UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN thornton school of music USCornton viewbook )'(*+)'

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As the music profession changes, the USC Thornton School of Music offers an innovative education that prepares students for careers at the highest level as performers, composers, educators and industry leaders. We do this while making the most of our location in , the nation’s center for creativity and original art of all kinds. Robert Cutietta Our three exceptional divisions offer cross-genre experiences Dean of the USC Thornton unique among the country’s top music schools. As a leading School of Music international research institution, USC offers students a rigorous, global education that enriches their artistic and musical development. USCornton School of Music

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Online Extras Full stories and videos for the features in this viewbook are at music.usc.edu/viewbook

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Classical Contemporary Research Performance & Music & Scholarly Composition page 8 Studies page 2 page 12

visit us online @ music.usc.edu Cellist Annie Jacobs-Perkins in downtown Los Angeles, framed by the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion and Walt Disney Concert Hall. classical performance & composition ON THE HORIZON: BRIGHT FUTURES

classical music is as vibrant as it has ever been, but it's changing and so are we. We've created a new undergraduate curriculum that will challenge students to develop a distinct artistic voice and create a thriving career in classical music. We’re calling it the New Classical. our goal? to train artists who will expand classical music’s influence and impact, now and in years to come. Read more at music.usc.edu/viewbook classical performance & composition

“If you monitor the New York arts press, you will quickly understand that Los Angeles is hot. The coast-to-coast winning the Game current has changed of Musical Chairs Recent grads across all disciplines are course: young being hired by professional symphonies. The odds of winning a position in a full-time painters, writers orchestra are daunting. Nabbing a spot is rare, but graduates of USC Thornton have been winning and musicians are these highly competitive seats at an enviable rate. “Our grads are all over the world — in the New York flocking here.” Philharmonic, the Concertgebouw, Swedish radio, - Mark Swed, music critic Madrid,” says clarinet professor Yehuda Gilad.

Female Conductors Seize the baton A Semester at Sibelius Doctoral students make their musical A young composer learns to appreciate Finland’s marks at USC — and afterwards. cold and calm in a new study abroad program. Three Choral & Sacred Music students and USC Thornton forged new ground when it established recent alums are earning plaudits on the podium the International Exchanges program, creating as conductors. Jenny Wong, Irene Apanovitch and opportunities for students to travel and study abroad. Shou-Ping Liu are seeing success in the Los Angeles As part of the program, Composition alumnus Curtis Master Chorale, the American Choral Directors Green ’19 spent a semester at the Sibelius Academy Association Graduate Conducting Competition and in Helsinki, Finland. the orchestra and chorus at Union College.

4 USC Thornton School of Music / 2019-2020 PROGRAMS Choral & 94% Sacred Music of recent alumni said Classical Guitar they would likely enroll at USC Thornton if they had the Composition chance to do it over again. keyboard Collaborative Arts keyboard Studies organ Studies Strings vocal Arts & opera winds & Percussion

USC Thornton alumni are well represented on the rosters of major American orchestras: New York Philharmonic (5, incl. assistant concertmaster, principal viola & principal tuba); Chicago Symphony (5, incl. principal tuba); Cincinnati Symphony (5, incl. principal bass & oboe); San Francisco Symphony (7, incl. the conductor); Los Angeles Philharmonic (18, incl. principal cello, trumpet, percussion & timpani); Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra (14, incl. principal harp, trumpet, viola & composer in residence); and principal chairs with the Auckland Philharmonia, Boston Symphony, Detroit Symphony, Houston Symphony, Kansas City Symphony, Nashville Symphony, Pittsburgh Symphony, Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra and Seattle Symphony.

(L-R) Annie Ranzani, Justin Woo, Nao Kubota and Malik Taylor at the Department of Water and Power headquarters in downtown Los Angeles.

