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Conservatory of Music
General
Educational Guidelines
General.
The Conservatory
provides pre-professional training in music performance, composition,
music education, music technology, music theory, and music history.
Students may earn one or more of the following undergraduate and
graduate degrees: Bachelor of Music, Performance Diploma, Artist
Diploma, Master of Music, Master of Music in Teaching, or Master
of Music Education. At the same time a student may earn a Bachelor
of Arts from the College of Arts and Sciences.
These
programs are designed to develop the sensitivity, understanding
and insights, as well as the knowledge, skills, and technical competence
essential to professional musicians. Conservatory graduates pursue
music careers as performers, conductors, composers, directors, music
theorists, historians, and educators. They are employed in major
symphony orchestras, opera houses and companies, regional and municipal
orchestras, jazz groups, youth orchestras, chamber music ensembles,
major film studios, churches, primary and secondary schools, colleges,
universities, conservatories of music, and as free-lance artists,
both in the United States and abroad.
General
Information
The
Conservatory of Music was founded in 1865 as a private music school.
Two years later it became part of Oberlin College. It currently
has an annual enrollment of over 550 music students.
Relation
to the College of Arts and Sciences. The Conservatory of Music
and the College of Arts and Sciences share the same campus. As a
result, Conservatory students may take courses in both the College
of Arts and Sciences and the Conservatory in the same semester,
and can simultaneously pursue majors in both divisions, completing
majors leading to both the B.Mus. and B.A. degrees after five years.
Many
College of Arts and Sciences students may take Conservatory courses,
study musical instruments and voice, and perform in Conservatory
vocal and instrumental ensembles.
Concerts and Recitals. The Conservatory offers a rich variety
of listening experiences; over four hundred concerts and recitals
are presented annually. In 2000-2001 there were 65 recitals by faculty
and guest artists, 225 Senior and Junior recitals, and 115 concerts
by student ensembles and other groups. The Conservatory also presents
an annual series of faculty chamber music concerts.
Artist Recital Series. The Oberlin Artist Recital Series has,
over the past century, brought to Oberlin virtually every internationally
acclaimed solo performer, outstanding chamber ensemble, and major
orchestra. In its one hundred and twenty third season, the 2001-2002
Artist Recital Series included performances by the Cleveland Orchestra,
Apollo's Fire, pianist Richard Goode, the American Brass Quintet,
cellist Janos Starker, the Tokyo String Quartet, and soprano Barbara
Bonney.
Facilities
Buildings.
The Conservatory is housed in a soundproof and air-conditioned complex
of three buildings designed by Minoru Yamasaki that include a teaching
building, a rehearsal and concert hall building, a music library,
and a practice building.
Bibbins Hall, the teaching building, contains 40 studios, 10
classrooms, and 16 offices. Private instruction, ensemble coaching,
and classroom instruction take place in this building. The Deans'
offices, the Conservatory Admissions office, and the TIMARA (Technology
In Music And the Related Arts) complex, including a recording studio,
are also housed here.
The Central Unit, the rehearsal and concert hall building, houses
the two concert halls, the orchestra rehearsal room, choral rehearsal
room, a small classroom, the percussion teaching studio, the Conservatory
Library--one of the largest academic music libraries in the country--including
compact disc, tape and record listening rooms, the Conservatory
instrument collection storage room, the Audio Services recording
facilities, and the student lounge.
Robertson Hall, the practice building, contains 182 rooms including
150 practice rooms, the Otto B. Schoepfle Vocal Arts Center, the
Career Resource Center, the Kulas Organ Center, reed-making rooms,
two networked micro-computing labs, faculty studios, and staff offices.
Concert Halls. Warner Concert Hall seats 696. In 1984
the acoustics in Warner were substantially enhanced through a renovation
costing one million dollars. R. Kirkegaard provided the acoustical
design. Kulas Recital Hall, especially suited to chamber
music concerts, seats 144. Finney Chapel seats 1376; Artist
recitals, orchestra, and other large ensemble concerts are performed
there.
Electronic and Computer Music. Eight acoustically isolated and
optimized electronic music studios are located in the Conservatory.
The TIMARA complex is equipped with a wide selection of state-of-the-art
digital synthesizers and Macintosh computers, including a lab with
Power Mac computers connected to the network, each with synthesizer
keyboards and a full complement of music software. Production facilities
include multitrack digital recording, historical analog synthesizers,
and a wide variety of signal processing gear.
The Otto B. Schoepfle Vocal Arts Center is the first of its
kind to be incorporated into a program of vocal instruction in
the United States. Named for a long-time supporter of the Conservatory,
this laboratory includes stroboscopic and fiber-optic instrumention
that can display four types of vocal analyses concurrently, allowing
examination of both the function and the timbre of the artistic
singing voice. The laboratory also houses a sonagraph workstation
that transforms the phonations of the voice into electrical signals
and displays them as waves on a computer screen; a computerized
system for analyzing, synthesizing, and manipulating vocal sounds;
a nasometer, which measures nasality in the voice; a laryngograph,
which determines the accuracy of pitch and vocal onset; a spirometer,
which tests critical pulmonary functions to determine vital capacity
and flow rate; and a system to measure levels of air flow, air
pressure, and sound pressure. Students use the sophisticated audio
and video equipment to record, play back, and analyze their performances.
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Instrument
Collection
Pianos.
Warner Concert Hall, Kulas Recital Hall, classrooms, and teaching
studios are all equipped with Steinway grand pianos, as are most
of the practice rooms in Robertson Hall and the rehearsal rooms
in the Central Unit. Altogether there are 232 pianos in the Conservatory,
170 of which are Steinway grand pianos, with the remainder of the
collection including acoustical vertical pianos, historical pianos,
a Yamaha Disklavier and two Electronic Piano Labs.
