USC Thornton School of Music

As the longest-standing cultural institution in Los Angeles, the USC Thornton School of Music educates students in a real-world context through collaborations with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Los Angeles Opera, Grammy Foundation and others. Here Doctor of Musical Arts student Sarah Gibson and Professor Kevin Fitz-Gerald practice in the Chamber Music Interpretation Masterclass.

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, USC Thornton 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, popular music performance, early music, conducting, composition, film scoring, music industry, musicology, music education, arts leadership, pedagogy, choral and sacred music, conducting and opera. In addition to its major programs, USC Thornton 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, Popular Music Ensembles, Songwriter Showcases, 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

The Music Complex Building 200

(213) 740-4721
FAX: (213) 740-5950
Email: studentaffairs@thornton.usc.edu
Assistant Dean: Phillip Placenti

Music Admissions

The Music Complex Building 200

(213) 740-8986
FAX: (213) 740-8995
Email: uscmusic@thornton.usc.edu
Director: P J Woolston

Arts Leadership

Director: Kenneth Foster

Choral Music

Music Faculty Building 416

(213) 740-7418
Chair: Jo-Michael Scheibe

Classical Guitar

The Music Complex Building 115

(213) 740-7399
Chair: Brian Head

Composition

Music Faculty Building 416

(213) 740-7416
Chair: Donald Crockett

Conducting

Music Faculty Building 308

(213) 740-7416
Chair: Larry Livingston

Jazz Studies

The Music Complex Building 115

(213) 740-3119
Chair: Bob Mintzer

Keyboard Studies

Ramo Hall of Music 112

(213) 740-7703
Chair: Alan Smith

Musicology

Music Faculty Building 308

(213) 740-3211
Chair: Joanna Demers

Music Education

Music Faculty Building 416

(213) 740-3211
Chair: Susan Helfter

Music Industry

The Music Complex Building 117

(213) 740-3224
Email: scmusind@usc.edu
Chair: Ken Lopez

Music Technology

The Music Complex Building G110

(213) 740-3224
Chair: Richard Schmunk

Organ

Ramo Hall of Music 112

(213) 740-7703
Director: Ladd Thomas

Popular Music Performance

The Music Complex Building 117

(213) 740-3244
Chair: Patrice Rushen

Strings

Ramo Hall of Music 112

(213) 740-7703
Chair: Midori Goto

Studio Guitar

The Music Complex Building 115

(213) 740-7399
Chair: Frank Potenza

Vocal Arts

Ramo Hall of Music 112

(213) 740-7704
Chair: Ken Cazan

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

The Music Complex Building 118

(213) 821-4192
Email: smptv@usc.edu
Director: Daniel Carlin

All departments may be reached by writing to:

Administration

Robert A. Cutietta, D.Ed., Dean

Lucinda Carver, DMA, Vice Dean, Division of Classical Performance Studies

Christopher Sampson, M.M., Vice Dean, Division of Contemporary Music

Peter Webster, Ph.D., Vice Dean, Division of Academic and Professional Services

Jeffrey de Caen, MBA, Associate Dean for Operations

Susan Miltner Lopez, MBA, Associate Dean for Administration and Finance

Donald Crockett, Ph.D., Assistant Dean for Faculty Affairs

A. Phoenix Delgado, M.M., Assistant Dean for Advancement

Brian Head, M.M., Assistant Dean for Academic Programs

Phillip Placenti, Ed.D., Assistant Dean for Admission and Student Affairs

Faculty

Jascha Heifetz Chair in Music and Distinguished Professor of Strings: Midori Goto, M.A.*

Robert Mann Endowed Chair in Strings and Chamber Music: Glenn Dicterow, B.A.

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.

Alice and Eleonore Schoenfeld Endowed Chair in String Instruction: Alice Schoenfeld, Dipl.*

Stephen Crocker Professor of Music: Rod Gilfry, M.M.

Judge Widney Professor of Poetry and Public Culture: Dana Gioia, M.A., MBA

Distinguished Professor of Composition: Morten Lauridsen, DMA*

Distinguished Professor of Composition: Stephen Hartke, Ph.D.*

Professors: Arthur C. Bartner, Ed.D.*; Bruce Brown, Ph.D.*; Terry Cravens, DMA*; Donald Crockett, Ph.D.*; Robert A. Cutietta, D.Ed.; Kevin Fitz-Gerald, Art. Dipl.; Gary Glaze, M.M.*; Stewart Gordon, DMA*; Norman Krieger, Dipl.*; Larry Livingston, M.M.; Thom Mason, DMA*; Ronald McCurdy, Ph.D.; Richard McIlvery, M.M.; Erica Muhl, DMA*; Tim Page, B.A.; Alan Pasqua, B.M.*; John Perry, M.M.*; Daniel Pollack, M.S.*; Frank Potenza, M.M.*; Jo-Michael Scheibe, DMA; Bryan Simms, Ph.D.*; Alan Smith, DMA*; Richard Smith, M.M.; John Thomas, M.M.; Ladd Thomas, D.Mus.; Frank Ticheli, DMA*

Associate Professors: Ken Cazan, BFA*; Joanna Demers, Ph.D.; Yehuda Gilad, Dipl.*; Adam Gilbert, Ph.D.; Rod Gilfry, M.M.; Elizabeth Hynes, B.M.; Robert Moore, Ph.D.; Cynthia Munzer, B.M.