@USCThornton / music.usc.edu 5 classical performance & composition 86% of USC Thornton undergraduates complete their degrees in six years, but most (71%) graduate in four. The national six-year completion rate “I find Los Angeles is 59%. to be the most vital artistic community in the country right now, and we really have to look no further than our campus.” - Margaret Batjer, strings faculty member and concertmaster of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra

Those Recital Student Premieres work experiences Pay off at Royal ballet Keyboard Studies student appears Undergraduate found her British collaborator at The Kennedy Center. online, and worked via Skype. Every year, the more than 300 student recitals on Composer Katya Richardson, in her junior year, campus are important warmups for professional collaborated with British choreographer Charlotte performances. Example A is So-Mang Jeagal ’15 Edmonds on a piece for England’s Royal Ballet. who, while earning an Artist Diploma, won After collaborating online via Skype, Richardson’s the Grand Prize at the Washington, D.C., Interna- music and Edmonds’ choreography premiered tional Piano Competition in 2014 that included a in spring 2018, and Richardson traveled to London concerto appearance at The Kennedy Center. for the event.

6 USC Thornton School of Music / 2019-2020 Vocalists (L-R): Victoria Fox, Diana Newman, Anthony Moreno, Amy Lawrence, from the USC Thornton Opera production of Monteverdi’s L’incoronazione di Poppea.

Two Seniors These Singers Do it All earn Fulbrights singers as producers, two recent alumni From Classmates to directors, music arrangers, spent the 2018-19 Professional Colleagues set builders, costumers academic year abroad two violinists, recent and prop masters. for Student Composer is as fulbright scholars. alumni michelle tseng more than a dozen years, Musical America’s New choral & sacred music and tianyun Jia, both the chamber opera of Artist of the Month alumna Geetha somaya- won jobs in the lA Phil, usc has been thriving as Doctoral candidate Julia jula will travel to india while cellist Peter myers a student-run organization Adolphe, who has had to study classical music is the new assistant that provides performing works commissioned by traditions, while principal cello of the opportunities to under- the new York Philhar- studies alumnus max san francisco opera. graduate singers and monic and los Angeles Kapur is bound for south the runner-up? his directing opportunities Philharmonic, recently Korea to teach English. classmate and fellow to graduate students. was the magazine’s Both double majored at member of the sakura the students produce featured new artist. in usc: somayajula earned cello quintet, Yoshika two opera or musical her interview, she said a second degree from masuda. theater productions every gender diversity at usc the usc marshall school Read these stories year, and learn how thornton was one of of Business, and Kapur and see the videos to be true ensemble the reasons she chose in East Asian languages at music.usc.edu/ participants. the school. & cultures. viewbook

@USCThornton / music.usc.edu 7 Celeste Butler (center) with Amir Kelly, Nyallah Noah and Eddie Stone, performing at the 2018 Popular Music Senior Showcase at the El Rey Theatre.  contemporary music ALWAYS INNOVATING ALWAYS COLLABORATING

from Popular music to screen scoring to Jazz studies, the programs in the Division of contemporary music are among the industry’s best and most celebrated. they have always been musical pathfinders, and are also known for their embrace of new technology and creative collaborations with new media, dance, theater and musicians located around the world. Read more at music.usc.edu/viewbook contemporary music USC Thornton Returns to Studio A the contemporary music Division thrives on collabo- ration. Each spring, usc thornton organizes a recording session at capitol records’ famed studio A with legendary engineer Al schmitt. the event involves students from three pro- grams—the usc thornton Jazz orchestra performs arrangements written by students in the screen scoring program, while music Production students “There are so many assist with the recording. sides to being a composer in the film industry. The business. The creative. USC does a wonderful job of giving you that whole package.” - Duncan Thum (’06, GC ’13) Emmy-nominated film composer and Screen Scoring alum

Music industry Students brimming with Creativity A New Space for a Song Undergrad student creates USC Thornton unveils new Songwriter’s Theater. “the WordPress of event planning.” The school debuted a brand new venue for song- Alvin Liang has quite a few music industry insiders writing — a space dedicated to words, music and expecting big things from him. Not for his artistry, mind creation. The 980-square-foot space has a state-of- you, but for his killer apps. Liang wowed the judges the-art sound system and stage rigging, LED light- at the 11th annual USC Stevens Student Innovator ing and seats 50 in an intimate theater setting. A Showcase, landing his team the $10,000 grand prize grand piano, drum set, guitars and amps stay in the for “Best Business Concept.” His idea: a scalable, room, at the ready for songwriters to test their work. self-serve event planning platform called EventAll.

