For high schoolers who dream of a music career, the “Guitar Seminar: Jazz, Rock & Beyond” course is a perfect way to spend the summer.
From USC Summer Programs, the month-long “Guitar Seminar” empowers aspiring teenage musicians to dive into every facet of the electric guitar, from theory to improvisation to songwriting. The intensive program is a great way for high school students to see what it’s like studying music at the collegiate level, said Nick Stoubis, chair of the Studio Guitar program at USC Thornton School of Music.
“It is often a significant step towards someone seriously pursuing a career in music,” Stoubis explained of the course, in which students earn three units of college elective credit.
The on-campus class taught by USC Thornton’s talented faculty are supplemented with exciting visits to famed music venues in the Los Angeles area. This year’s participants got a special experience courtesy of Molly Miller, a studio guitar professor at USC Thornton and an experienced musician who has toured with top artists like Jason Mraz, Zayn Malik and the Black Eyed Peas.
Miller, herself a proud alumna of both the “Guitar Seminar” course for high schoolers and USC Thornton, invited students on a field trip to Verse, a local bar and restaurant known for its acoustics that enable guests to enjoy live performances in an immersive environment. Verse is also attached to the recording studio Larrabee Studios, making it a perfect destination for music lovers.
One of the restaurant’s owners, Manny Marroquin, is a leading mixing engineer, whose recent discography includes songs for the films Barbie and Mean Girls, as well as Charli XCX’s latest album, Brat, according to his website.
“When we went [to Verse], we walked by a box of Grammys just stacked up … 20 of them hanging out in the corner,” recalled Stoubis.
Miller, who was performing that night at the venue with her group — the Molly Miller Trio — wanted to give the students the experience of listening to live music and touring the attached recording studio.
“… One of the amazing things about USC, outside of all the faculty and the classes and the students, is that we’re in L.A., so [students] can get a real flavor of L.A.,” Miller said. “It’s a studio that’s so iconic, where so many amazing records have been made.”
Miller also wanted to pass on the meaningful experience she had when she attended the “Guitar Seminar” — and, later, USC Thornton. Her decision to attend the school was informed by players she looked up to, who had also received their degrees there.
“There [were] all these amazing guitar players who were doing so much cool stuff that I wanted to be doing,” Miller recalled.
Miller went on to become an accomplished guitar player, touring with famous artists and forming her own band, which opened for Jason Mraz this summer. But passing on the knowledge she’s gained is also important to her, which is why she started teaching at USC and became involved with USC Summer Programs, calling it a “dream job.”
“So much of everything I’ve done that I’m super proud of, I can trace back to USC,” Miller said. “Everything is about community. Everything I’ve done is completely based in the community that I have created with roots here.”
As for the students, Stoubis said they enjoyed going behind the scenes of an iconic music studio and attending live performances. Seeing the students’ excitement and passion was also touching for the staff who gave the tour.
“I was thanking the engineer who gave us the tour,” Stoubis recalled. “He was like, ‘It was actually really sweet for me because it reminds me why I do it.’”
Miller confirmed she would invite USC Summer Programs participants back to Verse if she’s able to, noting that the access faculty and staff can offer is part of what makes the “Guitar Seminar” so special. It’s not just the comprehensive classes with accomplished musicians that draw teenagers in — it’s also the ability to experience the L.A. music scene.
Miller said the summer program also prepared her for life beyond high school.
“For me … it was so nice to come to USC on my first day and know the people already and feel like I had some idea of the campus,” she said. “I actually made a ton of friends who were in that pre-college program with me, who ended up at USC.”
The “Guitar Seminar” is offered every summer, with application decisions made on a rolling basis. Each year affords students exciting opportunities to visit L.A.’s iconic music venues and network with faculty and alumni. After all, one day they too may be on stage, performing for USC’s next class of musical artists.
Explore USC Summer Programs today.