Key Takeaways

• Solange Knowles will serve as the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music’s first scholar-in-residence, teaching a music curation course in fall 2027.
• The course, developed with Saint Heron, explores curatorial practices and the spiritual act of artistic expression.
• Students will engage with multidisciplinary tools to examine music’s role in cultural storytelling and preservation.

Solange has worn many hats throughout her entertainment career but come fall 2027, she will make her pivot into academia. The multihyphenate was tapped by the University of Southern California (USC) Thornton School of Music to head a three-year appointment as its scholar-in-residence, a first for her and the institution.

Solange will lead a course tentatively titled “Records Of Discovery: Saint Heron’s Methodologies for Music and Cultural Curatorial Practices,” which will delve into her expertise in music curation. It was created in collaboration with Saint Heron, a creative hub for art, music, design, literature, and conversation founded in 2013. She shared the first peek into her class in an Instagram Story post on Thursday (Oct. 16). The “Cranes in the Sky” artist shared a selfie as she held up the framework that will guide 15 weeks of study. The curriculum will pose questions such as, “What distinguishes a musical artist’s overall embodiment? What elements build and surround the music to create innovative, distinctive, and identifiable terrains?”

In the course objectives, Solange wrote, “Saint Heron seeks to empower future practitioners of curation by honoring the spiritual act of creating and spotlighting artists’ unwavering devotion to the language of expression.” Symposiums will include guest lecturers and discussions. Upon completion of the course, she hopes students will be equipped with the skills to develop and articulate curator narratives, adopt a musical artist’s worldview, and be able to “translate musical worlds into multidisciplinary forms of expressions.”

Solo expressed excitement for her new gig. In a statement, she explained, “My goal is to nurture students’ curiosity in this field while advancing educational frameworks that reflect the expansiveness of the landscapes — both sonically and visually — that surround musical expressions.” The Houston native continued, “It is a privilege to contribute to bringing my work — and the work of so many others I admire — into a meaningful scholarly context.”

The newly minted teacher will host “The Making of Eldorado Ballroom” at the university in February. The workshop is a deep dive into the series that celebrates Black artists.

Saint Heron is a vessel helping Solange to curate and archive art

Solange joined USC’s “Beyond Category” speakers series on Monday (Oct. 13), where she spoke about creating Saint Heron. She said, “There wasn’t really a space, at the time, where I had nuanced conversations that I wanted surrounding music and culture and my Blackness.” The multidisciplinary platform recently launched a digital archive library featuring rare works of literature by Black and Brown authors. Readers can borrow books, magazines, and other materials for free for 45 days.

By stepping into the classroom, Solange is daring others to be bold in their artistic practices. This next chapter of creativity is deeper than teaching; she is curating a legacy worthy of celebrating.