Robert A. Cutietta
Music education specialist Robert Cutietta was named dean of the USC Thornton School of Music in July 2002.
Cutietta came to USC from the University of Arizona, where he was a professor and director of the School of Music and Dance. He had joined the University of Arizona as a professor of music education in 1994, following appointments at Kent State and Montana State universities.
The author of the highly readable book Raising Musical Kids: A Parent’s Guide, Cutietta has published a wide range of articles on music education that have appeared in publications such as The Music Educators Journal, Psychology Today, Journal of Research in Music Education and The American Music Teacher, among others. He is also co-author or editor of four books, and has contributed chapters to several others.
Since 2006, Cutietta has has hosted the weekly KUSC radio segment Ask the Dean. He chairs several national arts commissions and also serves as chair of the board of the USC Fisher Museum of Art.
Honors include the Putnam Award for Meritorious Teaching and the Maestro Award, based on the accomplishments of his students, from the University of Arizona. Cutietta also was named Distinguished Alumnus of the Year by the Pennsylvania State University College of Arts and Architecture in 2000, and he received the Distinguished Alumni Award from the Cleveland State University College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences in 2008.
Cutietta earned his Ed.D. in music education at Pennsylvania State University in 1982 and his master’s and bachelor’s degrees from Cleveland State University in 1978 and 1975, respectively.
Last Updated: 01/04/12