Popular Music

Applicants will be asked to select an emphasis—guitar, bass, keyboard/piano, drums, voice, singer/songwriter, or multi-instrumentalist when completing the SlideRoom portfolio.

The USC Thornton Popular Music program is designed to prepare the next generation of artists for dynamic, evolving careers in today’s music industry. While students enter with a primary area of strength, the program is intentionally structured around a collaborative, cohort-based model that fosters artistic versatility, interdisciplinary fluency, and peer-driven learning. Within this environment, students expand beyond their initial emphasis—developing complementary skills in additional instruments, songwriting, vocal performance, arranging, and music production. Graduates emerge not only as specialists, but as fully realized, multifaceted creative professionals. Regardless of their declared area of emphasis, all Popular Music students graduate with a broad and integrated skill set—equipping them to lead, adapt, and innovate across a wide spectrum of creative and professional contexts.

Applicants who demonstrate advanced proficiency across multiple instruments (guitar, bass, keyboard, and/or drums) may choose the multi-instrumentalist emphasis. This option is intended for musicians who perform at a high level on more than one instrument, with each instrument representing a significant area of strength. It is not intended for applicants who have one primary instrument and use other instruments primarily for accompaniment or songwriting. If you choose multi-instrumentalist as your emphasis, and you sing and/or write songs, you may showcase those skills within your submitted videos, but not to be considered for a voice or songwriting emphasis. Including this additional material for the multi-instrumentalist emphasis can help the faculty gain a more complete understanding of your artistic identity, creativity, and overall musicianship.

Applicants whose primary identity centers on songwriting or voice – but who use instruments such as piano or guitar primarily as compositional tools rather than performance-level instruments – should select the singer/songwriter or voice emphasis, and should not select the multi-instrumentalist emphasis.

Applicants to the Popular Music program must submit video recordings to be prescreened by the faculty. Only video recordings are acceptable. The results of this prescreen will determine whether an applicant will be invited to perform a live audition. Prescreen results will be sent to applicants via email in late December.

The prescreen video recording should best demonstrate the applicant’s performance, artistic and creative abilities. The applicant must be clearly visible and audible throughout the prescreen video. Videos do not need to be highly produced and should accurately represent the candidate’s abilities. Faculty should be able to clearly hear and assess pitch, tone, rhythm, feel, and musicality; therefore, applicants should avoid using studio effects such as AutoTune or heavy vocal processing.

The prescreen video recording performances may be self-accompanied, accompanied by one other musician, or by a band (as long as the applicant is prominently featured). Pre-recorded accompaniment is acceptable. A capella vocal performances are strongly discouraged.

See below for emphasis specific requirements:

Voice: The prescreen video recordings should contain performances of three to five selections. Selections may be original songs or chosen from existing popular music repertoire from contemporary pop/rock, folk rock, R&B/Urban, country, Latin/Salsa/Samba, or from the “Great American Songbook” tradition. Applicants should submit lyric sheets when submitting original music. Applicants must include at least one up-tempo selection (no less than 125 BPM using a metronome as reference) and sing one contemporary pop song written between 1965–1980 in their SlideRoom prescreen submission.

Applicants are also required to include a one-minute verbal introduction within their prescreen video. In this introduction, applicants should address the following:

• What are your goals and aspirations in pursuing a career in music?
• What do you hope to gain from – and contribute to – the Popular Music voice emphasis?

Singer/Songwriter: The prescreen video recordings should contain performances of three to five original selections. Applicants must submit only original material as part of their prescreen recording. Typed lyric sheets are required for all submitted compositions.

Applicants are also required to include a one-minute verbal introduction within their prescreen video. In this introduction, applicants should address the following:

• What are your goals and aspirations in pursuing a career in music?
• What do you hope to gain from – and contribute to – the Popular Music singer/songwriter emphasis?

Guitar: The prescreen video recordings should contain performances of three to five selections. Selections may be original songs or chosen from existing popular music repertoire from contemporary pop/rock, folk rock, R&B/Urban, country, Latin/Salsa/Samba, or from the “Great American Songbook” tradition.

Applicants are also required to include a one-minute verbal introduction within their prescreen video. In this introduction, applicants should address the following:

• What are your goals and aspirations in pursuing a career in music?
• What do you hope to gain from – and contribute to – the Popular Music guitar emphasis?

Bass: The prescreen video recordings should contain performances of three to five selections. Selections may be original songs or chosen from existing popular music repertoire from contemporary pop/rock, folk rock, R&B/Urban, country, Latin/Salsa/Samba, or from the “Great American Songbook” tradition.

Applicants are also required to include a one-minute verbal introduction within their prescreen video. In this introduction, applicants should address the following:

• What are your goals and aspirations in pursuing a career in music?
• What do you hope to gain from – and contribute to – the Popular Music bass emphasis?

