EVENTS
Beyond Category
A dean’s initiative to honor trailblazing artists and cultural figures.
Overview
Dean King’s curatorial vision brings innovative artists to USC Thornton, celebrating creative icons across history and genres who live ‘beyond category.’
Jason King is the Dean of the USC Thornton School of Music in Los Angeles. He has been described as one of the most innovative figures at the intersection of music, education, media and cultural curation. A polymath with wide-ranging expertise over the past 25 years—as a scholar, journalist, producer, author, performer, filmmaker and curator—King has been called a groundbreaking force in contemporary music education and creative leadership.
Upcoming Events
Watch this space for upcoming Beyond Category events throughout the year.
Beyond Category Tributes
USC Thornton students, faculty, alumni and special guests pay tribute to creative disruptors and their genre-defying musical visions.
Nina Simone
Widely celebrated as a global icon of jazz, blues, and civil rights activism, this two-night program examined Nina Simone’s singular artistic voice. Fusing classical precision with the emotional power of gospel, jazz and blues, among other styles, Simone defied genre boundaries and created a body of work that remains timeless.
Co-curated & hosted by curator and pianist Lara Downes and Dean King, presented by USC Visions & Voices: the Arts & Humanities Initiative.
As part of the USC Thornton School of Music’s Beyond Category series, Dean Jason King welcomed Solange to the stage alongside her Saint Heron collaborators, Shantel Aurora and Sabla Stays. Together, they explored Solange’s groundbreaking curatorial approach & music as a living archive of memory, identity and community.
Solange holds the distinction of being USC Thornton’s first Scholar-in-Residence, joining the Dean’s Creative Vanguard Program.
H.E.R. is a five-time Grammy Award-winning, Academy Award-winning, and Emmy Award-winning singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, actress, director, and creative force. Their genre-defying work reshapes contemporary music and elevates her as one of the most compelling and fearless voices of her generation.
Dean King joined H.E.R. for a conversation about her musical vision, journey and multidisciplinary pursuit of excellence.
The series’ inaugural season explored and elevated Quincy Jones’s life and legacy. Working across styles and idioms including classical, jazz, pop, R&B, and film scoring, Jones garnered the highest levels of critical & commercial acclaim — all while breaking ground for African American achievement in the industry.
The year-long celebration was organized by the School of Music and presented by USC Visions & Voices: the Arts & Humanities Initiative.
From the Archives
Enjoy archival video footage of Quincy Jones 2024 events, presented by USC Visions & Voices: the Arts & Humanities Initiative, featuring his seminal projects and close collaborators throughout the years. Topics range from Duke Ellington to Patti Austin to Handel’s Messiah, including a special panel event, “In Tune with Quincy Jones.”
Stay Connected
This Week @ Thornton
“This Week @ Thornton” is the School of Music’s newsletter is a recap of our latest events, news and updates. From community spotlights to our “Pick of the Week,” stay connected to what is happening at USC Thornton and the music scene in Los Angeles.
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