.M.; Ladd Thomas, D.Mus.; Frank Ticheli, D.M.A.
Associate Professors: Ken Cazan, B.F.A.; Joanna Demers, Ph.D.; Yehuda Gilad, Dipl.; Elizabeth Hynes, B.M.; Robert Moore, Ph.D.; Cynthia Munzer, B.M.; Alan Pasqua, B.M.
Assistant Professors: Adam Gilbert, Ph.D.; Rod Gilfry, M.M.; Cristian Grases, D.M.A.; David Moore, B.M.; Brian Shepard, D.M.A.; Sheila Woodward, Ph.D.; Mina Yang, Ph.D.
Professors of Practice: Peter Erskine; Boyde Hood, M.M.; Joel Timm, D.M.A.; James Walker, B.M.E.
Associate Professors of Practice: Bernadene Blaha, M.M.; Lucinda Carver, D.M.A.; Mark Goldstein, J.D.; Brian Head, M.M.; Ken Lopez, B.A.; Brent McMunn, M.M.; Richard Schmunk, D.M.A.; Nick Strimple, D.M.A.
Assistant Professors of Practice: Steven Cunningham, B.S.; Andrew Garver, B.S.*; Rotem Gilbert, D.M.A.; Susan Helfter, D.M.A.; William Kanengiser, M.M; Brian King, B.M., Cert.; Veronika Krausas, D.M.A.; Sharon Lavery, M.M.; Christopher Sampson, M.M.; John Whitener, D.M.A.
Adjunct Professors: Donald Brinegar; Bruce Broughton; Martin Chalifour; Lamont Dozier; Donald Green; Miran Kojian; Richard Kraft; Robert Lipsett; Norman Pearson; H. Robert Reynolds; Cherry Rhodes; Pepe Romero; Patrice Rushen; Carl St. Clair; James Self; Jack Smalley; Allan Vogel; William Watrous; Kathleen Winkler; Suli Xue; Michele Zukovsky
Adjunct Associate Professors: Judith Farmer; David Howard; Peter Stumpf; Scott Tennant; James Thatcher; Jo Ann Turovsky; David Weiss
Adjunct Assistant Professors: Jeffrey Allen; David Arnay; James Babor; Jon Burlingame; Leon Ndugu Chancler; Neal Desby; Anne Farnsworth; Susan Feldman; Russell Ferrante; Parmer Fuller; Adam Kofler; Kristin Korb; Shigemi Matsumoto; Janice McVeigh; Vincent Mendoza; Kristy Morrell; Leah Morrison; Joseph Pereira; Daniel Rothmuller; James Rötter; Aaron Serfaty; Robert Sheppard; Andrea Stolpe; Alexander Suleiman; Lisa Sylvester; Mark Weiser; Gary Woodward; Robert Young
Adjunct Instructors: Andy Abad; Ted Ancona; Robert Anderson; Adriana Balic; Amy Bowers; Gilbert Castellanos; Paul Chaikin; Joel Clifft; John Daversa; Christina DeMore; Sean Dougall; Bruce Forman; Rachelle Fox; John Fumo; Jason Goldman; Kathleen Grace; Henry Gronnier; Charles Gutierrez; Karin Carson; William Hollis; Dean Immel; Alphonso Johnson; Aron Kallay; Patrick Kirst; Tim Kobza; Edwin Livingston; Martha Masters; Roy McCurdy; Stephen McCurry; Joel McNeely; Shawn Mouser; Vicki Muto; Darek Oleszkiewicz; Sung-Hwa Park; Gail Perry; Michael Powers; Otmaro Ruiz; John Schmidt; Gary Schyman; Paul Sherman; Scott Shubeck; William Skeen; Lisa Smith; Lisa Stidham; Douglas Tornquist; Tina Vartanian; Carl Verheyen; Don Wetzel; David Wilkinson; Tien-Hsin Wu; Shanon Zusman
Senior Lecturers: William Biersach; Patrick Kelley; Peter Marsh; Antoinette Perry; Christopher Roze; Nick Stoubis; Stephen Trovato; Paul Young
Emeritus Professors: Nancy Bricard, M.M.*; James Hopkins, Ph.D.; Arend Koole, D.Litt. et Phil.; William A. Schaefer, M.A.; Margaret Schaper, M.M.*; Alice Schoenfeld*; William Thomson, Ph.D.; James Vail, D.M.A.
