School of Music

2025 News

Learning every aspect of an opera production prepares students for diverse careers

Opportunities to work on stage, backstage and in the house allow students studying opera at USC to expand their skills and help make them more marketable job candidates.

Faculty Spotlight: Emily Ruth Allen

Lots of people like to party, but few have found a way to make a career of it. To be clear, Emily Ruth Allen isn't a full-time partyer -- she's an instructor of music and music history with a dual appointment in music and Southern studies. But she has a particular interest in parties -- specifically, in the culture of Mardi Gras and more generally in festivals and celebratory rituals.

Matt McCord: Drumming Up Scholarships

Matt McCord, '95 music, is a onetime marching band trumpet player, a former Carolina drum major and a Gamecock football season ticket holder. He is also a father of three -- and he's determined to pass his outsized Carolina pride to the next generation.

2024-25 Alumni Awards Announced

In celebration of the centennial celebration of 100 Years of Music at Carolina, the USC School of Music instituted two new alumni awards to be awarded annually. The alumni awards celebrate alumni of the School of Music who have demonstrated outstanding achievement and service to their profession or to their community.

Hands-on learning opportunities and industry connections lead to exponential growth of Music Industry Studies

The global music recording market is estimated to be $74 billion a year, with opportunities in areas such as production, distribution, recording, writing and publishing, management and performing. USC's Music Industry Studies program offers a diverse curriculum that aims to prepare students for a variety of careers.

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