Bachelor of Music: Performance (Voice)

Major Status

Sophomore Major Status is attained upon completion of:

The First Major Committee Examination.

Junior Major Status is attained upon completion of:

Principal Private Study IV and the Second Major Committee Examination.

Senior Major Status is attained upon completion of:

Principal Private Study VI and the Junior Recital.

Expository Writing Proficiency

Students with an SAT verbal score below 580 or an ACT score below 24, or a TOEFL score below 600 must complete one course chosen from RHET 101 or 102.

Music Theory and Aural Skills Requirement

Students are expected to register for Music Theory and Aural Skills courses each semester until they have completed the requirements. Part or all of these requirements may be waived by placement examination when the student enters Oberlin.

Music Theory I-IV and Aural Skills I-IV must be taken concurrently, e.g., a student will register for Music Theory I (MUTH 130 or 131) and Aural Skills I in the same semester. Under certain circumstances, with the permission of the appropriate division director and the Music Theory division director, students will be allowed to take Aural Skills IV and Music Theory IV separately. A student’s aural skills requirement must be completed before the senior recital can be scheduled. Double-degree students will resolve any conflicts with these expectations in consultation with their advisors.

Electives

A student should select electives based on the following: a minimum of 76 hours of Conservatory courses is required; a minimum of 24 hours of liberal arts is required.

Vocal Coaching

The following courses are available to singers wishing to coach recital material or to explore the French and German Art Song repertoire:

APST 204 Interpretation of Art Song (coaching for senior or artist diploma recitals—singers should register jointly with their accompanists whenever possible)
MLIT 220 The Lied (a performance-oriented course in German Art Song)
MLIT 221 The Mélodie (a performance-oriented course in French Art Song)

Language Study

To fulfill language requirements of many graduate schools, additional language study may be taken in the College of Arts and Sciences. Students may choose to participate in intensive Winter Term language study offered by the language departments. However, the 101 requirements will only be considered completed if a proficiency test, given by the language department, is satisfactorily passed at the end of the Winter Term.

Attention is called to an intensive summer language study program in Urbania, Italy. The course includes a month’s study of Italian language and culture, Italian poetry as it relates to the song literature, and musical coaching. Five credits are granted for this study. Voice majors are given preference. For further information consult the faculty sponsor, Daune Mahy, or see “Oberlin in Italy” listed earlier in this catalog.