Applied Studies Courses: Private Study
Private study (PVST) on an instrument or in voice is described in
the following paragraphs. Private study in composition is described
under Composition; private study in TIMARA is described under TIMARA.
The general aim of private instruction in Performance is thorough
development in all phases of performing—technique, style, musicianship,
interpretation, and repertoire.
Performance majors pursuing Private Applied Study in the
Conservatory normally register for lessons each semester in residence.
Transfer students are assigned to a Private Applied Study course
sequence based on an audition at the time of entering the Conservatory.
Students must complete all the Private Applied Study courses in a
sequence as defined by their major.
Principal Private Applied Study in performance is offered in the
following instruments: piano, voice, organ, strings (violin, viola,
cello, double bass, harp, guitar), woodwinds (flute, oboe, clarinet,
saxophone, bassoon), brass (trumpet, horn, trombone, tuba), percussion,
early instruments (harpsichord, fortepiano, Baroque violin, Baroque
cello, viola da gamba, Baroque flute, recorder, Baroque oboe), jazz
performance (bass, drums, guitar, piano, saxophone, trombone, trumpet).
Secondary Private Applied Study is offered in all the above
instruments. For a list of faculty who teach private applied study,
please see the specific department in the section describing
undergraduate Conservatory degree programs.
Assignments to private study instructors are made by the Office of
the Associate Dean in the Conservatory, and students usually remain
with the same instructor throughout the course of study. Students may
not study with teachers not contracted by Oberlin College. A student
assigned to Private Study must contact the instructor before the close
of the first week of the semester or forfeit his or her spot on the
instructor’s schedule.
Conservatory students are permitted to take one Principal Private
Study and one Secondary Private Study, or two Secondary Private
Studies, without payment of additional tuition; Arts and Sciences
students are permitted to take one Secondary Private Study without
payment of additional tuition unless the Private Study increases the
student’s registered hours to more than 16 per semester (see “Tuition”
in the “Expenses” section at the beginning of this catalog.)
College of Arts and Sciences students should refer to the Music
section of the Arts and Sciences portion of this catalog for further
information on Private Study.
Principal Private Study: 3-6 Hours
(These courses may be repeated for credit.)
Sixty minutes of private instruction each week. Students majoring in
Performance must take Principal Private Study for eight semesters;
students majoring in Music Education must take Principal Private Study
for seven semesters; students majoring in Music History must take
Principal Private Study for four semesters.
Freshman and sophomore voice majors and all music education majors
must take principal applied study for three hours. In all other majors,
students must take a minimum of four hours of principal applied study
each semester. Music education majors who are also performance majors
must follow the private study requirement for the performance major.
Principal Private Applied Study may be elected for five or six hours
with the permission of the applied instructor and with the consent of
the Associate Dean for Student Academic Affairs. Normally, a student
elects additional hours of private study during semesters in which
additional student preparation time is required for events such as
recitals, outside performances, competitions or auditions. The
additional credit hour(s) does not imply additional private instruction
time.
Secondary Private Study: 2 Hours
(These courses may be repeated for credit.)
Thirty minutes of private instruction each week, for two credits per
semester. Secondary Private Study is required for many Conservatory
majors and for Music majors in the College of Arts and Sciences
(History-Theory Emphasis). Students with a Secondary Private Study
requirement may audition for full or partial waiver of this requirement
before the appropriate department when the Secondary Private Study
auditions are heard.
Secondary Private Study Auditions
Students wishing to take a Secondary Private Study in Performance
must demonstrate performance proficiency by auditioning before a
committee of the applied study department concerned. Auditions are held
during the first week of classes each semester. Audition request forms
are available from the Conservatory Applied Studies Administrative
Assistant (Bibbins 113). Audition results are posted at the beginning
of each semester, and prior to registration deadlines, whenever
possible.
Whether the Secondary Private Study is required or elected, students
may continue such study for as many semesters as they choose and
teachers are available; however, students who receive an unsatisfactory
grade (C+ or below) normally forfeit their place on a teacher’s
schedule and are required to re-audition if they wish to be considered
for subsequent placement on a teaching schedule; under extenuating
circumstances a student who has received an unsatisfactory grade may be
granted a one-semester probationary period by the faculty member giving
or supervising the instruction, in consultation with the Associate Dean
in the Conservatory. Students who, of their own volition, discontinue
Secondary Private Study for one or more semesters are not guaranteed a
future place on a teacher’s schedule; students who discontinue
Secondary Private Study in Piano for more than one semester are
required to re-audition.
Assignment to Teaching Schedules.
Because all students approved for Secondary Private Study cannot be
assigned to faculty schedules, some students may be assigned to study
with advanced students under the Supervised Student Teaching program
(described earlier in this catalog).
Applied Studies Courses: Ensembles
These courses may be repeated for credit.
A student may elect to take a large ensemble (Musical Union, Oberlin College Choir, Women’s Chorale, Oberlin Orchestra, Oberlin Chamber Orchestra, Oberlin Wind Ensemble, Opera Chorus, Collegium Musicum, Oberlin College Community Strings, College-Community Winds, Oberlin Jazz Ensemble, Contemporary Music Ensemble, Ensemble for Percussionists) for “0” credit if: the student’s schedule is at maximum hours before the large ensemble credit is added; approval is given by the student’s Conservatory advisor(s). Final approval is given by the Associate Dean for Student Academic Affairs.
Registration procedures for APST 800, 805, 806, 810. Students wishing to enroll for APST 800, 805, 806, or 810 must fill out a chamber music form available from the Associate Dean’s Office at the beginning of the semester. Students add APST 800, 805, 806, 810 to their schedules only after being assigned to an ensemble. Assignments are made by the Associate Dean’s Office in consultation with faculty.
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