10 USC Thornton School of Music / 2019-2020 PROGRAMS Jazz Studies Music industry Music Technology Popular Music Screen Scoring Drummer Brandon Combs and vocalist Nolan Frank in a recording session at Capitol Records’ Studio A. Studio Guitar

Jazz in Amsterdam Leading Music the language barrier Pop Music Forum industry Alumni Two Years out, wasn’t such a barrier at brings Pros to Talk You can find music indus- Two Nominations all. Jazz standards are About work (and Play) try alums in leadership When Duncan thum performed the world top singers and instru- positions across enter- got the call, his jaw went over. As part of usc mentalists from all tainment fields. Julia slack. An Emmy nomina- thornton’s international genres, music producers, Betley ’06 was recently tion for outstanding programs, 10 students songwriters and other promoted to vice presi- music composition for from the Jazz studies industry stars regularly dent of licensing and a series. less than two program traveled to speak to students at the soundtracks at rcA years out of school, in Amsterdam over spring Pop music forum, held records, and Ben Adel- his rookie year as an Break to meet, study and exclusively for usc son ’09, a senior vice independent hollywood perform with students thornton students. A president at republic composer, he’d made from the conservatorium recent guest was John records, made Billboard the television Academy’s van Amsterdam. mayer, who gave a song- magazine’s list of “40 top-six list. the following Read these stories writing masterclass under 40: music’s top year, thum was nomi- and see the videos complete with white- Young Power Players nated again for an at music.usc.edu/ board illustrations. revealed.” episode of Chef’s Table. viewbook

@USCThornton / music.usc.edu 11

 research & scholarly studies A FRESH LOOK AT MUSIC EDUCATION

it’s a fact. music education programs haven’t changed very much in 150 years. usc thornton is changing that with a new master’s degree for students who want to earn teaching certification in california and other states, where traditional band, orchestra and choir are being joined by guitar, songwriting and technology classes. Keeping a close eye on our alumni and education trends, we are training multi-talented teachers to meet the realities of today’s school music programs. Read more at music.usc.edu/viewbook

Alumnus Jim Wang leads an orchestra rehearsal at Lincoln Middle School in Santa Monica. research & scholarly studies 50% of current doctoral students presented papers at scholarly conferences during the past year.

Transforming the Landscape of Teacher education A new Master’s degree debuted in 2018. “It’s really important “Today’s music teachers need to feel comfortable teaching a wind ensemble, overseeing a rock band, for us as students leading a songwriting class using acoustic and digital technology and organizing concerts of student- to get involved created music,” says faculty member Peter Webster. This is the vision for the new Master’s degree in in our community, K-12 Contemporary Teaching Practice.

particularly with Success without a Podium programs that go An ensemble without a conductor, but with plenty of gigs. into schools and Benjamin Mitchell launched the Kaleidoscope Chamber Orchestra with help from USC Thornton’s develop lasting Arts Leadership program. An innovative and con- ductorless ensemble that’s breathing new life into relationships classical music in Los Angeles, Kaleidoscope fea- tures some of the best players in the city who col- with the kids.” laborate through a democratic process to prepare - Rose Campion, USC’s 2018 valedictorian, and perform a wide range of orchestral pieces. was a double major in music and history. Campion accepted the Ertegun Scholarship to pursue a MPhil in musicology at Oxford University.

14 USC Thornton School of Music / 2019-2020 PROGRAMS Arts Leadership early Music Performance Music Teaching & Learning Musicology Community Alumnus and faculty member Vince Womack, at right, rehearsing on stage with engagement his students at the James Foshay Learning Center in South Los Angeles. Polish Music Center

Arts entrepreneurship: why Should where Art Meets For a better brain, Musicians Mentor? Stepping in to bring StARTup Learn Music the usc thornton Music to Students Kenneth foster began faculty member Beatriz community Engagement usc thornton alumna the Arts leadership ilari has been conducting Program pairs local pub- catherine cooper program at usc to teach a study in partnership lic schools with students launched a music educa- students to apply their with the lA Phil and from all divisions and tion program for under- creative skills to grow heart of los Angeles degree programs, who served students in from artist to arts entre- to show that musical then mentor and teach central california. “it’s preneur. What makes training can alter brain the students. A three- the most fulfilling work i artists and leaders stand structures for the better. part video series came do,” says cooper, “i love out from the crowd is the study results under- out last year, showing teaching in a school, their ability to envision score the importance many of the student but there’s something possibilities and make of community music mentors in action. special and unique them happen—traits programs that can offset Read these stories about being able to give closely related to those some of the negative and see the videos children and families of successful entrepre- effects of low socio- at music.usc.edu/ the gift of music.” neurs. economic status. viewbook