Orchestral Instruments. The Conservatory has a large collection
of orchestral instruments for use by students, including all stringed
and wind instruments, and six Lyon and Healy harps. Through the
generosity of the Kulas Foundation, Oberlin owns two Gagliano violins
and other performance-quality stringed instruments.
Organs. The Kulas Organ Center, in the Robertson Hall practice
building, is comprised of fourteen practice rooms equipped with
organs of various designs, both mechanical action and electro-pneumatic.
Of the mechanical action tracker organs, six are Flentrops, one
a Brombaugh, and two are Noacks. Of the electro-pneumatic organs,
six are Holtkamps.
The
teaching studios in Bibbins Hall contain organs by Flentrop. Warner
Concert Hall houses a splendid three-manual Flentrop organ of forty-four
stops, built entirely in classical North European style; it was
installed in 1974. A new Fisk Opus 116 organ has been installed
in Finney Chapel. This magnificent instrument, a symphonic organ
in the Romantic tradition, compliments the Flentrop in Warner. A
portable continuo organ by Flentrop is available for use in all
performing halls. In 1981 a two-manual Brombaugh organ in mean-tone
temperament was installed in the gallery of Fairchild Chapel. Located
in the front of Fairchild Chapel is a positiv organ by Flentrop.
Harpsichords. The collection of harpsichords, available for
instruction, practice, and concerts includes: three French doubles,
one by Keith Hill, one by William Dowd, and one by Willard Martin;
two Italian singles, one by William Dowd and one by Anderson Dupree;
a German double by Keith Hill and a Flemish single and Flemish virginal
by Willard Martin.
Other Instruments. The Conservatory owns three fortepianos:
five-octave instruments by Wolf and Hester, and a six-and-one-half
octave by McCobb. Oberlin's collection also includes a mid-nineteenth
century grand piano by Erard, which was completely rebuilt by David
Winston in the fall of 1993.
The
Conservatory has a large collection of viols for use in its Baroque
ensemble and viol consorts. Oberlin owns enough Baroque instruments
to form a complete Baroque orchestra: eight Baroque violins, one
Baroque viola, two Baroque cellos, and a violone, as well as Baroque
flutes, oboes, bassoon, and natural horns.
The Collegium Musicum has at its disposal replicas of old instruments
including, among others, vihuela, gamba, krummhorns, recorders,
and cornetti.
Oberlin has a Javanese gamelan (metallophone orchestra), complete
with both slendro and pelog tuning systems, a large collection of
Gambian Mandinka koras and xylophones from West Africa, and a representative
selection of classical instruments from China, Japan, Korea, Turkey,
and India.
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Degree
and Diploma Programs
General.
The Conservatory offers the following degree and diploma programs
of undergraduate and graduate study. (For information on specific
majors see below under Major Study.)
Bachelor of Music Degree (B.Mus.)
Most
Conservatory undergraduates pursue a four-year degree program with
one or more majors leading to the B.Mus. degree.
Majors are offered in
1)
Performance: piano, organ, voice, strings (violin, viola, cello,
double bass, guitar, harp), woodwinds (flute, oboe, clarinet, saxophone,
bassoon), brass (trumpet, horn, trombone, tuba), percussion, early
instruments (harpsichord, recorder, Baroque flute, Baroque oboe,
Baroque violin, Baroque cello/viola da gamba).
2) Music Education.
3) Composition.
4) Music History.
5) Technology in Music and Related Arts.
6) Jazz Studies (in Composition or Performance).
7) Individual Major.
8) Music Theory (as part of a double major).
9) Double major in Piano Performance and Vocal Accompanying.
Performance Diploma
This
four-semester program, offered only in certain performance departments,
is designed for the very small number of gifted performers who have
not yet completed the B.Mus. or its equivalent and who are seeking
a very narrowly focused program of study leading to a performance-oriented
career. Performance Diploma students may apply to transfer to the
Bachelor of Music program before the end of the first year of the
program. Students seeking admission to the B.Mus. degree must demonstrate
skills necessary to complete both the performance and academic course
work required for the B.Mus.
Students
who have completed requirements for both the B.Mus. degree and the
Performance Diploma will receive only the B.Mus. degree.
Master of Music Education (M.M.E.)
The
M.M.E. degree program is available only as part of a five-year program
integrated with undergraduate study at Oberlin.
Majors
in
1) Music Education, instrumental emphasis, integrated with an Oberlin
Bachelor of Music degree with a major in Music Education.
2) Music Education, vocal emphasis, integrated with an Oberlin Bachelor
of Music degree with a major in Music Education.
Master of Music in Teaching (M.M.T.)
The
M.M.T. degree program is available only as part of a five-year program
integrated with undergraduate study at Oberlin. Major in Music Education,
integrated with an Oberlin Bachelor of Music degree with a major
in Performance or Composition.
Master of Music (M.M.)
M.M.
degree programs in Conducting and Opera Theater are available only
as part of five-year programs integrated with undergraduate study
at Oberlin.
Majors in
1)
Conducting, integrated with an Oberlin Bachelor of Music degree
with a major in Performance, Composition, Music Education, or Music
History.
2) Opera Theater, integrated with an Oberlin Bachelor of Music degree
with a major in Voice Performance.
Master of Music (M.M.) in Performance on Historical Instruments
This
program is intended for a limited number of students who have acquired
skills on historical instruments and who wish to pursue practical
study in performance in combination with the study of performance
practice and musicology. Concentrations are offered in harpsichord,
fortepiano, Baroque violin, Baroque flute, recorder, Baroque cello/viola
da gamba, historical keyboard instruments (harpsichord, fortepiano,
and organ, combined), and historical oboes (Baroque, Classical,
and other oboes). This program requires four semesters for completion,
and is available to both Oberlin alumni and graduates of other music
programs.
Artist Diploma
This
four-semester program, offered only in certain performance departments,
is intended for a limited number of exceptionally gifted performers
who have completed the B.Mus. or its equivalent, and who have acquired
extensive musical background through institutional or private studies,
or through unusual performing experiences, and who wish to concentrate
on private applied study without additional course requirements.
