Oberlin Conservatory of Music
Oberlin Conservatory opens a world of possibilities: mentorship from esteemed faculty, exposure to transformative programs and visiting artists, access to exemplary facilities, and countless opportunities to perform—on campus and beyond!
With a focus on the undergraduate musician, you'll expand your artistic flexibility and increase your exposure through music spanning a world of styles.
Summer Programs
Spend time this summer on the Oberlin Conservatory campus to improve your technique, expand your repertoire, and improve your performance skills. Each summer Oberlin offers music programs on a variety of instruments and musical areas, led by our exceptional faculty and instructors. Registration is now open.
Facts at a Glance
6:1 student/faculty ratio
540 conservatory students
180+ double-degree students
42 areas of private study
Latest Oberlin Conservatory of Music News
Oberlin Conservatory Community Mourns the Loss of Retired Professor Randolph Coleman
April 30, 2025
Coleman left a lasting legacy in the Conservatory, having created the two-year module program in composition that shaped how students learned for 20 years. He served as chair of the Composition...
Contemporary Collaborations with Third Coast Percussion
April 15, 2025
“Strum,” “Strike,” and “Bend” are all evocative references to the physicality of string and percussion instruments. And one is especially significant.
Martha Redbone Hears Her Musical Call
March 18, 2025
The vocalist and songwriter brings her distinct blend of folk, blues, gospel, and more to Finney Chapel on April 6 in an appearance with the Martha Redbone Roots Project.
Oberlin Opera Brings “Jack and the Beanstalk” to Schools Across Northeast Ohio for Winter Term
March 10, 2025
“It was really amazing going into the community and performing an art form that they probably haven't seen before,” second-year voice major Ella Vaugn said, “Teachers would tell us that they've never seen their students so engaged.”
Jazz Studies Professor Receives Mellon Foundation Fellowship
March 6, 2025
Jazz icon and Oberlin Conservatory professor, Billy Hart, is part of the inaugural group of venerated jazz greats recognized as champions of the music genere.
Mozart’s Comedy Shines a Light on the Game of Love
February 28, 2025
This spring, Oberlin Opera is set to entangle its audiences in the game of love with its production of Mozart’s La Finta Giardiniera. Set in a garden, this story will intertwine love, trickery, and the art of gameplay into one.
Upcoming Events
Areas of Study
With majors ranging from historical performance to electronic music, and more than 40 areas of private study, Oberlin Conservatory transforms talented undergraduate musicians into disciplined professionals.
Give to Oberlin Conservatory
A student reviews a music score in a quiet area of the conservatory library.
Photo credit: William Rieter
Double Degree Program
We’re the only major music school in the country that shares a seamless campus with a liberal arts college. This allows you to earn bachelor’s degrees from both the conservatory and the college in five years or fewer.
On Stage
Performance is an integral part of Oberlin life. Each year, students, faculty, and guest artists present 500 concerts spanning five centuries of music. With more than two dozen large ensembles and a robust small-ensemble culture, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to perform in a variety of styles on campus—and around the world.
Professional Development
Hone your intellectual and artistic passions—and put them into practice. The offices of Conservatory Professional Development and Creativity & Leadership present on-campus workshops and programs developed to bring your career into focus and offer guidance every step of the way.
Conservatory Complex
The conservatory boasts exceptional facilities: nine concert halls, 150 practice rooms, more than 240 Steinway pianos, and an incredible 32 organs for practice and performance. You’ll have access to important instrument collections, seven electronic music studios, and one of the nation’s top conservatory libraries, including Special Collections that are prized by music researchers around the globe and play an integral role in teaching and learning at Oberlin.
Oberlin Conservatory of Music Faculty
Our internationally renowned faculty are dedicated teachers and communicative artists. They spend generous hours teaching lessons, coaching ensembles, and providing caring mentorship. Individual instruction is tailored to the needs of each student.
I think that there’s a new understanding that we are all humans and we can do our best work if we take care of ourselves and if we take care of each other, and I am happy to be teaching from that perspective.
Life After Oberlin
Oberlin fosters a culture of risk-taking that leads to high achievement. Our alumni earn top honors in major national and international competitions across the musical spectrum. They excel as performing artists and as conductors, composers, producers, theoreticians, entrepreneurs, historians, and educators. Think one person can change the world? So do they:
- Claire Chase ’01, flutist and entrepreneur
- Jeremy Denk ’90, pianist
- Rhiannon Giddens ’00, singer-songwriter
- Steven Isserlis ’80, cellist
- Edward Parks ’06, baritone
- Du Yun ’01, composer
Oberlin’s annual Commencement/Reunion Weekend ceremony signals the start of life after Oberlin.
Photo credit: Yevhen Gulenko