Assistant Professors: Cristian Grases, DMA; Ted Hearne, M.M.; Beatriz Ilari, Ph.D.; David Moore, B.M.; Andrew Norman, Art. Dipl.

Professors of Practice: Daniel Carlin, M.M.; Lucinda Carver, DMA*; Peter Erskine; Boyde Hood, M.M.; Joel Timm, DMA; James Walker, B.M.E.

Associate Professors of Practice: Bernadene Blaha, M.M.; Kenneth Foster, M.A.; Mark Goldstein, J.D.; Brian Head, M.M.*; Veronika Krausas, DMA; Ken Lopez, B.A.; Brent McMunn, M.M.; Richard Schmunk, DMA; Nick Strimple, DMA; Scott Tennant, M.M.

Assistant Professors of Practice: Steven Cunningham, B.S.; Andrew Garver, B.S.*; Rotem Gilbert, DMA*; Susan Helfter, DMA*; William Kanengiser, M.M.*; Sharon Lavery, M.M.; Kristy Morrell, DMA*; Antoinette Perry, M.M.; Stephen Pierce, DMA; Patrice Rushen; Christopher Sampson, M.M.; Nick Stoubis, M.M.; Lisa Sylvester, DMA

Lecturers and Senior Lecturers (Full-time): William Biersach; Jason Goldman; Patrick Kelley; Christopher Roze; Aaron Serfaty; Stephen Trovato; Paul Young

Adjunct Professors: Bruce Broughton; Martin Chalifour; Suzi Digby; Donald Green; Melissa Manchester; Norman Pearson; H. Robert Reynolds; Cherry Rhodes; Pepe Romero; Carl St. Clair; James Self; Jack Smalley; Jo Ann Turovsky; Allan Vogel; William Watrous; Peter Webster; Suli Xue; Michele Zukovsky

Adjunct Associate Professors: Che-Yen Chen; Karen Dreyfus; Judith Farmer; David Howard; Andrew Shulman; Tram Sparks; Bing Wang; David Weiss

Adjunct Assistant Professors: Jeffrey Allen; David Arnay; James Babor; Christopher Bartz; Margaret Batjer; Jon Burlingame; Leon Ndugu Chancler; Neal Desby; Susan Feldman; Russell Ferrante; Bruce Forman; Sean Friar; Parmer Fuller; Adam Kofler; Shigemi Matsumoto; Janice McVeigh; Vincent Mendoza; Leah Morrison; Darek Oleszkiewicz; Joseph Pereira; Robert Sheppard; Andrea Stolpe; Mark Weiser; Gary Woodward; Robert Young

Adjunct Instructors: Andy Abad; Ambrose Akinmusire; Ted Ancona; Robert Anderson; Adriana Balic; Steve Becknell; Amy Bowers; Stacy Brightman; Richard Brown; Gilbert Castellanos; Paul Chaikin; Joel Clifft; Sean Dougall; Barbara Dyer; Rachelle Fox; Cheryl Ann Fulton; John Fumo; Sara Gazarek; Kathleen Grace; Karin Carson; William Hollis; Sean Holt; Ben Hong; Alphonso Johnson; Aron Kallay; Dax Kimbrough; Patrick Kirst; Tim Kobza; Edwin Livingston; Andrew Martin; Mary Mattei; Roy McCurdy; Shawn Mouser; Sung-Hwa Park; David Poe; Michael Powers; Otmaro Ruiz; Isaac Schankler; John Schmidt; Garry Schyman; Paul Sherman; William Skeen; Douglas Tornquist; Carl Verheyen; David Wilkinson; Tien-Hsin Wu; Shanon Zusman

Emeritus Professors: Nancy Bricard, M.M.*; William Dehning, DMA*; James Hopkins, Ph.D.*; Arend Koole, D.Litt. et Phil.; Frederick Lesemann, DMA*; Donald McInnes, M.M.; William A. Schaefer, M.A.; Margaret Schaper, M.M.*; Alice Schoenfeld*; William Thomson, Ph.D.; James Vail, DMA*

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