The program is not designed for Oberlin Conservatory B.Mus. graduates;
Conservatory graduates are admitted to the program only with the
specific approval of the Associate Dean of the Conservatory. Students
who enroll in and/or complete the Artist Diploma program may not
transfer to the B.Mus. degree program.
The Individual Major
An
Individual Major leading to a Bachelor of Music degree may be designed
with a concentration in a single Conservatory department or among
two or more Conservatory departments. In some cases Arts and Sciences
courses may be an integral part of a student's major. Examples of
possible concentrations include African-American music, liturgical
music, Suzuki violin pedagogy, fortepiano, arts management, etc.
Programs of study for an Individual Major must be based on teaching
and course resources available at Oberlin, or at other schools transferable
to Oberlin. Private reading courses may not be planned for key areas
of the major, and only a small amount of course credit central to
the major may be earned away from Oberlin. See the Conservatory
Individual Major's Handbook (available from the Office of the Associate
Dean) for guidelines and policy.
The Double-Degree Program
A five-year
program of study leading to both the Bachelor of Arts and the Bachelor
of Music degrees is offered. Students must be admitted to both divisions
and complete a major in each. The program is described in the section
of the catalog entitled "The Double-Degree Program."
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)
The College of Arts
and Sciences offers a major in Music in which students may choose
one of four emphases: Music History and Theory, Performance, Composition
or Technology in Music and Related Arts (TIMARA). These majors
meet the needs of students who wish to major in music at Oberlin
without the professional orientation of Conservatory majors. The
majors are described in the College of Arts and Sciences' Music
section of this catalog.
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Requirements
for Graduation
Institutional
Requirements for Conservatory Degrees. The degree of Bachelor
of Music is awarded upon completion of:
1.
Course and non-course requirements for one or more majors leading
to the B.Mus. degree.
2. 124 semester hours of course credits, 62 of which must be earned
at Oberlin or in Oberlin College programs, 76 of which must be earned
in Oberlin Conservatory courses (excluding those entitled "Liberal
Arts") or in music courses completed elsewhere for which transfer
credit has been awarded, and at least 24 of which must be in Arts
and Sciences courses.
3. The residence requirement.
4. Three Winter Term credits.
The degrees of Master of Music Education, Master of Music in Teaching,
or Master of Music in Conducting and Opera Theater are awarded upon
completion of:
1. The requirements for a specified undergraduate major.
2. The course and non-course requirements for the graduate major.
The degree of Master of Music in Performance on Historical Instruments
is awarded upon completion of:
1. The course and non-course requirements for the graduate degree.
An undergraduate diploma from Oberlin is not required.
2. Required number of course credit hours for the degree.
3. Four semesters of residence.
The Performance Diploma is awarded upon completion of:
1. Specified course and non-course requirements.
2. 48 semester hours of course credits.
3. Four semesters of residence.
The Artist Diploma is awarded upon completion of:
1. Specified course and non-course requirements.
2. 24 hours of course credits.
3. Four semesters of residence.
Residence Requirement. No student in an undergraduate Conservatory
degree program or diploma program may graduate without at least
four semesters of residence at Oberlin or in Oberlin College programs.
At least 24 of the last 30 hours of credit required for the B.Mus.
degree must be earned in residence at Oberlin.
Finish Away. A student in an undergraduate degree program who
lacks not more than six hours of the amount required for graduation
may request approval for Finish Away status from the Assistant Dean
in the Conservatory in order to complete these hours at another
institution; if any of these six hours are requirements for the
student's major, the major department must also be petitioned for
approval of Finish Away status.
Eligibility for Commencement. A student must be registered for
work sufficient to complete, by the end of the last semester in
residence, all requirements for the degree(s) sought, in order to
be eligible to participate in the annual Commencement exercises
following that semester. In addition, students must complete all
non-course requirements by the end of classes prior to the Commencement
in which they wish to participate. Students who have permission
to finish their work away from Oberlin may participate in Commencement
exercises only after all requirements have been met.
Winter Term. Students in the B.Mus. degree program are required
to earn three January Winter Term credits. No course credit may
be earned for Winter Term study. Participation in January Winter
Term programs at other institutions may be counted toward the Winter
Term requirement only if that program corresponds to the Oberlin
Winter Term in spirit, duration, and format, and if
no academic credit is earned. Transfer students are required to
participate in all remaining Winter Terms up to three. (See "Winter
Term" at the beginning of the catalog.)
The Concert/Recital Attendance Policy. All Conservatory students
are strongly encouraged to attend three Honors Recitals and at least
nine Conservatory-sponsored concerts and recitals each year, one
selected from each of the nine categories below, chosen to represent
a broad spectrum of the Conservatory's offerings.
1. An orchestral concert. (A concert by the Oberlin Orchestra, Oberlin
Chamber Orchestra, or an Artist Recital Series orchestra concert.)
2. A concert by the Oberlin Wind Ensemble or the College-Community
Winds.
3. A chamber music concert. (A concert by an ensemble from trio
to octet, one player to a part.)
4. A vocal recital, choral concert, opera, etc.
5. A concert sponsored by the Jazz Studies Department or the Ethnomusicology
Department.
6. A new music concert. (A concert by the Contemporary Music Ensemble
or the Oberlin Percussion Group; a TIMARA concert, or a Student
or Faculty Composers' concert.)
7. An early music concert. (A concert of music before 1750, or concert
performed on original instruments, or an organ recital of music
before 1750.)
8. A full-length faculty or student recital by a member of a department
other than that in which the student is enrolled.
9. A guest performer or guest composer concert, including an Artist
Recital Series concert.
