Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Arts

Note: This information applies only to classical voice applicants. For jazz voice, please refer to the Jazz Studies requirements. For the BA with a Choral Music emphasis, please refer to the Choral Music requirements.

All of the materials listed below must be received by the December 1st deadline. Any application not complete by December 1 may be removed from consideration.

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
• Prescreen Recording – to be mailed directly to the Thornton Admission Office (see address below)

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

  **Please do not send any additional materials to the USC Thornton Office of Admission. If you choose to submit a photo, after you pass the prescreen round you may bring it to your live audition.

Audition Information

Fall applicants to programs in vocal arts must submit either a CD or DVD recording to be pre-screened by the faculty. The results of the pre-screen will determine whether or not an applicant will be invited to perform a live audition on the USC campus in Los Angeles. Freshman applicants (usually graduating high school seniors) who are invited to audition on campus will also be scheduled to take a one hour test covering basic aural and written theory skills. Freshman applicants should plan to be on campus for most of the day to accommodate both the performance audition and the theory test.

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)

IMPORTANT NOTE: Undergraduate applications are not accepted for Spring admission to 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 must contact the Vocal Arts department directly at (213) 740-7704 to arrange for an audition.

For both the pre-screen recording and the live audition, two selections of contrasting styles are required. These selections should be pieces from the standard solo voice literature. Applicants are encouraged to prepare at least one of these selections in a foreign language and all selections must be memorized. The same selections may be performed on the recording as for the live audition.

*Accompanists will be provided for vocal arts applicants at the live auditions in Los Angeles. Thirty minutes before your audition time you will go to an assigned room to warm-up. Then after about ten minutes of warming up, your assigned accompanist will join you to rehearse for around fifteen minutes. Then about five minutes before your audition, you will make your way from your warm-up room to the audition room.

Please visit our Audition page for more specific information regarding audition dates.

Graduate Certificate, Master of Music

Note: This information applies only to classical voice applicants. For jazz voice, please refer to the jazz studies requirements.

All of the materials listed below must be received by the December 1st deadline. Any application not complete by December 1 may be removed from consideration.

Required items:

• USC Graduate Application- the following documents will also be submitted online with the USC application:
• Résumé
• Repertoire List
• Statement of Objectives
• 1-3 Letters of Recommendation (see the USC online application for instructions on how to submit)
• Materials to be delivered to USC Admission (click here for the correct mailing address)
• Official transcripts
• TOEFL score report - required from all MM applicants for whom English is a second language, regardless of educational background or immigration status
• Prescreen Recording – to be mailed directly to the Thornton Admission Office (see address below)

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

  **Please do not send any additional materials to the USC Thornton Office of Admission. If you choose to submit a photo, after you pass the prescreen round you may bring it to your live audition.

Audition Information

Fall applicants to programs in vocal arts must submit either a CD or DVD recording to be pre-screened by the faculty. The results of the pre-screen will determine whether or not an applicant will be invited to perform a live audition on the USC campus in Los Angeles. Any applicant currently majoring in Vocal Arts at the USC Thornton school is exempt from the prescreen requirement. These applicants must contact our Associate Director of Admission, Kit Bellamy, directly to make live audition arrangements. Kit Bellamy's contact info is keb@usc.edu or (213) 821-1245.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Applicants for spring admission are not required to submit a recording for pre-screening. Spring applicants must contact the Vocal Arts department directly at (213) 740-7704 to arrange for an audition.

For both the pre-screen recording and the live audition, five or more selections of contrasting styles are required. These selections should be memorized and demonstrate diction facility in two or more foreign languages. At least one operatic aria must be included. The same selections may be performed on the recording as for the live audition.

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)

*Accompanists will be provided for vocal arts applicants at the live auditions in Los Angeles. Thirty minutes before your audition time you will go to an assigned room to warm-up. Then after about ten minutes of warming up, your assigned accompanist will join you to rehearse for around fifteen minutes. Then about five minutes before your audition, you will make your way from your warm-up room to the audition room.

Please visit our Audition page for more specific information regarding audition dates.

Doctor of Musical Arts

All of the materials listed below must be received by the December 1st deadline. Any application not complete by December 1 may be removed from consideration.

Note: This information applies only to classical voice applicants. For jazz voice, please refer to the jazz studies requirements.

Required items:

• USC Graduate Application- the following documents will also be submitted online with the USC application:
• Résumé
• Repertoire List
• Statement of Objectives

**Please do not send any additional materials to the USC Thornton Office of Admission. If you choose to submit a photo, after you pass the prescreen round you may bring it to your live audition.

• 3 Letters of Recommendation (see the USC online application for instructions on how to submit)
• Materials to be delivered to USC Admission (click here for the correct mailing address)
  • Official transcripts
  • GRE score report (general test only)
  • TOEFL score report - required from all applicants for whom English is a second language, regardless of educational background or immigration status
• Audition Recording – to be mailed directly to the Thornton Admission Office (see address below)

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

Audition Information

Fall applicants to programs in vocal arts must submit either a CD or DVD recording to be pre-screened by the faculty. The results of the pre-screen will determine whether or not an applicant will be invited to perform a live audition on the USC campus in Los Angeles. Any applicant currently majoring in Vocal Arts at the USC Thornton school is exempt from the prescreen requirement. These applicants must contact our Associate Director of Admission, Kit Bellamy, directly to make live audition arrangements. Kit Bellamy's contact info is keb@usc.edu or (213) 821-1245.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Applicants for spring admission are not required to submit a recording for pre-screening. Spring applicants must contact the Vocal Arts department directly at (213) 740-7704 to arrange for an audition.

For both the pre-screen recording and the live audition, five or more selections of contrasting styles are required. These selections should be memorized and demonstrate diction facility in two or more foreign languages. At least one operatic aria must be included. The same selections may be performed on the recording as for the live audition.

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)

*Accompanists will be provided for vocal arts applicants at the live auditions in Los Angeles. Thirty minutes before your audition time you will go to an assigned room to warm-up. Then after about ten minutes of warming up, your assigned accompanist will join you to rehearse for around fifteen minutes. Then about five minutes before your audition, you will make your way from your warm-up room to the audition room.

Please visit our Audition page for more specific information regarding audition dates.