USC Thornton School of Music

The '''[[University of Southern California]] Thornton School of Music''', founded in 1884 and dedicated in 1999, is one of the premier music schools in the United States. Founded only four years after the University itself, the Thornton School is the oldest continually operating arts institution in [[Southern California]]. The School is located in the heart of the [[University of Southern California#Campus|USC University Park Campus]], south of [[downtown Los Angeles]]. The school gets its name in honor of a $25 million gift by [[Flora L. Thornton]] in 1999. 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. The USC Thornton School is noted for quality programs such as orchestral studies, opera, jazz, early music, composition, Film Scoring and Music Industry. ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' magazine named the music school as one of the top-five in the country. A diverse school of music, Thornton is one of the few highly-regarded music schools in the United States to offer a degree program in [[early music]]. Students of baroque, renaissance and medieval music (vocal or instrumental) may enroll in a specialized degree program in early music. Thornton is one of two universities in the country to offer an undergraduate program in [[Music industry|Music Industry]]. Thornton is one of only two schools that offer a comprehensive program in Scoring for Television and Film. It also has a unique program in studio guitar performance. At the [[49th Grammy Awards|2007 Grammy Awards]], four alumni (out of six nominated) and four faculty members received awards, in addition to one faculty member receiving a special honor. At the [[51st Grammy Awards|2009 Grammy Awards]], faculty and alumni won six awards. ===Classical Guitar=== *[[Brian Head (composer)|Brian Head]] *[[William Kanengiser]] *[[Pepe Romero]] *[[James Smith (guitarist)|James Smith]] *[[Scott Tennant]] ===Composition=== *[[Donald Crocket]] *[[Neal Desby]] *[[Stephen Hartke]] *[[Veronika Krausas]] *[[Morten Lauridsen]] *[[Frederick Lesemann]] *[[AJ McCaffrey]] *[[Alex Miller]] *[[Erica Muhl]] *[[Brian K. Shepard]] *[[Frank Ticheli]] ===Conducting=== *[[Lucinda Carver]] *[[Sharon Lavery]] *[[Larry J. Livingston]] *[[Michael Powers]] *[[H. Roberts Reynolds]] *[[Carl St. Clair]] ===Early Music=== *[[Elizabeth Blumenstock]] *[[Susan Feldman]] *[[Rachelle Fox]] *[[Adam Knight Gilbert]] *[[Rotem Gilbert]] *[[Charles Koster]] *[[Paul J. Sherman]] *[[Scott Shubeck]] *[[William Skeen]] *[[Shanon Zusman]] ===Jazz Studies=== *[[David Arnay]] *[[Glibert Castellanos]] *[[Ndugu Chancler]] *[[John Daversa]] *[[Peter Erskine]] *[[Russell Ferrante]] *[[John Fumo]] *[[Jason Goldman]] *[[Kathleen Grace]] *[[Alphonso Johnson]] *[[Kristin Korb]] *[[Edwin Livingston]] *[[Thom David Mason]] *[[Dr. Ronald C. McCurdy]] *[[Roy McCurdy]] *[[Vince Mendoza]] *[[Bob Mintzer]] *[[Darkek Oles]] *[[Alan Pasqua]] *[[Otmaro Ruiz]] *[[Aaron Serfaty]] *[[Bob Sheppard]] *[[John Thomas (trumpeter)|John Thomas]] *[[Jacques Voyemant]] *[[Bill Watrous]] ===Keyboard Studies=== *[[Bernadene Blaha]] *[[Lucinda Carver]] *[[Kevin Fitz-Gerald]] *[[Stewart Gordon]] *[[Aron Kallay]] *[[Norman Krieger]] *[[Sung-Hwa Park]] *[[Antoinette Perry]] *[[John Perry (pianist)|John Perry]] *[[Daniel Pollack]] *[[Dr. Alan L. Smith]] ===Music Education=== *[[Robert Cutietta]] *[[Christine DeMore]] *[[Susan Helfter]] *[[Dean Raymond Immel]] *[[Lisa Smith]] *[[Tina Vartanian]] *[[John L. Whitener]] *[[Shelia C. Woodward]] *[[Paul Young (trombonist)|Paul Young]] ===Music Industry=== *[[Ted Ancona]] *[[Bill Biersach]] *[[Stacy Brightman]] *[[Steve Cunningham]] *[[Andrew Garver]] *[[Mark Goldstein]] *[[Kenneth Lopez]] *[[Stephen McCurry]] *[[Richard McIlvery]] *[[Christopher Sampson]] *[[Rick Schmunk]] *[[Chris Stone]] *[[Paul Young (trombonist)|Paul Young]] ===Musicology=== *[[Bruce