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Academic
Advising
Faculty
Advisors. For students in the Performance majors the principal
private study teacher is the student's faculty advisor. For students
in all other majors, a faculty member from the major department
or program is assigned as advisor. See the double-degree section
for advising resources available to double-degree students.
Academic Standing
General. The Conservatory of Music Academic Standing Committee
reviews the academic progress of Conservatory students, including
double-degree students, at the end of every semester. The Committee
is chaired by the Assistant Dean in the Conservatory.
Conservatory
students are expected to be enrolled full time in the Conservatory
in each semester of study, to pass a minimum number of course credit
hours, and to be working toward completion of one or more Conservatory
majors at a rate suggested by the recommended distribution of requirements
for each major.
Double-degree
students are expected to be enrolled full time in both divisions
in each semester of study, to pass a minimum number of course credit
hours, and to be working toward completion of majors in both divisions.
Good academic standing. Students who pass the required minimum
number of credit hours for their year and who are progressing satisfactorily
toward completion of a major are considered in good academic standing.
Freshmen
and new transfer students with fewer than twenty-four hours of transfer
credit are expected to pass a minimum of ten credit hours in each
of the first two semesters of enrollment; all other students are
expected to pass a minimum of twelve credit hours in every semester
of enrollment. Seniors in their final semester need enroll only
for the number of credit hours they need to complete their graduation
requirement (see "Enrollment Part Time" below).
The
following courses of action are available to the Committee for cases
where a student fails to achieve good academic standing.
Academic Warning. An academic warning will be given to students
who receive C+, C, or C- in their principal private or composition
study, or who receive a majority of unsatisfactory grades on the
First Major Committee Examination.
Academic Probation. A student who fails to pass the minimum
number of credit hours will normally be placed on academic probation.
A student will be removed from probation when, in the subsequent
semester, the minimum number of credit hours is earned.
Denial of Continuation in a Major. Students who receive a No
Entry in their principal applied or composition study in any semester,
or who receive a C+, C, or C in two consecutive semesters,
will not be permitted to continue in that major without the permission
of the department concerned.
Students
who receive a No Entry two consecutive semesters in their principal
applied or composition study, or who receive a majority of unsatisfactory
grades in the Second Major Private Study Committee Examination,
are not permitted to continue in that major.
Suspension. A student who fails to pass the minimum number of
credit hours and who was on academic probation in any previous semester
is normally suspended for one or two semesters; in cases of extenuating
circumstances, the Committee may elect to place the student on academic
probation a second time. A student who has been suspended for one
or two semesters, by action of the Academic Standing Committee,
may appeal this decision in writing to the Dean of the Conservatory.
Readmission from Suspension. Reinstatement to the Conservatory
following suspension is petitioned through the Registrar's office.
Students who have been suspended are normally required to submit
a record of successfully completed course work at another institution
prior to readmission.
Required Withdrawal (Dismissal). A student who has previously
been on academic probation or suspension and who fails to maintain
good academic standing may be required to withdraw permanently from
the Conservatory. The student may appeal this decision, in writing,
to the Dean of the Conservatory.
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Enrollment
Enrollment
Deadline for Conservatory Students. A Conservatory student who
wishes to enroll later than the official deadline set by the Office
of the Registrar must have the approval of his/her Conservatory
advisor(s), division director, and the Assistant Dean. Students
will not be allowed to enroll later than the last day of the Add/Drop
period (usually two weeks into the semester). In order to receive
special permission to enroll later than the end of the Add/Drop
period, students must present evidence of a sound musical or educational
reason for late enrollment.
Enrollment Status. A student's class is determined by the number
of credit hours earned toward graduation. For Conservatory B.Mus.
students it is as follows:
Class Credit Hours
Freshman 0-23.99
Sophomore 24-56.99
Junior 57-89.99
Senior 90-124.00
5th-Year 124-152.00
(double-degree students)
124-155.00
(graduate students)
Enrollment Full Time. For students in the B.Mus. and Performance
Diploma programs, carrying a course load between 12 and 17 hours
constitutes full-time enrollment in the Conservatory. A full-time
schedule of 15-16 hours is considered normal; this schedule permits
a student to complete the 124 hours required for graduation in eight
semesters. For students in the Artist Diploma program, a course
load of six hours constitutes full-time enrollment in the Conservatory.
For students in the Master of Music program in Historical Performance,
a course load of nine to twelve hours constitutes full-time enrollment
in the Conservatory.
Students
wishing to carry more than seventeen credit hours may do so if they
have previously demonstrated the ability to carry heavy loads successfully,
and if they have the approval of their principal advisor as well
as that of the Assistant Dean in the Conservatory. Students taking
more than seventeen credit hours will be charged extra tuition.
(See "Tuition" in the "Expenses" section at the beginning of the
catalog.)
Enrollment Part Time. For students in the B.Mus. and Performance
Diploma programs, carrying a course load under twelve credit hours
constitutes part-time enrollment. Ordinarily part-time status is
permitted only in cases of second-semester seniors requiring fewer
than twelve hours to graduate, or in cases where medical circumstances
dictate a smaller than normal load.
Approval of part-time course loads in the Conservatory is given
by the Assistant Dean.
Students receiving financial aid who contemplate requesting part-time
status should discuss with the Office of Financial Aid how this
might affect their eligibility for aid.
A student enrolled part time is charged tuition at a per-credit-hour
rate; in addition, for applied study or composition study beyond
the authorized maximum, extra tuition will be charged. (See "Tuition"
in the "Expenses" section at the beginning of the catalog.)
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Grading
General.
Two grading options are offered: letter grades, or Credit/No Entry.
Subject to limitations stated below, students may choose which grading
option he or she wishes to have apply for one or more courses.
Letter Grades. The grades recorded and their equivalents in
quality points (used in computing grade-point averages) are listed
here:
| A+ |
A |
A |
B+ |
B |
B |
C+ |
C |
C |
No |
| 4.33 |
4.00 |
3.67 |
3.33 |
3.00 |
2.67 |
2.33 |
2.00 |
1.67 |
Entry |
Quality Points. To obtain the quality points earned in a course,
multiply the numerical equivalent of the grade by the number of
hours for which the course was taken.
