Hello –
I’m applying for USC’s pop music program, and they ask me to upload a repertoire and a music resume. Does anyone have a template for both of these? Also, on the USC’s website, the resume says to include both music and academic experience. My question is, what’s the difference between a normal resume (the resume for academic school, and I include music and my awards in the extracurricular) and a USC music department resume?
Hoping somebody will weigh in on this as my D has the exact same question on the USC app. She had assumed that the repertoire question was left over from a jazz type application template where that is a more common thing. But in popular music, I can’t even imagine. She’s been playing in School of Rock and cover bands for 8 years or so and has learned a few hundred songs in that period of time from The Police to Zappa and everything in between.
Her cover band repertoire alone is probably a couple hundred songs. Surely they aren’t looking for a laundry list that goes on for pages are they?
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Hi guys! I have zero experience in terms of “Pop” style, but generally, for singers, the rep list shouldn’t be longer than one page and should highlight the repertoire that speaks to your singer’s “type” or personality. For my (classical and mt) D, we separated repertoire by genre and language, listed most recent rep first, and used asterisks, etc., to denote if songs were memorized and/or performed. You want to give an audition committee a snapshot of your style and ability; everything else, they can learn at the audition!
Templates for a combined music/general resume and repertoire list formats can be found online.
For music resume, my son sent his usual resume (which featured music in every section–work, service and honors). For repertoire list, he didn’t overthink it–he simply made a one-pager with two columns of songs he knew he could perform on stage confidently, on cue and by memory. (He chose to order them alpha by artist.) The list obviously wasn’t exhaustive, but I’d say it adequately reflected his knowledge and ability, style and interests (his favorite artists had multiple song titles, for instance), and depth and versatility.
The resume my son uploaded had his list of accomplishments in service and music. The rep (classical violin) included every piece that he’d performed on stage at some point in the last 3 or 4 years, listed by solo, and chamber. Orchestral works (school/extra-curricular orchestra) were not included in the rep.
I don’t think there is a defined template: everyone designs their own. I am not surprised there are templates online and they might be helpful. The resume should highlight what needs to be highlighted, obviously, so the format will vary from person to person.
One purpose of repertoire is to show the level of playing. When listing repertoire, just keep that in mind. Repertoire may include performances. But some people have a separate section for performances. Again, it varies with the person and what looks like the most efficient and effective way to organize things.
One question my D asked while populating is related to to @YertleTurtle’s post above. She asked if she should only list songs she currently has memorized and could play on cue without a prompt. Basically she’s asking if the repertoire list is something you can be expected to be used to drive some portion of her audition. Given how prescriptive the audition formats seem to be for drummers at these schools, I would be surprised if that was the case. But said I would check with the experts here.
That is how my son approached the repertoire list for popular music–what he knew he could confidently play on cue if requested. That said, he was not asked at the audition to play anything from that repertoire list (well, excluding his prepared audition piece/s).