Bachelor of Music

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Required items:

• USC Undergraduate Application
• Thornton Supplementary Application
• Audition (see below)
• Statement of Objectives
• Resume
• Repertoire List

Audition Information - Percussion

A live audition at USC on the scheduled date is preferred. If this is not possible, a convenient time can be arranged with Professor Erik Forrester as necessary. Video tapes of the highest possible quality will be accepted if travel to Los Angeles is not possible. An audio tape can be included if desired. Audio tapes alone will not be accepted without the prior approval of Professor Forrester. Any questions regarding percussion audition repertoire may be directed to Professor Forrester via email: lisrik@earthlink.net. Please visit our Audition page for more specific information regarding audition dates and locations.

Please note: while specific examples of acceptable repertoire are given below, these examples are not required repertoire. Applicants are welcome to prepare selections of similar technical difficulty and musical substance.

Marimba: A substantial work for marimba using either two or four mallets.

• Examples: Bach: A Minor Violin Concerto; Peters: Yellow After the Rain
• A contrasting second work for keyboard percussion may be included
• Knowledge of major and minor scales and arpeggios is required.

Snare Drum: One or two solos or etudes for snare drum in concert style. These solos should include rolls of various lengths, embellishments and a variety of dynamics. Emphasis should be given to careful musical phrasing and interpretation.

• Examples: Peter Intermediate or Advanced Snare Drum Studies, Keith Alea Etudes, Cirone Portraits in Rhythm, Whaley Audition Etudes.
• A rudimental style solo and orchestral excerpts may be included if desired. A long roll beginning with a diminuendo to pianissimo and crescendo to fortissimo will likely be requested at the audition.

Timpani: A timpani etude or solo for two to four drums that demonstrates tone production and a musical sense of the drums. This selection need not include tune changes.

• Examples: Etudes by Mitchell Peters, Raynor Carroll, Richard Hochrainer, Gar Whaley, Alexander Lepk
• Applicants will also be asked to vocally match pitches from the piano and the timpani, sing intervals up and down and tune them on the drums.

Sight Reading: Applicants will be asked to sight-read on each instrument, and a portion of the reading will be conducted by Professor Forrester. The reading on snare drum will include mixed meters and basic polyrhythms.

Graduate Certificate, Master of Music

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Required items:

• USC Graduate Application
• Thornton Supplementary Application
• Audition (see below)
• Statement of Objectives
• Resume
• 1-3 Letters of Recommendation
• Repertoire List
• TOEFL score report - required from all MM applicants for whom English is a second language, regardless of educational background or immigration status

Because of the variety of percussion programs and musical backgrounds, USC Thornton percussion Professor Erik Forrester encourages graduate applicants to contact him directly to discuss audition repertoire as early in the application process as possible. He may be contacted at lisrik@earthlink.net. Please visit our Audition page for more specific information regarding audition dates and locations.

Audition Information

Keyboard Percussion

• Two substantial works for marimba or vibes, only one of which may be a transcription or arrangement. A contrast of technical and compositional styles is desired.
• Four orchestral excerpts divided between bells and xylophone. Excerpts should show various techniques and styles.

Snare Drum

• Three contrasting etudes or solos showing advanced technique and sophisticated interpretation.
• Four orchestral excerpts.

Timpani

• A solo or etude for four drums which includes tuning changes and emphasizes timpanistic use of the timpani.
• Orchestral excerpts, including: Beethoven, Symphony No. 9, 4th movement; Mozart, Symphony No. 39; Hindemith, Symphonic Metamorphosis; Brahms, Symphony No. 1, 4th movement

Multiple Percussion

• Required: One substantial solo or ensemble work utilizing challenging multiple set-up.
• Preferred: One solo work and one work from the chamber music repertoire such as Stravinsky Histoire; Bartok Sonata; Milhaud Le Creation.

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 (see below)
• Statement of Objectives
• Resume
• 1-3 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

Because of the variety of percussion programs and musical backgrounds, USC Thornton Percussion Professor Erik Forrester encourages graduate applicants to contact him directly to discuss audition repertoire as early in the application process as possible. He may be contacted at lisrik@earthlink.net.

An audition program should include the following:

Keyboard Percussion

• Two substantial works for marimba or vibes, only one of which may be a transcription or arrangement. A contrast of technical and compositional styles is desired.
• Four orchestral excerpts divided between bells and xylophone. Excerpts should show various techniques and styles.

Snare Drum

• Three contrasting etudes or solos showing advanced technique and sophisticated interpretation.
• Four orchestral excerpts.

Timpani

• A solo or etude for four drums which includes tuning changes and emphasizes timpanistic use of the timpani.
• Orchestral excerpts, including: Beethoven, Symphony No. 9, 4th movement; Mozart, Symphony No. 39; Hindemith, Symphonic Metamorphosis; Brahms, Symphony No. 1, 4th movement

Multiple Percussion

• Required: One substantial solo or ensemble work utilizing challenging multiple set-up.
• Preferred: One solo work and one work from the chamber music repertoire such as Stravinsky Histoire; Bartok Sonata; Milhaud Le Creation.

The percussion faculty generally prefers that applicants to the doctoral program have been out of school for at least one year, either following completion of a BM degree or following completion of an MM degree.