Larry J. Livingston

USC Thornton School of Music

USC Thornton Symphony

In addition to his many other accolades, Quincy Jones has had a profound impact on film and television music, producing and composing over 30 scores, including notable works such as The Pawnbroker, In the Heat of the Night, and In Cold Blood. Throughout his illustrious career, he has received seven Oscar nominations, making history in 1967 as the first Black composer to earn a nomination in the Original Song category. And in November, Jones will receive a special Academy Award for his lifetime achievements from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences at the 15th Governor Awards. 

Under the direction of Conducting Chair Larry J. Livingston, the USC Thornton Symphony will honor Jones with a special evening dedicated to his film and TV compositions. The program will feature selections from his iconic scores for Roots and The Color Purple, as well as other surprises, reminding us of Jones’s innovative work and powerful legacy in music and cinema.

"Quincy Jones Symphonic: A USC Concert Experience" is part of Quincy Jones: Beyond Category, an event series organized by the USC Thornton School of Music to explore, elevate, and celebrate Quincy Jones’s life and legacy. Working across styles and idioms including classical, jazz, pop, R&B, and film scoring—and breaking ground for African American achievement in the entertainment industries—Jones has garnered the highest levels of critical and commercial acclaim.