Choral and Sacred Music
Master of Music
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Required items:
- USC Graduate Application
- Thornton Supplementary Application
- Audition (see below)
- Statement of Objectives
- Resume
- 3 Letters of Recommendation
- Repertoire List
- TOEFL score report - required from all applicants for whom English is a second language, regardless of educational background or immigration status.
Audition Information
Choral Music: Video tape of both a choral ensemble performance and a rehearsal conducted by the applicant, including choral works from several periods and styles, with at least one being a twentieth-century work.
Sacred Music: Video tape of both a choral ensemble performance and a rehearsal conducted by the applicant, including choral works from several periods and styles, with at least one being a twentieth-century work. While it is preferred that sacred music applicants submit this conducting audition tape, an individual performance cassette tape in voice, piano or organ may be submitted instead of or in addition to the conducting audition tape.
Additional Information
Applicants should have a minimum of two years experience as the regular conductor of a choral ensemble.
All applicants must submit a brief resume specifically noting conducting experience and a repertoire list divided into categories of works sung, works studied and works conducted.
Doctor of Musical Arts
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All of the materials listed below (with only two exceptions, as indicated below) must be prepared in one packet and mailed directly to the Thornton Admission Office. The full packet must be received by the Thornton Admission Office by December 1. Any application not complete by December 1 may be removed from consideration.
Required items:
- USC Graduate Application (submit online or directly to the USC Office of Admission)
- Thornton Supplementary Application
- Audition tape (see below)
- Statement of Objectives
- Resume
- 3 Letters of Recommendation (gathered by the applicant from each recommender in a sealed envelope with the recommender’s signature across the seal)
- Transcripts (gathered by the applicant from the appropriate school(s) or university(-ies) in a sealed envelope)
- Repertoire List
- GRE score report (general test only) – the applicant must submit a copy of his/her personal score report to the Thornton Admission office, as well as arrange for ETS to send an official score report directly to the USC Admission office
- TOEFL score report - required from all applicants for whom English is a second language, regardless of educational background or immigration status
Audition Information
Applicants to these programs are required to submit an audition tape according to the following guidelines.
Choral Music: Video tape of both a choral ensemble performance and a rehearsal conducted by the applicant, including choral works from several periods and styles, with at least one being a twentieth-century work.
Sacred Music: Video tape of both a choral ensemble performance and a rehearsal conducted by the applicant, including choral works from several periods and styles, with at least one being a twentieth-century work. While it is preferred that sacred music applicants submit this conducting audition tape, an individual performance cassette tape in voice, piano or organ may be submitted instead of or in addition to the conducting audition tape.
Some applicants may be contacted by the faculty of the Department of Choral and Sacred Music with an invitation to audition live on the USC campus during the spring semester.
Additional Information
Applicants should have a minimum of four years experience as the regular conductor of a choral ensemble.
All applicants must submit a brief resume specifically noting conducting experience and a repertoire list divided into categories of works sung, works studied and works conducted.
