Observer, Volume 16, Number 18, Thursday May 25 1995


Conservatory: More than 1,000 applied

by Michael Manderen

Conservatory admissions has again had an excellent year. Judging by the audition ratings made by our own conservatory faculty and our new students' success in gaining admission to virtually every other highly selective conservatory and school of music in the country, this class is outstanding. Selected from the largest pool of conservatory applicants in history--1,009--the incoming group of students meets the needs of nearly all our studios, performing ensembles, and programs.

We admitted only 342 of the applicants in our very large pool--34 percent. In admission auditions the faculty gave 4-plus, five, or five-plus (the highest possible) scores to 80 of the 139 new students--58 percent, a significant increase over the last two years. In 1994, 47 percent of the entering students had scores at this level; in 1993, 36 percent.

The new student group contains 127 first-year bachelor's degree students, 16 transfers, seven performance or artist-diploma students, two historical-performance graduate students, and one visiting student. These add up to 113 percent of our conservatory new-student enrollment target. I am confident that the class will be among the best we have ever enrolled. We have yet to hear from 58 admitted applicants.

Planning ahead

Our plans for the 1995-96 conservatory admissions year include six on-campus audition weekends between November and early March. As in previous years, I will travel in early fall to five Asian countries to meet with and conduct auditions for students interested in studying music in the United States.

Oberlin will be represented at most of the 1995 performing and visual-art college fairs scheduled in 26 cities across the United States between late September and mid-November. Sponsored by the National Association of Admissions Counselors, the fairs are for college and college-bound students interested in music, dance, and theater. These students meet with representatives from colleges, universities, conservatories, festivals, and other educational institutions to learn about educational and career opportunities, financial aid, and audition and entrance requirements. In January and February 1996 we will go to 21 regional audition sites across the United States, where we will make video- and audiotapes of prospective students' performances for later faculty review.

Michael Manderen is director of conservatory admissions.


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