Ronald C. McCurdy

Dr. Ronald C. McCurdy is a Professor of Music at the University of Southern California's Thornton School of Music and former Chair of the Jazz Studies Department (2002-2008). A distinguished academic and performer, he has held leadership roles such as Associate Dean of the Culture, Community & Impact Committee and served as Director of the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz at USC (1999-2001). His career spans decades, including chairing the Afro-African American Studies Department and directing Jazz Studies at the University of Minnesota (1990-1999), and a Visiting Professorship at Maria-Curie Sklodowska University in Lublin, Poland (1997).

• PhD, University of Kansas (1983)
• MM, University of Kansas (1978)
• BM, Florida A&M University (1976)

Dr. McCurdy's research and professional work focus on Jazz Studies, African American Music, and Artist Entrepreneurship. He has pioneered innovative educational approaches through publications like Teaching Music in Performance Through Jazz and The Artist Entrepreneur, blending pedagogy with cultural analysis. His Langston Hughes Project, a multimedia exploration of Hughes' poetry, has been performed internationally with artists like Ice-T and premiered at iconic venues such as Disney Hall (2015) and the Grammy Museum (2019).

His publications demonstrate expertise in Jazz education, African American cultural theory, and performance pedagogy, with works including African Americans and Popular Culture (2007) and Meet the Great Jazz Legends (2004). These contributions reflect his commitment to preserving jazz heritage while advancing contemporary academic discourse.

• Jazz Educator of the Year 2005 (LA Jazz Society)
• Distinguished Alumni Award, University of Kansas (2001)
• FM Awards Winner for Best 'Live' Performance (2015)

Dr. McCurdy has shaped global jazz education through roles at the Grammy Foundation, Jamey Aebersold Jazz Camp, and Walt Disney All-American Summer College Jazz Ensemble. He has collaborated with legendary artists including Joe Williams, Rosemary Clooney, Arturo Sandoval, and Dianne Reeves, while performing with Yamaha International Corporation as a featured artist. His creative projects, such as the Shanghai Jazz: A Cultural Mix premiere (2019), highlight his dedication to cross-cultural artistic exchange.