Degree Programs
The Thornton School of Music offers professional and academic degrees at the bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral levels. These degrees are summarized below.Bachelor of Music: Students working toward this professional degree have a wide choice of specializations: composition, music industry, instrumental performance, jazz studies, popular music performance and vocal arts. Students can take either a single major program or double majors in several combinations such as piano and composition, string, or percussion instrument. The two majors must be offered by different departments but lead to the same degree (for example, Bachelor of Music). Double majors consisting of two majors in the same department are not permitted. The degree is granted by the Thornton School of Music.
Bachelor of Arts: This degree is for students with a strong music background but who wish to combine professional music training with substantial study in other disciplines.
Bachelor of Science: Offered by the Thornton School of Music in the specialized area of music industry.
Minors in Music: Seven different minors in music are offered, each approaching the discipline from a unique perspective and with a distinct curriculum: Jazz Studies, Musical Studies (Performance), Musical Theatre, Music Industry, Music Recording, Popular Music Studies, and Songwriting.
Master of Music: This is a professional degree that represents proficiency in one area of musical practice and relevant knowledge in musical literature, performance and technique. It requires a minimum of 30 graduate units, of which 15 must be at the 500 level or higher. Students complete either a thesis or recital(s) as part of the degree requirements. The degree can be earned in choral music, composition, conducting, music education, keyboard collaborative arts, guitar, jazz studies, organ, piano, voice or instrumental performance. The degree is granted by the Thornton School of Music.
Master of Arts: This degree, offered through the Graduate School in conjunction with the Thornton School of Music, stresses music history or early music performance, with emphasis on scholarly research.
Doctor of Musical Arts: This is a professional degree that represents the highest level of expertise in a major field of musical practice and competence in several additional areas.
Students may specialize in choral music, composition, jazz studies, music education, vocal or instrumental performance.
Doctor of Philosophy: Offered through the Graduate School, this is an academic degree in the field of historical musicology. A substantial background in music, research and languages is required.
Entrance to the Degree Programs
Admission to a degree program is granted through USC’s admission process, described in the Admission section of this catalogue. A supplementary application form is also required for students seeking admission to the Thornton School of Music, which can be obtained from the School of Music Office of Admission.Applicants to a program within the school are screened by appropriate faculty selection committees that hold auditions, interviews and examine supportive materials. Letters of acceptance are issued by the USC Office of Admission.
Audition
A performance audition is required of applicants to most degree and certificate programs in the Thornton School of Music. Refer to individual curriculum listings for details.Graduate Record Examinations
Scores from the General Test of the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) are required for application and admission to the Master of Arts, Doctor of Musical Arts and Doctor of Philosophy degrees. (The Music Subject Test is not required.) Test scores on the GRE that are more than five years old at the time of application are not accepted.Placement Tests
Undergraduate transfer students who have had formal study in any of the following areas must take the appropriate placement examination prior to their first registration: aural skills, theory, music history, conducting, analysis, orchestration and performance. The results of these examinations determine placement in appropriate sequential courses.Admission to Graduate Standing
Achievement tests in basic musical skills and areas of study (Music Graduate Entrance Examinations) are required of all entering graduate students during the first semester or summer session in residence. If all examinations are not passed by the end of two semesters of course work, then further registration must include remedial courses in all areas where deficiencies exist. In degree programs in which one recital is required, all entrance examinations must be passed or corresponding remedial course work completed with a minimum grade of B- before permission to present a graduate recital is given. In programs with two or more recitals, only the first may be given prior to passing all entrance examinations or completing corresponding remedial courses.Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
All applicants whose native language is not English are required to submit scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Test scores that are more than two years old at the time of application are not accepted.Advanced Standing Credit for Music Taken in Accredited Schools of Music
Music courses completed with satisfactory grades in a member institution of the National Association of Schools of Music are acceptable for transfer. The university reserves the right, however, to require a student to take a placement test (at no cost) to determine the level of achievement in any given aspect of music, and to review the student’s credentials at the end of one semester at USC to determine what credit will in fact be transferred.Advanced Standing Credit for Music Not Taken in Accredited Schools of Music
Students who wish credit for music taken in institutions not accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music must provide the Office of Admission with information on their prior work, showing the subjects studied, the number of lessons in each subject, the length of each lesson, number of years of study and the names of instructors. Such special requests are dealt with on an individual basis. Examinations or continuation work or both may be required before credit allowance is considered.General Requirements
All curricula leading to the Bachelor of Music, Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees require proficiency in performance. This is accomplished by individual instruction in the areas best suited to the student’s ability and interests.Proficiency in piano is required in all curricula and may be achieved through class and/or individual instruction. Some curricula require competency in one additional performance medium.
Attendance at recitals in the field of the student’s major is a regular part of the work in applied music for all music majors. Attendance at recitals is recommended for non-music majors who take individual instruction as an elective.