Performance Major: Organ Concentration

Course Requirements

For course requirements for the Performance Major: Organ Concentration, please see the grid .

Non-Course Requirements

First Private Study Committee Examination

The first committee examination will consist of approximately 8-10 minutes of solo music prepared with the major teacher to be performed for the organ faculty at the end of the first year on the Warner Concert Hall Flentrop organ. Memorization is optional.

The skills committee consists of a prepared hymn (chosen by the student in consultation with the major teacher) with both a modulation and transposition. A 4-part open score will be provided to the student one-week in advance of the examination to be condensed and read at the keyboard. A short piece of organ music will be provided at the committee to be read at sight. Evaluation is Pass/Fail with comments provided from the faculty.

Second Private Study Committee Examination

The second committee examination will consist of approximately 8-12 minutes of solo music prepared with the major teacher to be performed for the organ faculty at the end of the second year on the Warner Concert Hall Flentrop organ. Memorization is optional.

The skills committee consists of melodic harmonization prepared in advance of the committee, a hymn to be read at sight and transposed with a modulation to the new key, an improvisation that will demonstrate the tonal resources of the pre-selected organ, and a self-learned composition (chosen by the student) of 6-10 minutes. Evaluation is Pass/Fail with comments provided from the faculty.

Third Private Study Committee Examination

The third committee examination will consist of self-learned composition chosen by the faculty and assigned to the student approximately two weeks prior to the committee. In addition, the student must sight read a trio and improvise in a style or genre chosen by the student upon the designated organ (5-10 minutes). Evaluation is graded with comments provided from the faculty.

Junior Recital

The junior recital must consist of a performance on two of Oberlin’s major concert instruments for a minimum of 25 minutes. Memorization is optional.

Senior Recital

The senior recital must consist of a performance on two of Oberlin’s major concert instruments (contrasting from the junior recital) for a minimum of 50 minutes. Students with a concentration in sacred music will present a musical project to be determined in consultation with the major teacher (e.g., ensemble performance, hymn arranging, choral works, etc.) in place of half of the senior recital. Memorization is optional.

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 (Organ) and the Second Major Committee Examination.

Senior Major Status is attained upon completion of: Principal Private Study VI (Organ), the Third Major Committee Examination, and the Junior Recital.

Departmental Recitals

Each student is expected to complete two performances of a work from memory (6-10 minutes) in two departmental recitals on the Finney Chapel organ, typically during the first two years of study.

Selection of Concentration

At the conclusion of the sophomore year, organ students should choose a concentration in either sacred music or organ performance, the principal difference being that the student with a concentration in sacred music will begin preparation for a “sacred music project” to be presented as part of the senior recital. The scope of the project will be determined in consultation with the major teacher and other faculty ad hoc. The student with a concentration in organ performance must present performances on four of Oberlin’s major concert instruments as part of the junior and senior recitals.

Secondary Study

Although it is not a requirement, first-year organ majors are encouraged to study piano or harpsichord as a secondary applied study.

Miscellaneous

At the discretion of the instructor, organ performance majors are expected and encouraged to secure a position as an organist in the Oberlin/Cleveland greater area. International students in their first year of study may accept positions only with institutions affiliated with the organ department.