USC Thornton School of Music

This year, our students shared stages and classrooms with some of the most influential artists and thinkers in contemporary culture. Grammy-winning artist and songwriter H.E.R. joined us in conversation and performance, and our students performed her songs in return. We paired USC President Beong-Soo Kim—a classically trained cellist—with alum and Hollywood Bowl President Meghan Umber for a public conversation on leadership, featuring President Kim in performance with our students. Acclaimed conductor Leonard Slatkin led our orchestral musicians in concert, and we welcomed Grammy-winning artist and cultural curator Solange as Scholar-in-Residence, deepening our commitment to boundary-crossing artistry and inquiry. Through our partnership with The Recording Academy’s Black Music Collective, we launched Nina Simone: Beyond Category, an ambitious public program examining Simone’s enduring artistic and political legacy. These events, free and open to the public, reinforce USC Thornton’s role as a world-class convener for urgent cultural dialogue.

Our international impact continues to grow. For the seventh consecutive year, Billboard named USC Thornton a top music business school, and our alumni and faculty received 27 nominations at the 68th Grammy Awards. Our Polish Music Center was recognized by UNESCO for preserving vital musical histories.

Student showcases spanned the array of our diverse programs from composition to jazz to early music, demonstrating the extraordinary range of talent thriving here. Alumni and faculty earned recognition at the highest levels, with Oscar–winning composer and Screen Scoring graduate Ludwig Göransson winning Best Original Score at the BAFTAs, Golden Globes and Grammys, and receiving two Academy Award nominations alongside Grammy-winning producer and USC Thornton Creative Vanguard Artist, Raphael Saadiq.

Our faculty continue to shine. Vans Warped Tour founder Kevin Lyman received the Visionary Award at the Billboard Live Music Summit. Doug Tornquist joined the Chicago Symphony Orchestra as principal tubist. Conducting chair Larry J. Livingston received the Midwest Clinic Medal of Honor. Music Industry chair Michael Garcia was named Music & Entertainment Industry Educator of the Year by IEBA. Polish Music Center director Marek Zebrowski received an honorary doctorate, and Music Teaching & Learning chair William J. Coppola published a new book with Oxford University Press. Our students continue to rise. Yohanna Bauerdorf was an NPR Tiny Desk finalist. Hanna Norman won the Leimert Park Jazz Festival scholarship, and Oliviana Marie earned the Ruth Wales duPont Collegiate Composition Competition presented by American Pops Orchestra.

This year reflects more than achievement. It reflects alignment. Students, faculty, alumni, donors, and partners are moving in concert. USC Thornton stands at the intersection of creative excellence, industry leadership and critical inquiry. Our momentum is real, and with your philanthropic partnership – the possibilities ahead are even greater.

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