Drums: The prescreen video recordings should contain performances of three to five selections. Selections may be original songs or chosen from existing popular music repertoire from contemporary pop/rock, folk rock, R&B/Urban, country, Latin/Salsa/Samba, or from the “Great American Songbook” tradition. Applicants should also demonstrate stylistic versatility by performing several bars of a rhythm pattern in each of the following genres: blues shuffle, swing, Latin, funk, and rock.

Applicants are also required to include a one-minute verbal introduction within their prescreen video. In this introduction, applicants should address the following:

• What are your goals and aspirations in pursuing a career in music?
• What do you hope to gain from – and contribute to – the Popular Music drum emphasis?

Keyboard/Piano: The prescreen video recordings should contain performances of three to five selections. Selections may be original songs or chosen from existing popular music repertoire from contemporary pop/rock, folk rock, R&B/Urban, country, Latin/Salsa/Samba, or from the “Great American Songbook” tradition.

Applicants are also required to include a one-minute verbal introduction within their prescreen video. In this introduction, applicants should address the following:

• What are your goals and aspirations in pursuing a career in music?
• What do you hope to gain from – and contribute to – the Popular Music keys emphasis?

Multi-instrumentalist: Applicants should submit up to 15 minutes of music that demonstrates their abilities and core competencies across multiple instruments (any combination of piano, bass, drums, and/or guitar). Prescreen submissions may include original works, cover songs, or a combination of both. The faculty reviewers are looking for a thoughtfully curated presentation that offers a comprehensive picture of the applicant’s overall musicianship and artistic range. Applicants are also required to include a one-minute verbal introduction within their prescreen video. In this introduction, applicants should address the following:

• What are your goals and aspirations in pursuing a career in music?
• What do you hope to gain from – and contribute to – the Popular Music multi-instrumentalist emphasis?

Important Note: Applicants who select the multi-instrumentalist emphasis are not required to include the instrument specific prescreen requirements noted above. Please be sure to carefully review the “Choosing an Emphasis” section regarding selecting multi-instrumentalist as your emphasis.

Optional Supporting Materials: Applicants are welcome to submit additional materials beyond the prescreen recording to further represent their artistic work. These may include audio recordings, press materials, additional video content, or links to personal websites. Applicants are encouraged to exercise discernment when including optional materials. A thoughtfully curated selection that reflects artistic identity and depth of work is more impactful than a large volume of submissions. All supplementary materials must be submitted through the SlideRoom media section; materials sent via mail or email will not be considered.

All applicants to undergraduate Thornton programs are required to submit a single-take, unedited, and preferably unscripted 1-2 minute video that offers a brief personal introduction and answers the following question: How do you envision using your USC Thornton education to become a force for positive change in the evolution of the music profession and music as an art form?

The music profession is changing, and we’re changing with it. USC Thornton’s undergraduate music curriculum maintains a rigorous foundation of the finest musical training, while also offering flexibility for students to chart their own artistic pathway. We aim to create musical leaders who can not only take advantage of traditional opportunities, but also discover new ones – and even create their own. All four years are aimed at the two things most important to musicians: taking their musicianship to the highest levels and preparing for a thriving professional life.

One of the components of this forward-thinking curriculum is the required Final Project, completed in the senior year, which allows students to develop and fully realize a unique project related to their work as musicians. This could involve developing a hybrid performance, conducting original research, exploring new technologies, or applying creative expression to a pressing social issue.

To help us get to know our applicants and their unique identity as young musicians, all applicants to undergraduate programs in the Thornton School are required to submit (via SlideRoom) a single-take, unedited, and preferably unscripted video of no more than two minutes. In this video applicants must answer the following question: If you were pitching your Final Project idea today, what is the project you would propose and why?”

The résumé should list musical, professional, and academic experience and is generally 1-2 pages in length.

This list should include works studied or performed which are part of the popular music canon. Well-known songs from contemporary music artists and songwriters, as well as original compositions which showcase aspects of the popular music genre, can be included on this list.

Current USC students are required to submit an unofficial USC transcript and “Registered Course List” available through myUSC.

To access your “Unofficial Transcript,” log into myUSC (my.usc.edu) and click “OASIS.” Under “Course Information,” select “Unofficial Transcript,” which is the history of your completed courses including units and grades. Important note: the STARS report will not be accepted in lieu of the “Unofficial Transcript.”

• Note: If you are currently enrolled in your first semester at USC and have not yet completed any courses, upload a PDF document with the following statement: “I am currently enrolled in my first semester at USC and have not yet completed any courses at USC.”

To access your “Registered Course List,” log into myUSC (my.usc.edu) and click “OASIS.” Click “Continue” to access your course information and then select “Registered Course List.”

• Note: you only need to upload your registered courses for the current fall semester.

Optional letters of recommendation for the Thornton School may be submitted through the SlideRoom References section. Important notes for optional letters of recommendation:

• Any optional letters of recommendation you want reviewed by the faculty must be submitted via the Thornton SlideRoom References form by the appropriate deadline (December 1 for fall admission). We cannot guarantee the review of any material received after the deadline.
• Any recommendations sent via mail or email will not be reviewed by the faculty.