Grade-Point Average. This is computed by dividing the total
quality points by the total number of hours for which letter grades
are recorded.
Credit/No Entry. To exercise the Credit/No Entry option, students
must file a card, signed by the principal advisor, in the Registrar's
office no later than the twenty-eighth calendar day of the semester
for semester-long courses, or by the fourteenth calendar day for
a module course. Once the deadline has passed no change in the grading
option may be made.
All
passing work (work otherwise graded A+ to C) is given the
uniform grade CR (Credit). Work below C is considered not
passing, and is given a grade of NE (No Entry). A student electing
a course for Credit/No Entry may not later request a grade equivalent.
Limitations on Grading Options. 1) Conservatory majors will
be allowed to register for Introduction to Music Theory, Music Theory
I-IV, Introduction to Aural Skills, Aural Skills I-IV, Introduction
to the History and Literature of Music, and any class which is taken
to satisfy a requirement in secondary applied study for letter grades
only; 2) students who must take Aural Skills V to meet their degree
requirements will be allowed to register for a letter grade only;
3) all private applied study taught by faculty and all composition
instruction are offered for letter grades only; 4) voice lessons
with supervised student teachers are offered for Credit/No Entry
grading only; 5) small ensembles are only offered for Credit/No
Entry at the discretion of the individual coach; 6) Oberlin Orchestra,
Oberlin Chamber Orchestra, Oberlin Wind Ensemble and Contemporary
Music Ensemble are offered for letter grades only.
No Entry. Whether a course is taken for a letter grade or Credit/No
Entry, work below a C level is considered not passing, and
no entry is made on the student's permanent record. Thus, if a student
does not pass a course, there is no indication on the official transcript
that the course had been attempted.
Incomplete Grades. An incomplete grade is given only for satisfactory
course work which cannot be completed by the end of the semester.
Normally such approval is given only for reasons of illness or personal
or family emergencies. Normally the missing work must be completed
within three weeks after the end of the semester.
Incompletes
in Conservatory courses are granted by the faculty member involved,
with the final approval of the Assistant Dean, regardless of the
division in which the student is enrolled.
During
his or her time at Oberlin a Conservatory student may have up to
two incompletes in Arts and Sciences courses authorized by a course
instructor for educational reasons.
No
incomplete grade will be given in private study or ensemble participation.
Grade Reports. Semester grade reports are available to students
via the World Wide Web. Paper copies of the grade reports are not
printed as a matter of course, but students who need such copies
may make arrangements with the office of the Registrar to obtain
them. Federal law prohibits student grade reports from being sent
to parents unless the student signs a form releasing this information.
If a student opts to release grades to his or her parents, either
the student or the parents must request a copy of the grades each
semester from the office of the Registrar.
Committee Exams. A copy of the faculty evaluations of a student's
departmental hearing and committee exam each semester is made available
to him or her within a few days of the committee performance.
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Major
Study
General.
Students in a Conservatory degree program are required to pursue
full time one or more Conservatory majors in every semester of enrollment,
and are expected to work toward completion of the requirements of
a major at a rate suggested by the recommended distribution of major
requirements shown for each Conservatory major. Recommendations
regarding major study are somewhat different for double-degree students,
and are described in the double-degree section of this catalog.
Major Requirements. Requirements for each major are described
in this catalog each year. Conservatory students must complete the
requirements for their Conservatory major which were in effect upon
entering Oberlin. Should the requirements for a major change while
a student is enrolled, the student may elect to follow the requirements
in effect when entering Oberlin or those in effect in any subsequent
year. However, the student must elect to follow a complete set of
requirements in effect in one of these years.
When
determining whether a Conservatory student has completed requirements
for a major, the Registrar assumes that the student is following
requirements described in the course catalog for the year the student
entered Oberlin; if the student elects to follow requirements of
another catalog, he or she must notify the Registrar of this intent.
For students who have withdrawn from Oberlin for more than four
semesters and who wish to return to complete a major, the requirements
in effect at the time the student reenters Oberlin, or in any subsequent
year of enrollment, are those which must be followed.
The regulations governing major requirements for double-degree students
are somewhat different, and are described in the double-degree section
of this catalog.
Change of Major. Requests for change of major or for addition
of a second major are initiated in the Office of the Associate Dean
in the Conservatory.
Changes
to a different Performance major, or the addition of a second Performance
major, involve an audition before a committee of the department
of the new major, arranged by the Conservatory Admissions Office.
Changes involving majors other than Performance involve an interview
with the appropriate division director.
If a student is denied continuation in a major by action of the
Academic Standing Committee, he or she is permitted to enroll for
the following semester without a major for the purpose of finding
a new major; more than one semester of enrollment without a major
is not permitted.
Major Status. In addition to Enrollment Status, which is a
function of the number of credit hours completed toward graduation,
the Conservatory also recognizes Major Status, a function of the
number of requirements for a major a student has completed in
a given semester. Major Status for each major is defined in the
section of the catalog where that major is described.
Minor
Study
General.
Minors are offered in music education, music history, community
music, piano pedagogy, music theory, ethnomusicology, composition,
and in the following performance areas: piano, organ, voice, trumpet,
horn, trombone, tuba, harpsichord, fortepiano, recorder, Baroque
flute, Baroque oboe, Baroque violin, and Baroque cello/viola da
gamba.
To
be eligible for a minor, a student must be a degree student in the
Conservatory. If a student is admitted to a minor program which
did not exist in the year of the catalog that governs his or her
major requirements, he or she will follow the requirements for a
minor in a subsequent catalog.
The
specific requirements for each minor are described below along with
the description of requirements for each major.