Alan Brown]] *[[Paul Chalkin]] *[[Joanna Demers]] *[[Adam Knight Gilbert]] *[[Leah Morrison]] *[[Tim Page (music critic)|Tim Page]] *[[Bryan R. Simms]] *[[Mina Yang]] ===Popular Music=== *[[Andy Abad]] *[[Jeffrey Allen]] *[[Robert Anderson]] *[[Adriana Balic]] *[[Ndugu Chancler]] *[[Lamont Dozier]] *[[Anne Farnsworth]] *[[Karin Harris]] *[[Alphonso Johnson]] *[[Tim Kobza]] *[[Jacob Reed]] *[[Patrice Rushen]] *[[Christopher Sampson]] *[[Richard Smith (jazz guitarist)|Richard Smith]] *[[Andrea Stolpe]] *[[Steve Trovato]] ===Scoring for Motion Pictures and Television=== *[[Peter Anthony]] *[[Chris Brooks (composer)|Chris Brooks]] *[[Jon Burlingame]] *[[Sean Dougall]] *[[Steve Juliani]] *[[Brain King]] *[[Patrick Kirst]] *[[Richard Kraft]] *[[Joel McNeely]] *[[Eric Schmidt]] *[[Rick Schmunk]] *[[Jack Smalley]] *[[Frederik Wiedmann]] *[[Chris Young (composer)|Chris Young]] ===Strings/Harp=== *[[Margaret Batjer]] *[[Martin Chalifour]] *[[Paul Ellison]] *[[Midori Goto]] *[[Henry Gronnier]] *[[John Hayhurst]] *[[Ralph Kirshbaum]] *[[Peter Marsh (musician)|Peter Marsh]] *[[Donald McInnes]] *[[David Allen Moore]] *[[Alice Schoenfeld]] *[[Alexander Suleiman]] *[[JoAnn Turovsky]] *[[Kathleen Winkler]] *[[Suli Xue]] ===Studio/Jazz Guitar=== *[[Reeve Carney]] *[[Adam del Monte]] *[[Bruce Forman]] *[[Pat Kelley]] *[[Tim Kobza]] *[[Frank Potenza]] *[[Richard Smith (jazz guitarist)|Richard Smith]] *[[Nick Stoubis]] *[[Steve Trovato]] *[[Carl Verheyen]] ===Theory/Aural Skills=== *[[Neal Desby]] *[[Brian Head (composer)|Brian Head]] *[[Veronika Krausas]] *[[Alex Miller]] *[[Robert S. Moore]] *[[Chris Roze]] *[[Mark Weiser]] ===Vocal Arts and Opera=== *[[Ken Cazan]] *[[Parmer Fuller]] *[[Rod Gilfry]] *[[Gary Glaze]] *[[Elizabeth Hynes]] *[[Jonathan Mack]] *[[Shigemi Matsumoto]] *[[Brent McMunn]] *[[Janice McVeigh]] *[[Cynthia Munzer]] *[[Dr. Vicki Muto]] *[[Lisa Sylvester]] *[[David Wilkinson (musician)|David Wilkinson]] ===Winds and Percussion=== *[[James Babor]] *[[Amy Bowers]] *[[Terry S. Cravens]] *[[Judith Farmer]] *[[Yehuda Gilad (musician)|Yehuda Gilad]] *[[Donald Green]] *[[Boyde Hood]] *[[David Howard (musician)|David Howard]] *[[Kristy Morrell]] *[[Shawn Mouser]] *[[Norman Pearson]] *[[Joseph Pereira]] *[[James Rötter]] *[[Jim Self]] *[[James Thatcher]] *[[Joel Timm]] *[[Doug Tornquist]] *[[Allan Vogel]] *[[Jim Walker (flautist)|James Walker]] *[[David Weiss (oboist)|David Weiss]] *[[Gary Woodward]] *[[Michele Zukovsky]] ==Performance halls and studios== *the [[Alfred Newman]] Recital Hall *the Bing Theatre [http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:USC-Bing_Theatre.jpg] *the Bovard Auditorium [http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:USC_Bovard_Auditorium.jpg] *the [[Harold Lloyd]] Motion Picture Sound Stage *the [[Jeanette MacDonald]] Recital Hall *the [[Johnny Carson]] Sound Stage *the [[Marcia Lucas]] Post-Production building *the [[Roland Corporation|Roland]] Drumlab *the [[Simon Ramo]] Recital Hall ==Notable alumni== *[[Michael Abels]], composer *[[Herb Alpert]], trumpeter and co-founder of [[A&M Records]] *[[Piotr Anderszewski]], pianist *[[Flea (musician)|Michael Balzary]], bassist, trumpeter, and actor *[[Christophe Beck]], film and television score composer *[[Marco Beltrami]], [[Film score]] composer *[[Robert Bernhardt]], conductor *[[Jerry Blackstone]], choral conductor *[[Bruce Broughton]], composer *[[Harold Budd]], [[ambient music|ambient]]/[[avant-garde]] composer *[[Roberto Cani]], violinist *[[Todd Carey]], singer-songwriter and musician *[[William Edward Childs]], [[Jazz piano|jazz pianist]] and composer *[[Nicolas Chumachenco]], violinist *[[Gerald Clayton]], jazz pianist *[[Rozzi Crane]], singer-songwritter *[[Alfred Darlington]], producer and multi-instrumentalist *[[Támar|Tamar Davis]], [[Rhythm and blues|R&B]] singer *[[John Dearman]], classical guitarist *[[Martin Denny]], creator