Bachelor of Arts (BA)
Master of Music (MM)
Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA)

***IMPORTANT NOTE: The Thornton Prescreen Information Form is REQUIRED for this program. See below for more details.***

Applicants to programs in Choral Music must submit an audition recording (DVD format preferred for undergraduate applicants, required for graduate applicants) to be pre-screened by the faculty. The results of this pre-screen will determine whether an applicant will be invited to perform a live audition on the USC campus in Los Angeles. Recordings must be received by the Thornton Admission Office by the December 1st deadline. Any application not complete by December 1 may be removed from consideration. Using a permanent marker, please label the actual CD/DVD itself with the following information (the case that the CD/DVD comes in will be removed during processing):

• First and Last Name
• Date of Birth
• Program to which you are applying (i.e., BA Choral Music)
• Year you are applying for (i.e., Fall 2012)

The prescreen recording MUST be accompanied by a completed Thornton Prescreen Information Form. Both the recording and the form should be mailed directly to the Thornton Admission Office:

Mailing Address:
(for United States Postal Service only)

Choral and Sacred Music Admission Review
USC Thornton School of Music
Office of Admission
University Park Campus- LPB 200
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0851

Street Address:
(for private mail carriers only- e.g., Fed Ex, UPS, etc.)

Choral and Sacred Music Admission Review
USC Thornton School of Music
Office of Admission
3450 Watt Way- LPB 200
Los Angeles, CA 90089

The pre-screen recording should include the following:

• BA applicants: Two selections, in contrasting styles, from the standard solo vocal repertoire. Applicants are encouraged to prepare at least one of these selections in a foreign language. Should you have conducting experience, please provide video footage.
• MM and DMA applicants: A choral ensemble performance of a minimum of 10 minutes and a rehearsal of a minimum of 10 minutes conducted by the applicant, including choral works from several periods and styles, with at least one being a twentieth-century work. Although the stated application deadline is December 1, graduate choral applicants are encouraged to submit all materials by November 1 in order to allow greater time for pre-screen processing.

Please note the following additional requirements for MM and DMA applicants:

• MM applicants should have a minimum of two years experience as the regular conductor of a choral ensemble. DMA applicants should have a minimum of four years experience as the regular conductor of a choral ensemble (for both MM and DMA, this can be full or part-time; church, synagogue, professional or community chorus).
• All applicants must submit a brief resume with the USC online application specifically noting conducting experience and a repertoire list divided into categories of works sung, works studied or conducted in rehearsal, and works conducted in performance.
• All applicants are required to submit 3 Letters of Recommendation (see the USC online application for instructions on how to submit.
• A scholarly writing sample must be submitted with the USC online application (not more than 10 pages, an excerpt from a larger paper is acceptable).
• A Statement of Purpose (not more than one page, 12-point type, double-spaced): what are your personal and career goals as a musician? Why do you want this degree and what do you hope to do upon successful completion of this program? And why, in particular, do you want to study at USC?

BACM LIVE AUDITION: Based on the results of the pre-screen, the faculty will invite a select group of applicants to the USC campus in Los Angeles for a live audition. At the live audition, each applicant will perform two solo vocal selections, for which an accompanist will be provided. In addition, applicants will be asked to demonstrate basic sight singing and pitch retention ability and will also take a one hour test covering basic aural and written theory skills.

MM/DMA LIVE AUDITION: Based on the results of the pre-screen, the faculty will invite a select group of applicants to the USC campus in Los Angeles for a live audition. At the live audition, each candidate will rehearse a choral ensemble on a predetermined composition and will take examinations in choral literature, sight-singing, pitch retention, harmonic function, and keyboard skills. In addition, each applicant will perform two solo vocal selections, for which an accompanist will be provided.

IMPORTANT NOTE: In addition to having official copies of college/university transcripts mailed to the USC Admission Office, applicants also MUST upload copies of transcripts online with the application. Also all letters of recommendation should be submitted by recommenders through the online application process (details are in the application). Any letters of recommendation that cannot be submitted in this fashion should also be uploaded with the application.

Applications for spring admission are not accepted for this program.