Bachelor's of Music

The Popular Music Performance program is open to instrumentalists, vocalists and songwriters pursuing studies in contemporary pop/rock, folk-rock, R&B/Urban, Latin/Salsa and other popular styles with a concentration on small ensemble performance, live performance, studio and film scoring sessions.

Required items:

• USC Undergraduate Application- the following documents will also be submitted online with the USC application:
• Résumé
• Repertoire List
• Statement of Objectives
• Materials to be delivered to USC Admission (click here for the "USC Contact Us" page, then select "USC Office of Admission" to obtain the correct mailing address)
• Official transcripts
• SAT or ACT test scores
• TOEFL score report (required from all applicants for whom English is a second language, regardless of educational background or immigration status)
• Materials to be mailed directly to the Thornton Admission Office see address below)
• Prescreen Recording
• Typed Lyric Sheets (songwriters only)

USC Thornton Office of Admission
927 West 35th Street- PIC 212
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0021

IMPORTANT NOTE: Applicants for spring admission are not accepted for this program unless the applicant is already enrolled at USC. Current USC students for spring admission are not required to submit a recording for pre-screening. Spring applicants should contact the Thornton Admission office to arrange for an audition.

Audition Information

The audition information listed below applies primarily to the following performance areas: guitar (acoustic or electric), bass, drums, keyboards, vocals, songwriting, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, and doubles. Students playing other instruments or playing in musical styles not specifically indicated on this website may contact the Thornton Admission office to determine suitability for the program and audition requirements.

Pre-screen recording: Fall applicants to programs in Popular Music Performance must submit an audition recording (in DVD format) to be pre-screened by the faculty. The results of this pre-screen will determine whether or not 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 to be pre-screened by the faculty. Applicants who do not provide the required pre-screening materials by the stated deadline will not be considered for an invitation to audition in person. The recording must be labeled with the following information:

First and Last Name

Date of Birth

USC ID#

Program to which you are applying (i.e. BM Music Industry: Oboe)

Year you are applying for (i.e. Fall 2010)

Anticipated Class standing (Freshman, Transfer, or Grad)

The audition recording should contain three to five selections of contrasting styles from genres such as contemporary pop/rock, folk rock, R&B/Urban, or Latin/Salsa/Samba and repertoire from the “Great American Songbook” tradition. Selections may be original songs or chosen from existing popular music repertoire. Students may perform unaccompanied, with a band (as long as the applicant is prominently featured) or with recorded accompaniment.

• Songwriters must submit all original material on the audition recording. Typed lyric sheets should also be included for all original songs.
• Drummers should also include several bars of a rhythm pattern in each of the following styles: swing, latin, funk and rock.
• Saxophone, Trumpet, Trombone and Doubles: The audition recording should also include several scales covering the range of the instrument at quarter note = 120. Repertoire performed may include classical (concerto repertoire or technical etude) and jazz (performing the head of the tune and two choruses of improvisation).

Live Audition: Based on the results of the pre-screen, the faculty will choose to invite a select group of applicants to the USC campus in Los Angeles for a live audition. At the live auditions, applicants will not be expected to perform different repertoire than what was included on their pre-screen recording. An interview of the applicant by the faculty will also be a part of the live audition. The following equipment will be provided at the live auditions: piano, audio play-back equipment, amplifier, standard drum kit without cymbals. Neither accompanists nor back-up musicians will be provided for the live audition. Applicants requiring accompaniment for prepared selections are welcome to bring accompanying musicians with them to the audition or recorded accompaniment on CD. Drummers should carefully note that they must bring their own cymbals to the audition.