Applicants to the Thornton School will be required to complete and upload the following form in SlideRoom:

• Waiver and Release of Liability Form

For helpful Slideroom media upload troubleshooting tips, please click here.

Live auditions are typically 15-20 minutes in length.

The following equipment will be provided for live, in-person auditions on the USC campus: microphones, piano, keyboard, audio playback capability (via phone or personal audio device), amplifiers for guitar and bass, and a 5-piece drum kit with crash, ride, and hi-hat cymbals.

As part of the audition, applicants will also participate in a brief (3–5 minute) assessment of musicality tailored to their area of emphasis. This may include demonstration of foundational skills such as music theory, aural awareness, and rhythmic understanding. The goal of this assessment is to help the faculty better understand each applicant’s level of musical literacy, so that, if admitted, students can be placed in the coursework that best supports their continued growth and success.

Accompanists will not be provided. Applicants may choose to accompany themselves, bring one accompanist to play for them, or use recorded accompaniment via a personal device. A cappella vocal auditions are strongly discouraged. The faculty reserve the right to modify the audition format at any time in order to holistically evaluate each candidate’s artistry and potential.

Voice:

Applicants should prepare three to five selections for the faculty to choose from. These selections may be the same as those submitted in the prescreen recording or entirely different. Applicants must include at least one up-tempo selection (no less than 125 BPM using a metronome as reference) and sing one contemporary pop song written between 1965–1980 in their live audition. The faculty panel may choose to hear selections in full or as excerpts.

Applicants (unless accompanying yourself) must provide their own accompaniment, either via a device (phone or audio player) or a live accompanist. A cappella auditions are strongly discouraged.

In addition to prepared repertoire, the live audition may include components designed to assess music literacy and musicianship, such as sight-reading, aural skills, basic theory or rhythm exercises, and other fundamental skills relevant to contemporary musicians.

Singer/Songwriter:

Applicants should prepare three to five original selections for the faculty to choose from. These selections may be the same as those submitted in the prescreen recording or entirely different. The faculty panel may choose to hear selections in full or as excerpts. In addition to the prepared selections, students may also be asked to perform a brief songwriting exercise such as setting a lyric to music.

Guitar:

Applicants should prepare three to five selections for the faculty to choose from. These selections may be the same as those submitted in the prescreen recording or entirely different. The faculty panel may choose to hear selections in full or as excerpts. In addition to prepared selections, the audition may include the following components, at the discretion of the faculty and as time permits:

• Sight reading (melodic, rhythmic or chordal material with harmonic rhythms)
• Improvisation
• Major and minor scales and modes across the fingerboard
• Major and minor triads across multiple string sets
• Seventh chord voicings and extended harmonies
• Inversions and demonstration of chord progressions in a variety of styles (e.g., twelve-bar blues, funk, etc.)

Applicants may also be asked to demonstrate musical interaction with a live rhythm section, allowing the faculty to assess ensemble awareness and collaborative musicianship.

For applicants performing a live audition in-person on the USC campus, amplifiers will be provided. Applicants should bring their own instrument cable and ensure their instrument is fully tuned before entering the audition room. They may bring personal pedals or effects, though any additional setup time will be counted within the allotted audition time.

Bass:

Applicants should prepare three to five selections for the faculty to choose from. These selections may be the same as those submitted in the prescreen recording or entirely different. The faculty panel may choose to hear selections in full or as excerpts.

In addition to prepared selections, the audition may include components such as sight reading, two-octave scales in various keys, modes, and rhythmic patterns, improvisation, and demonstration of stylistic fluency across grooves (e.g., blues, shuffle, funk, etc.).

Drums:

Applicants should prepare three to five selections for the faculty to choose from. These selections may be the same as those submitted in the prescreen recording or entirely different. The faculty panel may choose to hear selections in full or as excerpts. In addition to prepared selections, the audition may include rudiments, sight reading, and demonstration of grooves across a range of styles (e.g., rock, blues shuffle, funk, disco, pop ballad, etc.).

For applicants auditioning live on the USC campus, a bassist and guitarist from the program may be present to support the audition and provide a collaborative performance setting. A 5-piece drum kit (including crash, ride, and hi-hat cymbals) will be provided. Applicants should bring their own drumsticks. They are welcome to bring additional equipment (e.g., pedal, snare), though any setup time will be counted within the allotted audition time.

Keyboard/Piano:

Applicants should prepare three to five selections for the faculty to choose from. These selections may be the same as those submitted in the prescreen recording or entirely different. The faculty panel may choose to hear selections in full or as excerpts.

In addition to the prepared selections, the audition may also include: sight reading, improvisation, two octave scales in various modes/keys/rhythms, and demonstration of various accompaniment styles (blues, funk, etc.).

Multi-instrumentalist:

The live audition requirements are the same as the prescreen repertoire requirements. The faculty panel may wish to hear selections in their entirety or excerpts. Note: Applicants who select the multi-instrumentalist emphasis are not required to include the instrument specific requirements noted above.