General. The Conducting major is a two-year curriculum with
rigorous demands. Only candidates possessing a strong background
and broad combination of skills should audition. Students who wish
to apply for the instrumental or choral conducting program must
identify themselves to the conducting department faculty during
the freshman year. Students are required to audition for admission
to the degree program at the end of the junior year. The audition
will include conducting a self-recruited and a self-prepared ensemble,
an interview with the conducting committee, and a diagnostic examination
which will consist of sight singing, aural skills, score reading
and score playing at the keyboard, knowledge of historical style
periods, and theoretical analysis.
Prerequisites. Students applying for the instrumental or
choral conducting program must have satisfied the following prerequisites
for admission:
MUTH 301 (Aural Skills V)
Proficiency in piano
Fifteen hours of Music Theory
Twelve hours of Music History
APST 350, 351, or 360, 361 (Advanced Instrumental or Choral Conducting)
At the time students are auditioned for the conducting major, they
must be a) currently enrolled in good academic standing as an Oberlin
student, b) maintaining a minimum of a 3.0 GPA, and c) successfully
completing three years of any of the following undergraduate degree
programs at the Oberlin Conservatory: performance, music education,
composition, electronic and computer music, or music history. It
is understood that students will probably have to extend the bachelor's
degree program so that both degrees will be completed at the end
of five years.
Non-Course Requirement. Graduate Listening Exam. For more
information see "Graduate Listening Exam" under Graduate
Programs in this catalog.
Comprehensive Examination. A comprehensive final examination,
both written and oral, is required in the final month of study.
The examination will be administered by a committee convened by
the student with the consent of his or her advisor.
Instrumental Conducting Program
Steven Smith, Associate Professor of Conducting; Music Director
of the Oberlin Orchestras
Course
Requirements
Recommended
Course Distribution
Hrs.
Fresh
Soph
Junior
Senior
5th
Year
4
APST
350, 351 or 360, 361 (Advanced Instrumental or Choral Cond)
-
-
-
-
2
2
-
-
-
-
2
APST
214 (Keyboard Skills I)
-
-
-
-
-
-
2
-
-
-
2
APST
240 (Continuo Realization)
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
2
-
-
15
Music
Theory electives
3
3
3
3
3
-
-
-
-
-
3
MUTH
370 (Music of Twentieth Century)
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
3
-
13
Music
History electives
4
3
3
3
-
-
-
-
-
-
10
Language
electives1
-
-
-
-
5
5
-
-
-
-
75
Undergraduate
major and electives
8
10
9
10
5
9
4
5
6
9
124
Undergraduate
Credits
15
16
15
16
15
16
6
7
9
9
8G
APST
450, 451 (Orch Cond Sem)
-
-
-
-
-
-
4
4
-
-
8G
APST
550, 551 (Orch Cond Sem)
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
4
4
4G
COMP
300, 331 (Orchestration)
-
-
-
-
-
-
2
2
-
-
6G
MLIT
300, 301 (Surv Orch/ Choral Lit)
-
-
-
-
-
-
3
3
-
-
5G
Graduate
electives2
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
2
3
31G
Graduate Credits
-
-
-
-
-
-
9
9
6
7
155
Credits
required for graduation
15
16
15
16
15
16
15
16
15
16
(G = Graduate credit)
1 One year of French, German, or Italian is required. It is recommended
that a second year of one language be taken.
2 To be selected from advanced Music Theory or Music History
courses, or graduate-level Private Applied or Private Composition
Study.
Choral Conducting Program
Hugh Floyd, Associate Professor of Choral Conducting
Course
Requirements
Recommended
Course Distribution
Hrs.
Fresh
Soph
Junior
Senior
5th
Year
4
APST
360, 361 (Advanced or Choral Cond)
-
-
-
-
2
2
-
-
-
-
2
APST
214 (Keyboard Skills I)
-
-
-
-
-
-
2
-
-
-
2
APST
240 (Continuo Realization)
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
2
-
-
15
Music
Theory electives
3
3
3
3
3
-
-
-
-
-
3
MUTH
370 (Music of Twentieth Century)
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
3
-
13
Music
History electives
4
3
3
3
-
-
-
-
-
-
10
Language
electives1
-
-
-
-
5
5
-
-
-
-
75
Undergraduate
major and electives
8
10
9
10
6
8
4
5
6
9
124
Undergraduate
Credits
15
16
15
16
15
16
6
7
9
9
8G
APST
460, 461 (Choral Cond Sem)
-
-
-
-
-
-
4
4
-
-
8G
APST
560, 561 (Choral Cond Sem)
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
4
4
4G
COMP
300, 331 (Orchestration)
-
-
-
-
-
-
2
2
-
-
6G
MLIT
300, 301 (Surv Orch/ Choral Lit)
-
-
-
-
-
-
3
3
-
-
5G
Graduate
electives2
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
3
2
31G
Graduate
Credits
-
-
-
-
-
-
9
9
7
6
155
Credits
required for graduation
15
16
15
16
16
15
15
16
16
15
(G = Graduate credit)
1 One year of French, German, or Italian is required. It is recommended
that a second year of one language be taken. 2 To be selected from upper-division Music Theory or Music History
courses, or graduate-level Private Applied or Private Composition
Study.