Posts Tagged ‘Research and Scholarly Studies’


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Nate Sloan talks pop evolution with The Wall Street Journal

December 16, 2019

Musicology faculty member Nate Sloan and podcast co-host Charlie Harding recently sat down with The Wall Street Journal to talk about the pop history and analysis they cover in both their popular podcast, Switched on Pop, and now their book of the same name which released on Dec. 13. Sloan, who studies the history and… Continue reading Nate Sloan talks pop evolution with The Wall Street Journal


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Nate Sloan to release new book about mechanics of popular music

December 3, 2019

Popular music scholar and Musicology faculty member Nate Sloan will release a new book, “How Popular Music Works, and Why It Matters,” on Dec. 13, co-authored with songwriter and podcasting partner Charlie Harding. The pair host the popular podcast “Switched on Pop,” which, like their forthcoming book, makes pop music history accessible and deconstructs the… Continue reading Nate Sloan to release new book about mechanics of popular music


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Beatriz Ilari cited in article about how music of “Frozen” appeals to kids

December 2, 2019

Music Teaching & Learning professor Beatriz Ilari was recently cited in an article about the music of Disney’s “Frozen,” and how common traits in childrens’ music can determine whether new music from “Frozen 2” will earn the same success as “Let it Go.” Ilari, who studies music development of babies and young children, is well-versed… Continue reading Beatriz Ilari cited in article about how music of “Frozen” appeals to kids


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Sean Nye to speak at inaugural lecture “Feuchtwanger and Judaism: History, Imagination, Exile”

November 11, 2019

Musicology faculty member Sean Nye will speak at “Feuchtwanger and Judaism,” the inaugural event of the lecture series “Exile and Resistance: Refugees and Migrants in Literature, History, and Public Affairs,” on Tuesday, Nov. 12. The event, hosted in the USC Libraries Special Collections, will launch Feuchtwanger and Judaism, the sixth volume of the series Feuchtwanger… Continue reading Sean Nye to speak at inaugural lecture “Feuchtwanger and Judaism: History, Imagination, Exile”


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Nate Sloan breaks down sound and structure of Broadway musicals in podcast Switched on Pop

September 27, 2019

Switched on Pop, a podcast hosted by Musicology faculty member Nate Sloan and songwriter Charlie Harding, recently collaborated with the OFF BOOK podcast to bring listeners a “Switched Off Book” episode. The episode includes a breakdown of the sound and structure of a Broadway show as well as an improvised musical written by Scott, Dana… Continue reading Nate Sloan breaks down sound and structure of Broadway musicals in podcast Switched on Pop


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Dean Robert Cutietta quoted in article about children’s taste in music

September 25, 2019

Robert Cutietta, Dean of the USC Thornton School of Music, was recently quoted in an article discussing the role parents and family play in shaping a child’s taste in music. While many parents hope to influence their children’s taste in music from an early age, Cutietta says that this is often done in vain. What’s… Continue reading Dean Robert Cutietta quoted in article about children’s taste in music


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Nate Sloan’s podcast named best in music

June 12, 2019

USC Thornton Musicology faculty member Nate Sloan’s podcast, Switched on Pop, was named one of the best music podcasts by Go Erie. Sloan cohosts the show, which is produced by Vox Media, with songwriter Charlie Harding. The podcast explains what makes pop songs resonate with audiences and how songs interact with culture. This week, Sloan… Continue reading Nate Sloan’s podcast named best in music


Tim Page quoted in The New York Times

May 31, 2019

Tim Page, a professor of Musicology at USC Thornton, was quoted in the recent The New York Times article about Zubin Mehta passing the reigns of the Israel Philharmonic to Lahav Shani. Page said that Shani has his work cut out for him, but that the age of the 30-year-old maestro puts him in a position to… Continue reading Tim Page quoted in The New York Times


Malachai Bandy

Malachai Bandy wins two major prizes

May 23, 2019

USC Thornton Musicology Ph.D. candidate Malachai Bandy recently won two prestigious awards: the Irene Alm Memorial Prize and the Ingolf Dahl Award in Musicology.  The Irene Alm Memorial Prize is awarded annually by the Society for Seventeenth-Century Music to the best student presentation or lecture at the society’s spring conference. Established in 1971, the Ingolf… Continue reading Malachai Bandy wins two major prizes


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Nate Sloan discusses song length on NPR

May 15, 2019

USC Thornton Musicology faculty member Nate Sloan was recently interviewed on the NPR series Its Been A Minute with Sam Sanders. Sloan discusses how due to the rise of Spotify and other streaming services, artists have an incentive to keep their songs short. “This new way of consuming music tends to incentivize shorter songs because… Continue reading Nate Sloan discusses song length on NPR