@USCThornton / music.usc.edu 15 USC An extraordinary campus—full Number of students, many of them music majors, who live in USC Village, a 15-acre of opportunities— residential and retail center across the street from USC in the heart of Thornton. Trader Joe's and Los Angeles Target, anyone?

Artistic Collaborations Double Majors The 2018 spring musical, West Side Story, which Jason Lewis ’19 majored in classical guitar with coincided with the 100th anniversary of composer a second major in Computational Neuroscience. Leonard Bernstein’s birth, was a collaborative He is part of the medical engineering design club production between three USC arts schools — the that 3-D printed an ophthalmoscope that attaches USC School of Dramatic Arts, USC Glorya Kaufman to an iPhone. It took 33 hours to print, and Lewis School of Dance and the USC Thornton School wrote the app to operate it. of Music. Students' combined talents made it an epic triple threat of a production. The Trojan Family is Forever Coliseum Renovation USC Thornton roots run deep at major entertain- ment and cultural institutions, from the GRAMMY The LA Memorial Coliseum, the historic venue Museum and Hollywood studios to major orchestras that has hosted the Summer Olympics twice and around the globe. Strong alumni networks are is home to the USC Trojans football team, is under- active worldwide, and help open professional going a renovation project that will be completed doors for USC Thornton graduates. in 2019.

@USCThornton / music.usc.edu 17 Drummer Kelly Cruz keeps the beat in the LA Fashion District.

How to Apply

Application Process 1. Determine the specific application requirements for your chosen program Financial Aid (details at music.usc.edu/admission). University-wide 2. Complete the appropriate USC Application All domestic students are encouraged to apply for Admission (available at admit.usc.edu). for need-based financial aid. 3. Complete the supplemental music portions of Academic scholarships are also available for the USC application, and upload the appropriate undergraduate students. For more information, media submission(s) (including prescreen mate- visit usc.edu/financialaid. rial, as required) through the SlideRoom portal USC Thornton School (instructions at music.usc.edu/admission). Graduate and undergraduate applicants to 4. Perform an audition, if required, according to scholarship-eligible programs are automatically the specific audition requirements of your chosen considered for music scholarships based upon program (details at music.usc.edu/admission). their application and audition. For more information, contact: Teaching assistantships are available for some 213-740-8986 graduate programs. Applications can be down- [email protected] loaded from music.usc.edu/admission.

