Presented annually at the Thornton School of Music Honors Convocation, the Outstanding Alumnus Award is conferred upon a Thornton graduate whose artistic or scholarly accomplishments both reflect the ideals of the school and have furthered the art of music.

2012      Nick Stoubis ’97, MM ’00
2011      Vince Mendoza MM ’85
2010      David Newman ’76, MM ’82
2009      Doug Lowry MM ‘76, MM ‘78
2008      Fred Vogler BS ‘88
2007      Bruce Sledge MM ‘99
2006      Gene Pokorny BA ‘75
2005      William Dawson Hall MA '59, DMA ‘69
2004      H. Royce Saltzman DMA ‘64
2003      Andrew York MM ‘86
2002      Grant Gershon BM ‘85
2001      Thomas Mathiesen MA ‘71
2000      Earle Patriarco MM ‘92
1999      Morten Lauridsen BA ‘66, MA '68, DMA '74
1998      Rodney Gilfry MM ‘83
1997      Los Angeles Guitar Quartet
1996      Tommy Stevens BM ‘68
1995      Robert Rodriguez DMA ‘74
1994      Cynthia Phelps ‘78
1993      Jonathan Mack BA ‘71, MA ‘74
1992      Lee Ritenour BM ‘72
1991      Mary Ann Bonino MA ‘63, PhD ‘71
1990      Thomas Hampson '80
1989      Dale Warland PhD ‘65
1988      Bruce Broughton BM ‘67
1987      Christopher Parkening BM ‘69
1986      Ralph Grierson BA ‘66, MA ‘68
1985      Bruce Ferden MM ‘73
1984      Carol Neblett BM ‘60
1983      Eloise Haldeman BM ‘60, MM ‘68
1982      Paul Cooper DMA ‘56
1981      Henry Holt ‘60
1980      Martin Katz BM ‘66
1979      Nathaniel Rosen BM ‘71
1978      Marilyn Horne BM ‘53
1977      Donald Dustin BM ‘60
1976      Leonard Stein DMA '65
1975      John Deichman BA ‘49, MA ‘56
1974      Malcolm Hamilton DMA ‘66
1973      Wallace Berry BA ‘49, PhD ‘56
1972      Akira Endo BA ‘62, MM ‘64
1971      Marilyn Neeley Gerle BM ‘67
1970      Michael Tilson Thomas BM ‘67, MM ‘76
1969      Brandon Mehrle DMA ‘60
1968      Sr. Mary Mark Zeyen MA ‘49
1967      Ralph Linsley MA ‘54
1966      William Hartshorn
1965      Charles Hirt MA ‘46
1964      Ralph E. Rush MM ‘46
1963      Robert M. Trotter PhD ‘57
1962      Henry Lewis ‘53
1961      Pauline Alderman MA ‘46