PDF reflects print USC Thornton School of Music
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Cellist Yo-Yo Ma works with USC Thornton student Alexander Suleiman in a master class at Bovard Auditorium.
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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, 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 Services
United University Church-B(213) 740-4721
FAX: (213) 740-5950
Email: studentservices@thornton.usc.edu
Associate Dean: Debora Huffman
Music Admissions
United University Church 218(213) 740-8986
FAX: (213) 740-8995
Email: uscmusic@thornton.usc.edu
Director: Phillip Placenti
Choral Music
Music Faculty Building 416(213) 740-7418
Chair: William Dehning
Classical Guitar
Music Faculty Building 304(213) 740-7399
Chair: James Smith
Composition
Music Faculty Building 308(213) 740-7416
Chair: Donald Crockett
Conducting
Music Faculty Building 308(213) 740-7416
Chair: Larry Livingston
Jazz Studies
Music Faculty Building 304(213) 740-3119
Chair: Ronald McCurdy
Keyboard Studies
Ramo Hall of Music 112(213) 740-7703
Chair: Alan Smith
Music History and Literature
Waite Phillips Hall 304(213) 740-3211
Chair: Bryan Simms
Music Education
Waite Phillips Hall 302(213) 740-3211
Chair: Gwendolyn McGraw
Music Industry
Music Faculty Building 305(213) 740-3224
Email: scmusind@usc.edu
Chair: Richard McIlvery
Organ
Ramo Hall of Music 112(213) 740-7703
Chair: Ladd Thomas
Strings
Ramo Hall of Music 112(213) 740-7703
Chair: Eleonore Schoenfeld
Studio Guitar
Music Faculty Building 304(213) 740-7399
Chair: Frank Potenza
Vocal Arts
Music Faculty Building 416(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
Music Faculty Building 305(213) 821-4192
Email: smptv@usc.edu
Director: Brian King
Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz
Arnold Schoenberg Institute 1(213) 821-1500
Program Coordinator: Daniel Seeff
All departments may be reached by writing to:
USC Thornton School of Music
Music Faculty Building
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0851
FAX: (213) 740-3217 email: uscmusic@usc.edu
Administration
Robert A. Cutietta, D.Ed., DeanDebora L. Huffman, Ed.D., Associate Dean for Student Affairs
Susan Miltner Lopez, M.B.A., Associate Dean for Administration and Finance
Giulio Ongaro, Ph.D., Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs
Christopher Sampson, M.M., Associate Dean for External Relations
Faculty
Jascha Heifetz Chair in Music: Midori Goto, B.S.Bowen H. “Buzz” McCoy and Barbara M. McCoy Endowed Chair in Jazz: Shelton Berg, M.M.
Gregor Piatigorsky Chair in Violoncello: Eleonore Schoenfeld, Dipl.
Professors: Arthur C. Bartner, Ed.D.*; Bruce Brown, Ph.D.; Terry Cravens, D.M.A.; Donald Crockett, Ph.D.*; Robert A. Cutietta, D.Ed.; William Dehning, D.M.A.; Gary Glaze, M.M.; Stewart Gordon, D.M.A.; Stephen Hartke, Ph.D.; Morten Lauridsen, D.M.A.*; Frederick Lesemann, D.M.A.*; Larry Livingston, M.M.; Thom Mason, D.M.A.; Ronald McCurdy, Ph.D.; Donald McInnes, M.M.; Erica Muhl, D.M.A.; John Perry, M.M.*; Daniel Pollack, M.S.*; Frank Potenza, M.M.; Bryan Simms, Ph.D.*; Richard Smith, M.M.; Ladd Thomas, D.Mus.; Frank Ticheli, D.M.A.
Associate Professors: Gilbert Blount, Ph.D.; Ken Cazan, B.F.A.; Kevin Fitz-Gerald, Art.Dipl.; Erik Forrester, M.M.; Yehuda Gilad, Dipl.; Elizabeth Hynes, B.M.; Janet Johnson, Ph.D.; Norman Krieger, Dipl.; Peter Lightfoot, M.M.; Gwendolyn McGraw, D.M.A.; Richard McIlvery, M.M.; Robert Moore, Ph.D.; Cynthia Munzer, B.M.; Giulio Ongaro, Ph.D.; Alan Smith, D.M.A.; James Smith, M.M.; James Thatcher, B.A.; John Thomas, M.M.