18 USC Thornton School of Music / 2019-2020 ADMISSION TIMELINE

December 1 • Application deadline for all programs January – March • Live auditions (by invitation only) in January and early February • Application and/or Degrees & Majors portfolio review April 1* • Admission and financial Undergraduate Majors include the Bachelor of aid notification Music (BM), Bachelor of Arts (BA), and Bachelor of Science (BS) degrees. April 15 Undergraduate Minors include Jazz Studies, Music • Graduate enrollment commitment deadline Industry, Music Production, Music Recording, Musical Studies, Musical Theatre, Popular Music Studies, and May 1* Songwriting. • Undergraduate enrollment Graduate Programs include the Master of Arts (MA), commitment deadline Master of Music (MM), Master of Science (MS), Graduate * Notification and commit- Certificate (GCRT), Artist Diploma (ARTD), Doctor of ment dates can vary for Musical Arts (DMA), and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). undergraduate transfers Classical Performance & Composition Brass (Bm, mm, Gcrt, ArtD, DmA) choral music (Bm, mm, DmA) classical Guitar (Bm, mm, Gcrt, ArtD, DmA) composition (Bm, mm, DmA) Keyboard collaborative Arts (mm, Gcrt, ArtD, DmA) 72% organ (Bm, mm, Gcrt, DmA) Percussion (Bm, mm, Gcrt, ArtD, DmA) of current USC Thornton students receive financial awards that Piano (Bm, mm, Gcrt, ArtD, DmA) do not need to be repaid. sacred music (mm, DmA) strings (Bm, mm, Gcrt, ArtD, DmA) Vocal Arts (Bm, mm, Gcrt, DmA) Woodwinds (Bm, mm, Gcrt, ArtD, DmA) Gainful employment Disclosures Contemporary Music The United States Department of Education re- Jazz studies, instrumental (Bm, mm, Gcrt, DmA) quires that not-for-profit educational institutions Jazz studies, Vocal (BA) disclose certain types of information regarding music industry (Bs, ms) programs that do not lead to a degree. These fed- music Production (Bm) eral regulations are designed to provide informa- Popular music Performance (Bm) tion about programs leading to gainful screen scoring (mm) employment in a recognized occupation. studio Guitar (mm, Gcrt, DmA) In the USC Thornton School of Music, three pro- grams are subject to these federal requirements: Research & Scholarly Studies (1) the Artist Diploma program; (2) the Graduate Arts leadership (Gcrt, mPA, ms) Certificate program in Arts Leadership; and (3) the community music (mm) Graduate Certificate program in Music Performance. contemporary teaching Practice (mm) The required information for these programs is Early music Performance (mA, Gcrt, DmA) available at music.usc.edu/admission/gainful- music teaching & learning (mm, DmA) employment-disclosures. musicology (PhD)

@USCThornton / music.usc.edu 19 Strings Violin Lina Bahn Margaret Batjer Martin Chalifour Glenn Dicterow Bassoon Pamela Frank Judith Farmer Bing Wang Shawn Mouser Viola Saxophone Karen Dreyfus Jessica Maxfield Yura Lee USC Thornton Faculty Horn Cello Steven Becknell Ralph Kirshbaum, chair Kristy Morrell, chair Andrew Shulman Trumpet Classical Performance Double Bass Thomas Hooten & Composition David Allen Moore Jennifer Marotta Choral & Sacred Music Harp Trombone Suzi Digby JoAnn Turovsky Terry S. Cravens Cristian Grases Lynn Helding Conducting Orchestral Repetoire Tuba Mary Mattei Lucinda Carver, Ben Hong Norman Pearson Jo-Michael Scheibe, vice dean James Self Trojan Marching Band chair Cristian Grases Doug Tornquist Arthur C. Bartner Tram Sparks Sharon Lavery Percussion Nick Strimple Larry J. Livingston, Vocal Arts & Opera James Babor Lisa Sylvester chair Thomas Michael Allen Joseph Pereira Ladd Thomas Troy Quinn Ken Cazan, resident H. Robert Reynolds stage director Classical Guitar Contemporary Music Jo-Michael Scheibe Angela Maria Blasi Brian Head Tram Sparks Parmer Fuller, Jazz Studies William Kanengiser Carl St.Clair, musical theatre Bass Pepe Romero principal conductor Rod Gilfry Alphonso Johnson Scott Tennant Jeremy Frank Edwin Livingston Keyboard Composition Rakefet Hak Darek “Oles” Oleszkiewicz Collaborative Arts Composition Lynn Helding Kevin Fitz-Gerald Jazz Composition Donald Crockett, chair Elizabeth Hynes Alan L. Smith, director Jason Goldman Sean Friar Brent McMunn, Vince Mendoza Ted Hearne Keyboard Studies music director Andrew Norman Bernadene Blaha Karen Parks, Frank Ticheli Lucinda Carver, musical theatre Percussion Nina Young vice dean Lisa Sylvester, chair Kevin Fitz-Gerald Roy McCurdy Theory & Analysis Winds & Percussion Stewart Gordon Aaron Serfaty Bill Biersach Flute Jeffrey Kahane Neal Desby James Walker Piano Sung-Hwa Park Sarah Gibson David Arnay Antoinette Perry Oboe Brian Head Russell Ferrante Stephen Pierce Marion Kuszyk Veronika Krausas Alan Pasqua Daniel Pollack Joel Timm Christopher Rozé Alan L. Smith, chair Allan Vogel Saxophone Mark Weiser Jason Goldman Organ Clarinet Bob Mintzer, chair Music for Dance Cherry Rhodes Yehuda Gilad Bob Sheppard Paul Hodgins Ladd Thomas, chair David Howard

