Spotlights

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• 6/30

  Opera Outside the Box

  USC Thornton Composition doctoral student Ben Beckman is changing what opera can look like for a modern audience.

• 6/29

  Remembering Clive Davis

  A conversation between the legendary music executive and Dean Jason King.

• 6/8

  2026 Thornton Ambassadors

  Meet the graduating 2026 USC Thornton Ambassadors, who look forward to their professional careers ahead.

• 5/12

  2026 USC Thornton Outstanding Graduates

  This year, we celebrate five outstanding graduates whose achievements stretch far beyond the scope of typical music degrees.

• 4/27

  Announcing the 2026 Thornton Commencement Speakers and Award Honorees

  The USC Thornton School of Music Names Alumna Nina Shekhar and Music Industry Leader Sylvia Rhone as 2026 Commencement Speakers.

• 3/24

  Bridging Center Stage and the Clinic

  Launching the West Coast’s first Performing Arts Physical Therapy Fellowship at USC Division of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy.

• 3/19

  Where History Laps on Artistry’s Shore

  The Polish Music Center celebrates composer and Holocaust survivor Szymon Laks at last fall’s Paderewski Lecture-Recital.

• 3/17

  Pop music seniors close Thornton journey at showcase

  The 2026 Pop music seniors closed their Thornton journey with a showcase of original songs at the El Rey on March 1.

• 3/12

  The Sound of What’s Next

  “New Music for Orchestra” unveils orchestral premieres of student compositions.

• 2/23

  USC named a top producer of Fulbright Students for 13th year

  Classical Guitar Performance DMA student Joseph Douglass has been named one of nineteen USC students who received a 2025-2026 Fulbright Scholarship.

• 2/3

  Strummed Heartstrings

  Popular Music Performance Major Sofia Gomez’s single “Without Me” exemplifies her vulnerability, creative growth and determination, nurtured by her peers at the heart of the USC Thornton’s Popular Music Program.

• 2/2

  USC Thornton alumni shine at 68th Grammy Awards

  Thornton alumni take home top honors on music’s biggest night.

• 1/28

  From the Classroom to the Cutting-Edge

  USC Thornton Music Industry & Music Production alum Juan Razuri catapults to the Grammy Awards post-graduation with his award-winning immersive mix engineering.

• 12/18

  Celebrating the Fall Semester

  The pioneering, boundary-defying spirit of USC Thornton is celebrated at the closing of another exhilarating semester.

• 12/10

  Chamber Music Thrives in France with International Student Collaboration

  USC Thornton and the Paris Conservatoire come together to transform a rural area of France each summer.

• 11/12

  Beyond the Notes

  Gerald Clayton, USC Thornton Artist-in-Residence in Jazz Studies, delivers a masterclass on the ethics of paying tribute.

• 11/7

  2026 Grammy Nominations

  From USC Thornton alumni and faculty members to Creative Vanguard Artists, our creative community is well represented amongst the 2026 Grammy Award nominees.

• 10/2

  Ambassador Blog: Mariachi Los Troyanos de USC

  Thornton Student Ambassador Ashley Melendres spotlights USC’s only student-led collegiate mariachi band, Mariachi Los Troyanos de USC.

• 8/15

  2025-2026 Signature Series Announced

  The USC Thornton School of Music is excited to announce its Signature Series line-up for the 2025-2026 academic year.

• 8/7

  Office Hours with Jeanine Cowen

  In this ongoing series called “Office Hours,” get to know some of the exceptional scholars and artists who make up USC Thornton’s faculty as they answer questions about themselves.

• 7/29

  Bridging Communities

  The Thornton Community Engagement Program (TCEP) bridges USC and local communities through music and cultural connection.

• 7/22

  2025 Emmy Nominations

  USC Thornton alumni were well-represented as nominees in the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards.

• 6/30

  Voices of Thornton at the LA Phil

  USC Thornton Chamber Singers shine at LA Phil’s Noon to Midnight festival of new music.

• 5/27

  Sustainability Rock Star: Skylar Funk

  Skylar Funk (MA ’25) — a professional rock musician and climate activist — has helped make USC a greener place as graduate co-chair of the Student Sustainability Committee.

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