Woodwinds and Brass

Bachelor of Music (BM)

Application Deadline for Current USC Students

Spring Admission: October 1 | Fall Admission: December 1

Not a Current USC Student?
Click here for your requirements

Graduate Student?
Click here for your requirements

Undergraduate Application Requirements for Current USC Students

This section is for current USC students applying to a Bachelor of Music (BM) Woodwind or Brass program, including current Thornton students wishing to add or switch their major. All required materials for spring admission must be submitted by October 1. All required materials for fall admission must be submitted by December 1.

The total application fee is $25 for the Thornton Portfolio in SlideRoom. Recordings/materials must be submitted online through the SlideRoom Portfolio by the appropriate deadline and will not be accepted via mail or email for any program. We cannot guarantee the review of any material received after the deadline. Any application not complete by the appropriate deadline may be removed from consideration.

Applicants experiencing hardship or extenuating circumstances due to natural disaster or public health concerns in their local area that may affect their ability to satisfy application requirements may contact the Thornton Office of Admission at uscmusic@usc.edu to explore possible accommodations. Though we cannot guarantee that accommodations/exceptions will be possible, applicants are encouraged to contact the Admission Office as soon as possible to allow the maximum amount of time to consider the options.

Applying For

Fall and Spring Admission

Auditions Required?

Yes, 2 rounds

Questions?

Email: uscmusic@usc.edu | Phone: (213)740-8986

Complete the SlideRoom Portfolio

Applicants must complete the USC Thornton Portfolio for Current USC Students via SlideRoom. Applicants are only permitted to select one program through the SlideRoom application. Applicants who would like to be considered for admission to a second Thornton program must contact Brittany Jimenez at seits@usc.edu prior to the application deadline to receive instructions on how to submit a second SlideRoom application.

To access the Current USC Student SlideRoom portal to submit your application click here.

Important Note: Once in SlideRoom, make sure to select the form titled “FOR CURRENT USC STUDENTS ONLY” and the appropriate term (spring or fall). All other forms will require you to have a Common Application and current USC students do not need to complete the Common Application.

Applicants will be asked to provide the following materials in the SlideRoom portfolio:

SlideRoom Requirements

Prescreen Recorded Audition

Applicants to all Woodwinds and Brass programs must submit audition recordings to be prescreened by the faculty. 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.

Flute

Piano accompaniment is optional for flute Prescreen audition recordings. Flute prescreen recordings must be video recordings. Audio only recordings will not be accepted.

Mozart – Exposition of 1st and 2nd movements of Concerto in G Major or D Major – piano not necessary.
One movement from a contrasting sonata/concerto or complete equivalent concert piece.
Two excerpts from the following list:
- Mendelssohn Scherzo from A Midsummer Night’s Dream – 2 measures before P to the end.
- Beethoven Leonore Overture No. 3 – measures 328–360.
- Brahms Symphony No. 4 – Last movement – measures 93–105.
- Debussy Afternoon of a Faun – measures 1–4

Clarinet

Piano accompaniment is not required. Prescreen audition recordings for Clarinet must be video recordings. Audio only recordings will not be accepted.

Three selections representing various stylistic periods of music. These selections should be full-length pieces from the standard solo literature, although excerpts from ensemble literature may also be included. If any of the selections are taken from a multi-movement sonata or concerto, applicants need only prepare one movement of the piece.

French Horn

Piano accompaniment is not required. Prescreen audition recordings for French Horn must be video recordings. Audio only recordings will not be accepted.

Please choose one from each group to be played without repeats (for a total of two selections):

Group A

Kopprasch Book 1, No. 3
Kopprasch Book 1, No. 17
Kopprasch Book 1, No. 29

Group B

Kopprasch Book 1, No. 15
Kopprasch Book 1, No. 22

Trombone

Piano accompaniment is not required. Audio or video recordings are acceptable for Trombone prescreen audition recordings.

Tenor Trombone:

A movement from one solo piece of your choice.
Orchestral excerpts from:
- Trombone solo from the Mozart Requiem
- Wagner- Ride of the Walküre
- Rossini- La Gazza Ladra
- Ravel- Bolero

Bass Trombone:

Lebedev – Concerto in one Movement
Orchestral excerpts from:
- Kodály – Háry János Suite
- Wagner – Ride of the Walküre
- Rossini – La Gazza Ladra

Tuba

Audio or video recordings are acceptable for Tuba prescreen audition recordings.

Two contrasting movements or etudes from standard tuba literature. One should be with piano or other accompaniment. A live recital or jury performance is preferred.
Two standard orchestral excerpts

Important notes for tuba:

If undergraduate applicants play both CC (or BBb) and F (or Eb) tubas, the tuba faculty would like to hear both.
Piano accompaniment is not required unless otherwise noted.

Bassoon

Piano accompaniment is not required. Audio or video recordings are acceptable for Bassoon prescreen audition recordings.

Three selections representing various stylistic periods of music. These selections should be full-length pieces chosen from the standard solo literature or standard etude books such as Weissenborn, Jancourt, Milde, or comparable excerpts from standard ensemble literature may also be included. If any of the selections are taken from a multi-movement sonata or concerto, applicants need only prepare one movement of the piece.

Trumpet

Piano accompaniment is not required. Audio or video recordings are acceptable for Trumpet prescreen audition recordings.

One movement from two contrasting solo pieces
One etude from Brandt’s 34 Studies, OR a Characteristic Study from Arban’s Complete Conservatory Method for Trumpet
Two contrasting orchestra excerpts as appropriate to training and experience

Oboe

Piano accompaniment is not required. Audio or video recordings are acceptable for Oboe and Saxophone prescreen audition recordings.

Two selections, in contrasting styles, from the standard solo repertoire

Saxophone

Piano accompaniment is not required, but highly welcomed.

Repertoire

Entire 1st movement (“With Vigor”) of Paul Creston’s Sonata for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Alexander Glazunov’s Concerto for Alto Saxophone and String Orchestra; Prepare Rehearsal #1 through the end of Rehearsal #15 (if you are not playing with piano accompaniment, skip extended rests.)
It is also acceptable if you prepare two portions of repertoire of similar difficulty, contrast, and length as the Sonata and Concerto. If you have any questions, please email the instructor, Dr. Maxfield at maxfielj@usc.edu.

Scales

(Optional – scale recordings are not required for prescreen, but are welcome if desired)

Full-Range Chromatic Scale starting on Low Bb to High F# back down to Low Bb. Please play at a consistent tempo that allows this to be executed on one breath.
All 12 Major Scales, at a comfortable tempo. Full-Range are preferred but not required.

Introductory Video for All Undergraduate Applicants

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?

Young Artist Project Video

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?”

Résumé

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

Repertoire List

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.

Academic Information

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.

Letters of Recommendation (Optional)

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.

Consent Form

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)

Slideroom Media Troubleshooting Tips

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

Perform Audition if Invited

The results of the prescreen recorded audition will determine whether an applicant will be invited to perform a live audition. Notice of the results of the prescreen audition will be sent to applicants via email 3-4 weeks after the application deadline, which will include the date and time of the audition, if invited.

Live Audition Requirements