20 USC Thornton School of Music / 2019-2020 Early Music Lucinda Carver Lot Demeyer Screen Scoring Trombone Susan Feldman Bruce Broughton Andy Martin Jennifer Kampani Jon Burlingame Adam Knight Gilbert, Trumpet Daniel Carlin, director Front cover: (L-R) Sam Yun, Ron McCurdy director, vice dean Julian McLanahan, Geetha Rotem Gilbert Michael Stever Sean Dougall Somayajula, and Kelly Cruz Charles Koster playing on a downtown John Thomas Laura Karpman William Skeen Los Angeles rooftop. Patrick Kirst Jason Yoshida Vocal Jazz Richard McIlvery Copy: Evan Calbi, Allison Engel Sara Gazarek Eric Schmidt Music Teaching Design: Rick Simner Design Kathleen Grace Garry Schyman & Learning Photography: Cover photos (front Lawrence Shragge Robert Cutietta, dean and back): Vance Jacobs; Nathan Music Industry Chris Young Susan Helfter Carter (Scholarly, p. 1, Mentorship, Jeff Brabec Beatriz Ilari, chair p. 15); Martin Chalifour (Adolphe, Todd Brabec Studio Guitar p. 7); Andrew Garver (Capitol, p. 11); Judy Lewis Michael Garcia, chair Adam del Monte Catherine Cooper (p. 15); Curtis Peter Webster Green (p. 4); Dario Griffin (Contem- Mark Goldstein Bruce Forman Vince Womack porary, p. 1, Fulbrights, p. 7, p. 8-9, Trudy Green Timothy Kobza Songwriter’s p. 10, Liang, p. 10, Jeremy Gruber Frank Potenza Musicology Betley, p. 11, p. 12-13, Entrepreneur- Michael Kaminsky Richard Smith Bruce Alan Brown ship, p. 15); Kristina Jacinth (Pop- Kevin Lyman Nick Stoubis, chair pea, p. 7); Vance Jacobs (Classical, Joanna Demers, p. 1, 2-3, 5, p. 18); So-Mang Jeagal Richard McIlvery Steve Trovato vice dean (p. 6); Jason Lewis (p. 17); Abhishek Loren Medina Adam Knight Gilbert Mangla (Amsterdam, p. 11); Vivian Wang Research & Rotem Gilbert Peter Myers (p. 7); Erin Offenhauser Richard Wolf Scholarly Studies Dana Gioia (Chamber Opera, p. 7, Mayer, p. 11, p. 21); Katya Richardson (p. 6); Lindsay Wolfington Leah Morrison Arts Leadership Gus Ruelas (Cutietta, p. 1, Capion, Sean Nye Music Technology Helane Anderson p. 14, Village, p. 17); Craig Schwartz Tim Page (West Side Story, p. 17); Chris Shinn Jae Deal Snehal Desai Nate Sloan (p. 16); Duncan Thum (p. 11); Charles Gutierrez Kenneth Foster, Scott Spencer Jenny Wong (p. 4). Sean Holt director Lisa Cooper Vest Printing: ColorGraphics Brian Malouf Dana Gioia Richard McIlvery Jackelyn Lopez *Faculty, as of June 1, 2019 Timo Preece Chris Sampson Richard Schmunk, chair Michael “Smidi” Smith Popular Music Andy Abad Jeffrey Allen Michael Arrom Adriana Balic Sean Holt Paul Jackson, Jr. Alphonso Johnson Lyndia Johnson Will Kennedy Timothy Kobza David Poe Patrice Rushen, chair Chris Sampson Richard Smith Andrea Stolpe Nick Stoubis Steve Trovato

Faculty member Pepe Romero conducts a masterclass with classical guitarist Max Brenner. USC ornton School of Music

Office of Admission University Park Campus TMC 200 Los Angeles, CA 90089-0851 phone: 213-740-8986 [email protected]

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Trumpet student Cameron Wilkins in downtown Los Angeles.