Vocal Arts (Classical Voice/Opera)

Applicants to programs in Vocal Arts 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.

Undergraduate applicants must submit two selections of contrasting styles, from the standard classical solo vocal repertoire. It is recommended that one of the selections be in English and the other in a foreign language. For all live in-person or online auditions, all selections must be memorized and accompanied live, in real time by a pianist.

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 classical music profession is changing, and we’re changing with it. USC Thornton’s undergraduate classical music curriculum (called “The ReDesign”) maintains a rigorous foundation of the finest conservatory 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.

At the heart of the ReDesign is the Young Artist Project. This individualized, mentored project is pursued during the junior and senior years of the program, and requires students to develop and fully realize a unique project related to their work as a classical musician. 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 Young Artist Project idea today, what is the most daring 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 and performed. Etudes, scale studies, arias, art songs, chamber music, solo pieces, and original compositions are all examples of what could be included in 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 (October 1 for spring admission, 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:

• Parental Consent Form (if applicant is under 18 years of age by December 1, 2023)

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

Undergraduate applicants must prepare two selections of contrasting styles, from the standard classical solo vocal repertoire. It is recommended that one of the selections be in English and the other in a foreign language. The same selections may be used for both the prescreen recording and the live audition. For all live in-person or online auditions, all selections must be memorized and accompanied live, in real time by a pianist (see below for details).

Instructions for Spring Applicants

Piano accompaniment is required for all voice auditions (in-person or online). Applicants who live within a 100 mile radius of the USC campus are required to perform their live audition in-person. Voice applicants who are invited to perform a live audition on the USC campus are strongly encouraged to bring their own pianists for their audition. If a voice applicant performing their live audition on the USC campus is not able to bring their own pianist to the audition, contact the Vocal Arts Department Office (classical@usc.edu) to request a Thornton-provided pianist within one week of receipt of the audition confirmation.

Instructions for Fall Applicants

Piano accompaniment is required for all voice auditions (in-person or online). Applicants who live within a 100 mile radius of the USC campus are required to perform their live audition in-person. Voice applicants who are invited to perform a live audition on the USC campus are strongly encouraged to bring their own pianists for their audition. If a voice applicant performing their live audition on the USC campus is not able to bring their own pianist to the audition, they must request a Thornton-provided pianist by the deadline stated in their audition confirmation. Audition confirmations for fall voice applicants will be issued via email by the end of December. In this email confirmation, applicants will be given specific information about how to formally request a Thornton-provided pianist for the audition, including a specific deadline by which the request must be received. Applicants will also be required, as part of this request, to provide PDF documents of the repertoire they will be performing for their audition. These PDF documents will be forwarded by the USC Thornton Admission office to the Thornton-assigned pianist in order to facilitate the pianists’ preparations in advance of the audition.

****Applicants will be assigned a pianist by USC Thornton only if they make a request for a pianist according to the instructions given and by the deadline specified in the email audition confirmation. If this request is not received by the deadline a pianist will not be assigned by USC Thornton.****

On the day of the audition, applicants will have an assigned warm-up room for approximately 30 minutes before their scheduled audition appointment. Applicants who have been assigned a pianist by USC Thornton will be able to rehearse their repertoire with the Thornton-assigned pianist for about 15 minutes of that warm-up time.