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Transfer
of Credit
The
Conservatory permits music credit earned at accredited collegiate
institutions to be applied toward the B.Mus. degree provided the
following two criteria are satisfied:
1. The student has done C-level work or better.
2.
The course work falls within the scope of a Conservatory curriculum.
Music credit which meets these qualifications will be transferred
by the Registrar in accordance with specifications outlined below.
In cases where the eligibility of a particular course is unclear,
the final decision is made by the appropriate Conservatory division
director or other designated faculty member. Refer also to the section
"Transfer of Credit" in the College of Arts and Sciences portion
of this catalog.
Transferred music course work does not count toward fulfilling requirements
in the student's major unless it is approved by the appropriate
Conservatory division director(s), the Assistant Dean, and is forwarded
to the Office of the Registrar. Work not approved in this way
will count only as music-elective or free-elective credit toward
the B.Mus. degree.
The following policies govern all transfer credit in music:
The maximum amount of transfer credit granted normally will not
exceed the amount of credit a student would receive at Oberlin were
such work taken on campus. When determining amounts of credit for
private lessons or ensemble work, the divisional faculty evaluates
the work in comparison with Oberlin's expectations in terms of repertoire,
progress, and instructional time.
Credit is usually granted only for work taken after the student
matriculated in college, except for advanced placement (AP) credit
administered by the College Board, as outlined below. For advanced
credit earned prior to matriculation in college, see below.
For Conservatory and double-degree students, transfer credit from
other institutions is limited to 17 hours per semester or 34 credits
per academic year.
Oberlin will not grant more than 30 semester hours credit for work
(including Advanced placement credit and credit for work done in
"thirteenth year" programs such as the International Baccalaureate
and French Baccalaureate programs) done before a student has matriculated
in a college program.
A student on personal-leave-of-absence from Oberlin may transfer
no more than six semester hours for each semester or four semester
hours for each quarter or trimester of leave.
Students withdrawing from Oberlin may not transfer credit for courses
taken at other institutions unless an appropriate office of Oberlin
College has required or recommended that work be taken elsewhere.
After enrolling at Oberlin to begin undergraduate work, students
may transfer up to 36 credits toward a degree.
Transfer students may apply up to 62 semester hours from other institutions
toward the 124 required for the B.Mus. degree.
One credit of work taken at an institution operating on the quarter
system is equivalent to 2/3 semester hour credit at Oberlin.
Students who wish to pursue language study at another institution
to fulfill a Conservatory requirement should seek approval from
the appropriate divisional faculty member.
Time Limits. Currently enrolled students may not transfer credit
for courses completed more than one calendar year before the date
of the request for transfer of credit.
New or transfer students have a time limit of one calendar year
from their date of entry into Oberlin to request transfer of credit,
Advanced Placement, or International Baccalaureate credit and to
have appropriate documentation received by Oberlin.
Course Work. All Conservatory majors and College of Arts and
Sciences music majors require completion of the music theory sequence
through Music Theory IV and Aural Skills IV or V (depending upon
initial placement), as well as course work in music history beginning
with Introduction to the History and Literature of Music. Students
must begin course work in music theory and music history at the
introductory level unless they demonstrate proficiency beyond that
level by passing placement examinations. Placement examinations
are administered in music theory and in music history during the
fall Orientation period. Once the student has begun work in these
divisions at Oberlin, course work taken elsewhere (during the summer
or a semester away) must be approved in advance by the appropriate
division director.
Overall, any course work specifically required for the student's
major--e.g., secondary piano, language diction for singers, or music
education course work--must be approved by the division director
or other designated faculty member in whose division the course
would be offered at Oberlin.
Private-Lesson Credit. Students wishing to transfer private-lesson
credit toward their major requirements must perform an audition
for the appropriate department. In the case of new transfer students,
the department will assign each student an appropriate level that
describes progress toward the typical eight semesters of principal
applied study. The audition should take place no later than the
fourth week of enrollment.
Students already enrolled at Oberlin who wish to take private lessons
during the summer or while on an extended leave from the campus
must secure the approval of their private study teacher prior to
the commencement of the lessons. A form for this purpose may be
obtained from the Office of the Associate Dean in the Conservatory.
When study is done in a private studio or summer program for which
there is no official transcript, the form described above, filled
out and signed by the teacher, must be presented when credit is
sought. A letter from the teacher may be presented in place of the
form. This form or letter must include the number of lessons, their
length, and the repertoire covered. It ultimately is submitted to
the Registrar.
Ensemble Credit. All ensemble requirements must be fulfilled
at Oberlin. Transferred ensemble credit counts only as elective
work. To receive credit for ensemble work done in summer programs
for which there is no official transcript, students must provide
a letter or other documentation from the program that describes
the duration of the session, the number and length of rehearsals,
the repertoire studied and performed, and, in the case of chamber
music ensembles, the amount of coached and uncoached rehearsal time.
Forms for transferring ensemble credit are available in the Office
of the Associate Dean in the Conservatory. Students must present
this form, along with the documentation, to the appropriate division
director. Normally, only one credit is granted per ensemble for
summer work. No transfer credit is granted for work done in a professional
group for which the student has been reimbursed.
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Advanced
Credit
General.
Credit for study completed prior to matriculation at Oberlin College
or at another college may be granted under the following guidelines.
Private Applied and Composition Study. No credit in private
applied composition study is granted for work completed before the
student has matriculated at Oberlin College or another college.
Eligibility
for exemption from a required secondary private applied study will
be established by audition when secondary auditions are held during
the first day of classes each semester.
Music Class Work. Credit toward an Oberlin College degree for
music class study completed prior to matriculation at Oberlin College
is usually granted only under the Advanced Placement program, administered
by the College Board. For students matriculating at Oberlin College
in August 1993 or later, Oberlin College will grant credit for non-performance
music courses taken while enrolled in high school, for which credit
appears on the transcript of an accredited college or university.
