Vocal Arts (Classical Voice/Opera)

The application fee for the USC Graduate application is $90. Application fee waivers are available to qualified applicants, and must be requested before submitting the USC Graduate Application. If you plan to apply for a waiver of the USC Graduate Application fee, please do so at least two weeks before the application deadline. The deadline will not be extended for applicants who fail to request a fee waiver in time. Details and instructions can be found here.

All Thornton graduate applicants must upload transcripts into both the USC Graduate Application (Liaison) AND Thornton SlideRoom Application. The transcript submission deadline is October 1st. Please carefully read the instructions below.

Step 1– You must obtain official transcripts from the registrar’s office of each of your prior institutions before you can complete and submit the application forms. This may take some time, please plan accordingly.

Step 2– Upload Scans (PDF format) of official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions you have attended into the “Academic History” section of the USC Graduate application (Liaison).

Step 3– Upload Scans (PDF format) of official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions you have attended into the SlideRoom application where indicated.

Unofficial transcripts or documents printed from an on-line student system will not be accepted. Failure to upload scans of official transcripts in both application forms may significantly delay the release of a final admission decision.

When completing the USC Graduate application, it is important to pay special attention to the following items that you will find in the “program materials” section of the application:

• Thornton SlideRoom portal – A link to access the Thornton SlideRoom portal will be provided in this section.
• The Documents tab – Documents submitted in this section will not be accessible to the Thornton faculty. Thornton faculty will only be able to review documents submitted via the Thornton SlideRoom portal. In order to complete this section, you must check the box indicating that you do not wish to upload documents in this section.
• The Questions tab – Enter your SlideRoom Confirmation number where indicated (you will receive your SlideRoom confirmation number upon submission of the SlideRoom form).

Click here for important additional requirements and instructions.

A link to the SlideRoom portal is located inside the USC Application for Graduate Admission, in the “Program Materials” Section.

The SlideRoom application fee is $25 (fee waivers are not available). Thornton supplemental materials will not be accepted via mail or email.

The SlideRoom form must be submitted before the USC Application for Graduate Admission (Applicants can start both forms and work on them at the same time). Once SlideRoom is submitted, you will need to enter your SlideRoom confirmation number into the “Questions” tab, also located in the “program materials” section of the USC Graduate application.

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. Applicants will be notified of prescreen results and live audition details via email from the corresponding Thornton department.

Master’s applicants must submit five or more selections of contrasting styles. The five selections may consist of a combination of art song, operatic arias and/or oratorio arias; one of the five selections must be an aria or art song in English and the others must represent at least two other foreign languages. For all live in-person or online auditions, all selections must be memorized and accompanied live, in real time by a pianist.

Graduate Certificate applicants must submit at least five selections of contrasting styles. The five selections may consist of a combination of art song, operatic and/or oratorio arias; one of the five selections must be an aria or art song in English. At least three of the five selections should be operatic arias and represent three different languages. For all live in-person or online auditions, all selections must be memorized and accompanied live, in real time by a pianist.

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.

Graduate applicants are encouraged to prepare a brief statement of their professional goals, as well as their purpose in applying for the Vocal Arts program. The Statement of Purpose is typically 1-2 pages in length.

All Thornton graduate applicants must upload transcripts into both the USC Graduate Application (Liaison) AND Thornton SlideRoom Application. The transcript submission deadline is October 1st. Please carefully read the instructions below.

Step 1– You must obtain official transcripts from the registrar’s office of each of your prior institutions before you can complete and submit the application forms. This may take some time, please plan accordingly.

Step 2– Upload Scans (PDF format) of official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions you have attended into the SlideRoom application where indicated.

Step 3– Upload Scans (PDF format) of official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions you have attended into the “Academic History” section of the USC Graduate application (Liaison).

Unofficial transcripts or documents printed from an on-line student system will not be accepted. Failure to upload scans of official transcripts in both application forms may significantly delay the release of a final admission decision.

1-3 recommendation letters are required from graduate Vocal Arts applicants for the spring semester. Recommendation letters are to be submitted online through the Thornton SlideRoom portal via the “References” section by October 1. We cannot guarantee the review of any material received after October 1.

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.

Master’s applicants must submit five or more selections of contrasting styles. The five selections may consist of a combination of art song, operatic arias and/or oratorio arias; one of the five selections must be an aria or art song in English and the others must represent at least two other foreign languages. 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).

Graduate Certificate applicants must submit at least five selections of contrasting styles. The five selections may consist of a combination of art song, operatic and/or oratorio arias; one of the five selections must be an aria or art song in English. At least three of the five selections should be operatic arias and represent three different languages. 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).

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 to request a Thornton-provided pianist within one week of receipt of the audition confirmation.