Violin: David Bowlin Gregory Fulkerson Andrew Jennings Marilyn McDonald Milan Vitek Viola: Peter Slowik, Director Karen Ritscher Violoncello: Amir Eldan Catharina Meints Darrett Adkins Double Bass: Scott Haigh Thomas Sperl Jazz Bass: Peter Dominguez Harp: Yolanda Kondonassis Classical Guitar: Stephen Aron Oberlin String Quartet • Audition Requirements -Prima Trio Wins Coveted Grand Prize (the Gold Medal, too) at 2007 Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition - Cellist Paul Dwyer ’08 Named Javits Fellow   -The Erato Quartet Wins Coleman Chamber Ensemble Competition -Conservatory Violinist Receives Prestigious Instrument		The Oberlin String Quartet Photo by John Seyfried CURRICULA The string curriculum aims to develop students' talents to the highest musical and professional levels. String students have been enormously successful in the musical world. Some hold positions in major orchestras and chamber ensembles, while others teach in music schools, universities, and conservatories around the world. String music-education graduates are employed in school music programs around the country. The curriculum is centered on the broad experience of the faculty. All are current or former members of professional chamber ensembles with extensive performing and recording credits, both as ensemble members and soloists. Through private lessons, faculty members offer rigorous instruction tailored to the needs of each student. Students are required to take six semesters of chamber music with a faculty coach, and many take additional semesters. The Advanced Quartet Seminar, which focuses on a different composer each semester, offers more concentrated work. Additional chamber opportunities are available during winter term, when the department offers the Intensive Quartet Seminar. Designed to accelerate students' grasp of standard quartet repertoire and rehearsal techniques, this seminar includes four hours of rehearsal each day. The winter-term seminar involves both Oberlin faculty members and distinguished guests. Catherine Barrett '00 in performance with the Oberlin Orchestra. Orchestral skills are developed through excerpt classes taught by faculty members who are experienced orchestral musicians and through participation in one or both of the student orchestras. Both orchestras rehearse six hours per week and perform concerts every three to four weeks. This schedule exposes students to a broad orchestral repertoire and provides excellent preprofessional training. Because Oberlin has no junior orchestra, first-year students perform alongside experienced players. The relatively small requirement of six semesters of orchestra participation for violinists, violists, and cellists gives these students the scheduling flexibility they need to devote attention to perfecting instrumental technique or audition repertoire. Students who wish to teach can gain experience through Oberlin's supervised student teaching program, in which Conservatory students teach other students (both College and Conservatory). A pedagogy course is also offered to help students prepare for teaching. After taking the pedagogy course, students may teach in the string preparatory program, which includes private lessons to area elementary-school students and group classes. The classical guitar major, incorporated into the string program in 1992, emphasizes the full range of chamber literature. In addition to primary study on classical guitar, instruction is available on lute, early guitar, and jazz guitar. The program offers numerous performance opportunities, as well as seminars that address resume preparation and other job-related issues. The major is supported by an extensive collection of guitar scores and recordings in the Conservatory Library and many faculty and guest recitals and master classes. PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITIES Performance opportunities include studio classes department recitals chamber music recitals individual student recitals in the junior and senior years orchestral and solo performances Seniors compete in the annual Concerto Competition; winners perform as soloists with the Oberlin Orchestra and the Oberlin Chamber Orchestra. numerous chamber music ensembles specialized chamber ensembles exist for harp and guitar students. opportunities outside the Conservatory. Members of the Colorado String Quintet during a 1999 Oberlin residency. GUEST PERFORMERS String students benefit from a varied program of master classes, guest recitals, and guest residencies by master musicians. The Colorado Quartet was in residence for the 1998-99 school year, coaching chamber music, giving master classes, and performing. Recent master classes and workshops are violinists Felix Galimir, Midori, Yfrah Neaman, and Sylvia Rosenberg; violists Karen Tuttle, Donald McInnes, and Heidi Castleman; cellists Janos Starker, George Neikrug and Anner Bylsma; guitarists Benjamin Verdery, David Russell, and Ricardo Iznaola; bassists Michael Leiter, James VanDemark and Max Dimoff; and string pedagogy expert John Kendall. Recent guest conductors have included Marin Alsop, music director of the Colorado Symphony and Catherine Comet, music director of the Grand Rapids Symphony. ARTIST RECITAL SERIES Oberlin's Artist Recital Series regularly presents internationally acclaimed string players. Recent concerts have featured guitarists Sharon Isbin and Eliot Fisk; violinists Elmar Oliveira, Joshua Bell and Midori; and the Colorado Quartet, the Emerson String Quartet, the Kronos Quartet, the Juilliard String Quartet, the Lydian String Quartet, and the Turtle Island String Quartet. The Cleveland Orchestra regularly performs in the Artist Recital Series. Many who come to campus to perform Artist Recitals also give master classes. ACCOLADES Oberlin's string students excel in competitions. In recent years Oberlin violinists won the 1994 Tchaikovsky Competition, the 1995 Menuhin Competition, the 1995 Henryk Szeryng Violin Competition, the 1995 Locatelli Competition, and the 2001 Coleman Chamber Music Competition. Viola students won first prize in the 1995 Irving Klein Competition, the 1989, 1991, 1995, and 1997 Primrose Memorial Scholarship Competitions, and the 1990, 1992, and 1998 ASTA Solo Competitions. Guitar students have won prizes in the Guitar Foundation of America Competition, the ASTA Solo Competition, and the GOLD Competition.