Transfer credit for acceptable music history or music theory courses
will count toward the major only upon successful completion of the
Oberlin Conservatory music history or music theory placement tests,
as appropriate. The number of transfer credits awarded will not
be greater than the actual number of credits completed at the other
institution.
If the required scores on these placement tests are not achieved,
transfer credits will count only as electives. Other non-performance
courses may also be counted as elective credit, on approval of the
appropriate Conservatory department and the Assistant Dean.
A Conservatory or Arts and Sciences student is granted credit for
Advanced Placement Examinations in Music Theory on the following
basis: 1) the student scored a four or five on the examination,
2) the credit granted is three hours, 3) the credit is entered on
the transcript as "AP-Music Theory," 4) the credit may be counted
only as free elective credit toward requirements for majors leading
toward Conservatory degrees.
Eligibility for advanced standing in a music course may also be
established when a student enters Oberlin. While no credit toward
an Oberlin degree is granted, a student may, by this means, be eligible
to enter an advanced course, or may have a requirement waived.
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Student
Solo Concerts and Recitals
General.
Scheduling of all student solo concerts and recitals is through
the Concert Production Office.
All
recitals will be scheduled to occur before the beginning of the
reading period of each semester. Requests for rescheduling must
have the approval of the appropriate principal applied teacher.
Concerts
are scheduled Tuesdays through Fridays at 4:30, 6:30, and 8:00 p.m.,
and on Saturdays and Sundays at 1:30, 3:00, 4:30, 6:30, and 8:00
p.m. No concerts are scheduled on Mondays.
Honors Recital Series. A series of four concerts are scheduled
each year, two each semester. Performers are chosen by the divisional
faculties. The series is intended to acquaint the entire student
body with the highest standard of student performance. Attendance
at three Honors Recitals is recommended.
Senior Recitals. For the fall semester and for the January Winter
Term, required senior recitals are scheduled upon request in the
order received, beginning the previous May.
For the spring semester, required senior recitals are scheduled
by lottery; requests for spring semester senior recitals must be
received in the Concert Production Office by 4:30 p.m. on the last
weekday prior to fall break to be included in the lottery. A maximum
of one hour and twenty minutes, including intermission, will be
allotted to each senior recital.
Students not majoring in Performance or Composition may, with the
approval of their private applied or composition study teacher,
give a non-required senior recital. Two previous appearances on
departmental or studio recitals, or honors recitals, are required.
Students must register for private study in the semester during
which they are to give the senior recital. Students who complete
all of the requirements for graduation in December of a given year
with the exception of their senior recital or who are eligible to
enroll part-time in their final semester, and who wish to continue
their private study and perform their senior recital during the
subsequent semester, must register for a minimum of two credit hours
of applied study at the credit hour rate in effect during that academic
year.
Late Senior Recitals. Students are expected to perform their
senior recital during the last semester of enrollment at the latest.
Students who need to give their senior recital beyond the last semester
of enrollment must do so on campus during a subsequent period when
the Conservatory is in session, either a fall or spring semester,
or during a Conservatory summer school session. They must register
for hourly private study lessons during the period of time leading
up to the recital unless the recital is given during the first two
weeks of the semester following the final semester of enrollment.
Junior Recitals. Students presenting a junior recital in December
or during the second semester are required to share a program; a
maximum of 35 minutes performing time is allowed for each student.
Non-shared recitals occurring before Thanksgiving or during Winter
Term are not subject to the 35-minute maximum, but may not exceed
70 minutes total hall time. For the fall semester and for the January
Winter Term, junior recitals are scheduled upon request in the order
received, beginning the previous May. For the spring semester, junior
recitals are scheduled by lottery; requests for spring semester
junior recital dates must be received in the Concert Production
Office by 4:30 p.m. on the last weekday prior to fall break, to
be included in the lottery.
Division Recitals. Division and studio recitals may be scheduled
by divisions and studios in Kulas Recital Hall or Warner Concert
Hall at any available time, using the regular weekly sign-up procedure.
Long-term advance scheduling of these events is also possible
through the Concert Production Office.
Recording. All Junior Recitals, all required and non-required
Senior Recitals, and all Honors Recitals will be recorded by the
Conservatory Audio Department. High quality cassette recording
units installed in Kulas Recital Hall and Warner Concert Hall
may be used to provide recordings of performances in division
and studio recitals.
Concert Recording. All concerts by Oberlin Conservatory organizations
are recorded. These recordings are available for class work and
private listening. Oberlin Conservatory reserves the right to
use these recordings to promote the school and raise money for
the scholarship fund. All students who participate in performances
and recordings release Oberlin Conservatory from any obligation,
financial or otherwise.
Programs. Printed programs for junior recitals, for required
and non-required senior recitals, and for honors recitals will
be provided by the Conservatory; copy for these programs must
be submitted to the Concert Production Office at least one week
before the recital date.
Programs for division and studio recitals will be typed and copied
by the Applied Studies administrative assistant; these programs
must be submitted at least three working days prior to the recital
date.
Other. Ushers and stage crews will be provided for all degree-required
recitals and concerts except division and studio recitals.
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Miscellaneous
Information
Auditing.
Students may audit courses with a lecture or modified lecture format,
with the consent of the instructor. Auditing of courses where emphasis
is on student participation and skill development (e.g., private
applied or composition instruction, ensembles, aural skills courses)
is not permitted.
Private Reading. For students enrolled in Oberlin degree programs
who wish to study individually and in-depth a topic not covered
in the regular curriculum, the option of a one-to-one tutorial is
available. This work is at an advanced level in a specific field
and is coordinated with a member of the faculty who has agreed to
supervise the study, and who possesses expertise in the area in
which the private reading is being undertaken.
Approval for a private reading course depends on the following conditions:
1. The student shall have completed the basic courses pertinent
to the subject matter of the private reading. As a rule, only juniors
and seniors are eligible to undertake private reading courses.