Assistant Professors: Joanna Demers, Ph.D.; Adam Gilbert, Ph.D.; Brent McMunn, M.M.; Alan Pasqua, B.M.; Richard Schmunk, D.M.A.; Brian Shepard, D.M.A.; Magen Solomon, D.M.A.; Sheila Woodward, Ph.D.
Professor of Clinical: Gerard Del Colliano
Assistant Professors of Clinical: Andrew Garver; Mark Goldstein; Ed Kalnins; Brian King; Ken Lopez; Jack Smalley; David Spear; Karl Swearingen
Visiting Associate Professor: Tamar Diesendruck, Ph.D.
Adjunct Professors: Martin Chalifour; Peter Erskine; Pamela Goldsmith; J. Thomas Johnson; Ronald Leonard; Robert Lipsett; H. Robert Reynolds; Cherry Rhodes; Pepe Romero; Carl St. Clair; Lyndon Taylor; Dennis Trembly; Allan Vogel; Bill Watrous; David Weiss; Suli Xue; Michele Zukovsky
AdjunctAssociate Professors: David Howard; Jo Ann Turovsky
Adjunct Assistant Professors: Nico Abondolo; David Anglin; David Arnay; Margaret Batjer; Elizabeth Blumenstock; Carmen Bradford; Jon Burlingame; Terri Lyne Carrington; Polli Chambers-Salazar; Leon Ndugu Chancler; Rose Corrigan; Neal Desby; Judith Farmer; Anne Farnsworth; Russell Ferrante; Angel Figueroa; Parmer Fuller; John Hayhurst; Lucina Hubbard; Paul Huybrechts; Monica Kaenzig; Adam Kofler; Miran Kojian; Shigemi Matsumoto; Vincent Mendoza; David Moore; Kristy Morrell; Leah Morrison; David Oakes; John Paton; Elizabeth Pitcairn; Mary Rawcliffe; Kim Richmond; Daniel Rothmuller; James Rötter; James Self; Aaron Serfaty; Robert Sheppard; Chris Stone; Nick Strimple; Tierney Sutton; Lisa Sylvester; Jacques Voyemant; Michelle Weir; Gary Woodward; Chris Young
Adjunct Instructors: Peter Anthony; Janet Beazley; Amy Bowers; Jayne Campbell; Gilbert Castellanos; Matthew Falker; Jason Goldman; Alphonso Johnson; Steve Juliani; Tim Kobza; Kristen Korb; Roy McCurdy; Michael Powers; William Skeen; Topper Smith; Douglas Tornquist; Jacques Voyemant; Shannon Zusman
Senior Lecturers: William Biersach; Bernadene Blaha; Lucinda Carver; John Clayton; Brian Head; Boyde Hood; William Kanengiser; Pat Kelley; Sharon Lavery; Peter Marsh; Janice McVeigh; Antoinette Perry; Nick Stoubis; Scott Tennant; Dennis Thurmond; Joel Timm; Stephen Trovato; James Walker
Full-Time Lecturers: Steve Cunningham; Joe Diorio; David Fick; Veronika Krausas; Jonathan Mack; Chris Roze; Mark Weiser
Part-Time Lecturers: Ted Ancona; Joel Clifft; Ludek Drizhal; Andre Fisher; Susan Helfter; Jeffrey Holmes; Charles Koster; Myong-Joo Lee; Wei-Hui Mao; Vicki Muto; Sung-Hwa Park; David Wilkinson; Nancy Yamagata
EmeritusProfessors: Nancy Bricard, M.M.*; James Hopkins, Ph.D.; Arend Koole, D.Litt. et Phil.; Mitchell Lurie; William A. Schaefer, M.A.; Margaret Schaper, M.M.*; Alice Schoenfeld*; Eudice Shapiro; William Thomson, Ph.D.; James Tyler; James Vail, D.M.A.; Jay Zorn, D.M.E.
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 education, music industry, instrumental performance, jazz studies, and vocal arts. Students can take either a single major program or double majors in several combinations such as piano and composition, music education and wind, 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: Five 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, and Music Recording.
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, sacred 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 Music Education: This degree is offered jointly by the Thornton School of Music and the Rossier School of Education. It is intended for persons who are now, or who plan to be, school or community music specialists.
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, sacred 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). Both paper-based and computer-based scores are accepted. Test scores that are more than five 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.