of [[exotica]] music *[[Eldar Djangirov]], jazz pianist *[[Dean Drummond]], composer and conductor *[[William Eddins]], conductor *[[Taylor Eigsti]], jazz pianist *[[Jack Eskew]], arranger/orchestrator *[[John Frizzell (composer)|John Frizzell]], film and television score composer *[[Grace Fong]], pianist and music educator *[[Sara Gazarek]], jazz musician and singer *[[Grant Gershon]], conductor and pianist *[[Rod Gilfry]], opera [[baritone]] *[[Renee Elise Goldsberry]], actress *[[Jerry Goldsmith]], Film score composer *[[Donald Grantham]], composer and music educator *[[Maria Grenfell]], composer *[[Patrick Greppi]], music industry *[[Lionel Hampton]], jazz musician *[[Lisa Harriton]], singer, songwriter, and keyboardist *[[Jane Henschel]], soprano *[[Wataru Hokoyama]], composer *[[Marilyn Horne]], [[mezzo soprano]] *[[James Horner]], Film score composer *[[James Newton Howard]], Film score composer *[[Paul Jackson, Jr.]], [[Jazz fusion|fusion]] guitarist *[[Tommy Johnson (session musician)|Tommy Johnson]], [[tuba|tubist]] on film scores *[[Jerry Kirkbride]], clarinetist *[[Robert J. Kral|Robert Kral]], Film score composer *[[Morten Lauridsen]], composer *[[Benjamin Lees]], composer *[[Lesley Leighton]], vocal performance *[[Christopher Lennertz]], film and television score composer *[[Charles Lloyd (jazz musician)|Charles Lloyd]], jazz musician *Amy R. Martin, soprano *[[Bear McCreary]], television score composer *David Allen Moore, classical bassist *[[Ronald Muldrow]], jazz musician *[[Kelley O'Connor]], mezzo-soprano *[[Martin O'Donnell]], composer *[[Christopher Parkening]], classical guitarist *[[Leonard Pennario]], pianist *[[P. Q. Phan]], composer of [[contemporary classical music]] *[[Cynthia Phelps]], violinist *[[Elizabeth Pitcairn]], violinist *[[Harvey Pittel]], saxophonist *[[Basil Poledouris]], Film score composer *[[Harve Presnell]], singer and actor *[[Brian Ralston]], Film score composer *[[Bob Ralston|Robert Ralston]], pianist and organist *[[Lee Ritenour]], [[session musician]] *[[Jessica Rivera]], [[soprano]] *[[Leroy Robertson]], composer and music educator *[[Douglas Romayne]], film and television score composer *[[Nathaniel Rosen]], cellist *[[Elizabeth Rowe]], flutist *[[Patrice Rushen]], R&B singer, songwriter, composer, and pianist *[[Stefan Sanderling]], conductor *[[William Schmidt (composer)|William Schmidt]], composer *[[Garry Schyman]], composer for film, television, and video games *[[Tom Scott (musician)|Tom Scott]], session musician *[[Lya Stern]], violinist *[[Thomas Stevens (trumpeter)|Thomas Stevens]], trumpeter, composer, and educator *[[Tomas Svoboda (composer)|Tomas Svoboda]], composer and music educator *[[Salli Terri]], singer and songwriter *[[Michael Tilson Thomas]], conductor and pianist *[[Oleg Timofeyev]], [[Musicology|musicologist]] and classical guitarist *[[Fiona Thompson]], cellist *[[Martin Tillman]], composer and cellist *[[Dale Turner (songwriter)]], singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer/arranger *[[Zeynep Üçbaşaran]], pianist *[[Walter Werzowa]], composer and founder of [[Musikvergnuegen]] *[[Mack Wilberg]], conductor, composer, and arranger; [[Mormon Tabernacle Choir]] director *[[Wanda Harasimowicz Wilk]], musicologist and founder of USC Polish Music Center *[[Pauline Yang]], pianist *[[Andrew York (guitarist)|Andrew York]], classical guitarist and composer *[[Robert H. Young]], Professor Emeritus of Baylor University ==External links== *[http://www.usc.edu/music USC Thornton School of Music] *[http://www.usc.edu/dept/polish_music/ USC Polish Music Center website] *[http://www.uscsmptv.com/ Scoring for Motion Pictures and Television website] *[http://www.usc.edu/isd/libraries/locations/music/ Music Library of the University of Southern California] {{University of Southern California}} {{coord missing|Los Angeles County, California}}