Musical Studies

Applied Study

a student takes a horn lesson from a teacher in a large practice room.
A student receives instruction on the natural horn.
Photo credit: Nora Rodriquez

Many students in the College of Arts and Sciences come to Oberlin with a strong musical background and wish to continue private study on an instrument. We refer to this as applied study or secondary lessons.

Students audition for applied study, are placed with a teacher and will take lessons either for credit or non-credit.

Auditions take place during the first week of classes each semester. After the audition, faculty members make recommendations for placement with a faculty teacher if space permits, in the supervised student teacher program, or in the approved student teacher program.

Students placed with a faculty member or a supervised student teacher receive two credits for the secondary lessons. Students recommended for placement in the approved student teacher program do not receive credit for the lessons and contract with the student teacher for $7.50 per half-hour session.

Teachers in the supervised student teacher and the approved student teacher programs use the practice rooms in the conservatory’s Robertson Hall to work with students enrolled in secondary lessons.

Details about Applied Study