2 . The subject matter of the private reading course may not duplicate
the work of a regular course.
3. The student is limited to one private reading course per semester
for no more than three credit hours.
4. Private applied and composition study lessons, ensemble playing,
other forms of musical performance, and work in elementary and intermediate
aural skills may not count as a private reading course.
5. Normally, the faculty supervisor for a private reading course
should be a faculty member other than a student's own applied or
composition study teacher.
6. Approval for a private reading course must be given by the student's
advisor, the faculty member supervising the project, and the Assistant
Dean in the Conservatory.
Studio Change Policy. Any student in a multi-studio department
who wishes to request a change of studio must first schedule an
appointment with the Assistant Dean in the Conservatory to discuss
the rationale for such a request. If a possible change seems warranted,
the Assistant Dean will request that the student meet with the current
teacher to attempt to resolve any conflicts, and, if both the student
and teacher agree that the teaching relationship cannot continue,
the teacher will sign the change of studio form. The student will
take the signed form to the Office of the Associate Dean. The Assistant
Dean will make every attempt to place the student in another studio
on a space-available basis. Students should not approach another
faculty member with a request to change into his or her studio until
the above steps have been taken. Normally, studio changes take effect
only at the beginning of a semester. Studio Change Requests for
the fall semester must be made by June 1.
Supervised Student Teaching Program. Each semester a number
of students are recommended by their private study teachers to participate
in this program. Students selected give private instruction to Conservatory
and Arts and Sciences students who have been approved following
an audition for secondary private study. The Associate Dean in the
Conservatory administers the program in consultation with the Applied
Studies administrative assistant. The work of the student teacher
is closely supervised by his or her own private study teacher or
an appointed faculty member. The student teacher receives a remuneration
of $7.00 per weekly half-hour lesson.
Student teachers of piano are required to have completed or be currently
enrolled in APST 210 (Intermediate Piano Pedagogy).
The faculty supervisor is expected to meet with his or her student
teachers and the students assigned to them during the first two
weeks of the semester. After hearing students perform, the faculty
supervisor discusses with them and their student teachers what goals
might be realistic for the semester's work.
The faculty supervisor is expected to hear the students assigned
to student teachers in his or her studio at least once later in
the semester. This hearing may take the form of an appearance in
the regularly scheduled studio class or in a special meeting with
students and student teachers.
At the close of the semester, students and student teachers meet
with the faculty supervisor to perform some material prepared during
the course of the semester. This would logically take place during
the examination period.
Grades are assigned by the student teacher in consultation with
the faculty supervisor. Voice lessons with student teachers are
offered for Credit/No Entry grading only.
Approved Student Teaching Program. The Applied Studies administrative
assistant maintains a list of students recommended by their private
study teacher as qualified to give instruction in voice or on their
instrument. These students are authorized to give private instruction
to interested Conservatory and Arts and Sciences students, as well
as individuals not connected with Oberlin College, using Conservatory
facilities in Robertson Hall.
No credit is offered for such study. The remuneration, paid directly
to the student teacher, is $7.00 per half hour. This rate must be
charged and may not be exceeded.
Student Teaching. Only students in the Supervised Student Teaching
program or the Approved Student Teaching program are permitted to
give instruction using Conservatory facilities.
Extracurricular Performances. Before engaging in any extracurricular
performances a student must secure permission from his or her principal
advisor. This rule applies to all solo performances, special ensemble
work, and accompaniments within the Conservatory as well as outside
activities.
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Summer
Programs
Oberlin
Summer School. The Conservatory offers both a six- and an eight-week
session of private applied study on a limited number of instruments.
Credit for such work is granted only to students who have completed
high school.
Six-week session -- May 27 to July 5
3 credits 2
hours of lessons per week
2 credits 1-1/2
hours of lessons per week
1 credit 45
minutes of lessons per week
Eight-week session -- May 27 to July 19
4 credits 2
hours of lessons per week
3 credits 1-1/2
hours of lessons per week
2 credits 1
hour of lessons per week
Tuition for the summer session is $515 per credit hour. Application
and $25 registration deposit are due at the Office of the Registrar
by May 17, 2002. For further information and application forms,
contact the Office of the Associate Dean, Oberlin College Conservatory
of Music, 77 West College Street, Oberlin, OH 44074. Phone (440)
775-8293.
Summer Programs. The Conservatory offers a series of workshops
and institutes which provide high-school and college students, teachers,
and accomplished amateurs with an exceptional opportunity to develop
performance and teaching skills, expand repertoire, build technique
and generally enjoy music-making and performances in a supportive
and collegial atmosphere. Participants will study with members of
the Conservatory's distinguished resident and guest faculty and
will have full use of the Conservatory's exceptional facilities.
In addition, participants may be eligible to receive college credit.
Previous workshops and institutes have included the following:
Oberlin at Cassalmaggiore, Italy (Taras Gabora, Director)
Strings
and Piano in the Classical Era (David Breitman, Marilyn McDonald,
and Kenneth Slowik)
Workshops
in Electronic and Computer Music (Gary Lee Nelson, Director)
Oberlin
Flute Institute (Michel Debost, Director)
Baroque
Performance Institute (Kenneth Slowik, Director)
Oberlin
in Italy (Daune Mahy, Director)
Oberlin
Percussion Institute (Michael Rosen, Director)
Institute
of Voice Performance Pedagogy (Richard Miller, Director)
Vocal Academy
for High-School Students (Daune Mahy and Gerald Crawford, Co-Directors)
Oberlin
Piano Festival and Competition (Robert Shannon, Director)
For
a brochure and information on current workshops and institutes contact
the Office for Outreach Programs, Oberlin Conservatory of Music,
77 West College Street, Oberlin, OH 44074. Phone: (440) 775-8044.
Website address: www.oberlin.edu/con/summer.
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