USC Thornton School of Music explained

USC Thornton School of Music
Established:1884[1]
City:Los Angeles
State:California
Country:United States
Parent:University of Southern California
Dean:Jason King (2023-present)
Faculty:200
Undergrad:500
Postgrad:450
Type:Private

The USC Thornton School of Music is a private music school in Los Angeles, California. Founded in 1884 only four years after the University of Southern California, the Thornton School is the oldest continually operating arts institution in Los Angeles.[2] The school is located on the USC University Park Campus, south of Downtown Los Angeles.

The Thornton School is noted for blending the rigors of a traditional conservatory-style education with a forward-looking approach to training the next generation of musicians. Highly regarded internationally, the school is widely ranked as one of the top 10 schools of music in the United States.[3]

History

The USC Thornton School of Music was founded in 1884 and dedicated in 1999. It was named in honor of philanthropist Flora L. Thornton following a $25 million gift from her foundation.[4] At the time, this was the largest donation to a school of music in the United States. In 2006, she donated an additional $5 million to support the facility needs of the school.[5]

In 2023, Jason King was announced as the new dean of USC Thornton, following Robert Cutietta stepping down at the end of 2022. [6]

Programs

USC Thornton offers Bachelor's, Master's and Doctorate degrees in more than 20 disciplines across the school's three divisions – Classical Performance and Composition, Contemporary Music, and Research and Scholarly Studies.[7] Many disciplines also offer graduate certificates.[8]

Thornton was one of the first schools of music to offer an undergraduate program in music industry,[9] and currently offers both a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science in Music Industry.[10] Thornton offers the only comprehensive program in Scoring for Television and Film.[11] It also has a program in studio guitar performance.[12]

In 2017, USC Thornton launched new professional master's degree programs in Arts Leadership;[13] Community Music;[14] and Music Industry, designed to train musicians in new ways to imagine a contemporary music career.[15]

In 2018, USC Thornton announced a new model of classical music education[16] for undergraduate Classical Performance and Composition students.[17] Hallmarks of USC Thornton's redesigned curriculum include restructured lessons, rehearsals, and classes.[18] [19]

Performance halls and studios[20]

Faculty

In 2007, USC Thornton alumnus and Distinguished Professor of Composition Morten Lauridsen became the eighth classical composer to receive the National Medal of Arts.[21] Two years later, in 2009, alumnus and Judge Widney Professor of Music at USC Michael Tilson Thomas also received the National Medal of Arts.[22]

Choral music

Classical guitar

Composition

Conducting

Jazz studies

Keyboard studies

Music education

Music industry

Musicology

Music production

Popular music

Screen scoring

Strings/Harp

Studio/Jazz guitar

Theory/Aural skills

Vocal arts and opera

Winds and Percussion

Notable alumni

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Music Academics USC. 2021-02-05. academics.usc.edu.
  2. Web site: History. 2021-07-01. USC Thornton School of Music.
  3. Web site: University of Southern California Thornton School of Music: Ranking, Acceptance Rate, Tuition, and More. 20 December 2018 . 2021-07-04. Music School Central.
  4. The 1999 Slate 60: The 60 largest American charitable contributions of 1999.. 2021-07-04. Slate. 17 February 2000 .
  5. Web site: Flora Thornton dies at 96; L.A. philanthropist and arts patron. 2021-07-04. Los Angeles Times. 8 May 2010 .
  6. Web site: Jason King named dean of USC Thornton School of Music . 24 January 2023 .
  7. Web site: Degrees & Programs USC Thornton School of Music. music.usc.edu. 2019-08-01.
  8. Web site: Admission USC Thornton School of Music. music.usc.edu. 2019-08-01.
  9. Web site: Music Industry USC Thornton School of Music. 2019-06-28. music.usc.edu.
  10. Web site: Music Industry USC Thornton School of Music. 2019-06-28. music.usc.edu.
  11. Web site: Screen Scoring USC Thornton School of Music. 2019-06-28. music.usc.edu.
  12. Web site: Studio Guitar USC Thornton School of Music. 2019-06-28. music.usc.edu.
  13. Web site: Arts Leadership USC Thornton School of Music. 2019-06-28. music.usc.edu.
  14. Web site: Community Music USC Thornton School of Music. 2019-06-28. music.usc.edu.
  15. Web site: Music Industry USC Thornton School of Music. 2021-07-18. music.usc.edu.
  16. Music. USC Thornton School of. The USC Thornton School of Music Creates A New Model for Classical Music Education. 2019-06-28. www.prnewswire.com. en.
  17. Web site: Classical Performance and Composition USC Thornton School of Music. 2019-06-28. music.usc.edu.
  18. Web site: The New Classical USC Thornton School of Music. 2019-06-28. music.usc.edu.
  19. Web site: 2017-07-17. USC Thornton announces five new master's degree programs. 2019-06-28. USC News. en-US.
  20. Web site: Performance Halls & Studios USC Thornton School of Music. 2021-07-18. music.usc.edu.
  21. National Endowment for the Arts Website
  22. Web site: Michael Tilson Thomas. 2013-04-17. NEA. en. 2019-08-01.

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