Bachelor of Music (violin, viola, cello, double bass)/Master of Music: Performance (Baroque violin, Baroque cello, viola da gamba

Bachelor of Music in Performance (violin, viola, cello, double bass) combined with a Master of Music in Performance (Baroque violin, Baroque cello, viola da gamba)

General Requirements Historical Performance

Procedures for Admission

The graduate programs in Historical Performance can be pursued either as a five-year program in combination with an undergraduate degree in a modern instrument, or by persons who hold a Bachelor’s degree from Oberlin or other institutions. Applicants are admitted based on an audition on their major instrument and a review of their academic record. Students audition for the five-year program during their junior year, and are expected to present a level comparable to any other applicant for the Master’s program. Once admitted, students in the two-year Master’s program must demonstrate baccalaureate competence in music history and music theory. Deficiencies must be remedied by taking appropriate undergraduate coursework, or in the case of music history, by either coursework or re-examination.

Placement Exams

Two-year Master of Music: Exams in music history and music theory must be taken during orientation.

Residence

Completion of the two-year Master of Music degree program will typically require full-time residence for four semesters beyond the Bachelor’s degree.

Program Completion

All requirements for the two-year Master of Music degree must be completed within three years from the date of admission. Students are encouraged to attend the summer Baroque Performance Institute and may use the credits earned there toward the degree.

Grading

No credit with a grade lower than B– may be counted toward the requirements of the Master’s Degree.

Course Requirements: 155 Total Hours

Undergraduate Credits: 125 Hours

Principal Private Study Credits: 32
Secondary Private Study (Piano) Credits: 4
Secondary study (HP) ¹ Credits: 4
Large ensemble electives ² Credits: 8
Chamber music electives ³ Credits: 6
MUTH 130 or 131, 132, 231, 232 (Music Theory) Credits: 12
MUTH 101, 102, 201, 202 (Aural Skills) Credits: 4
Upper-Division Music Theory electives Credits: 3
Music History electives ⁴ Credits: 7
HPRF 302 (Intro to Historical Performance) Credits: 3
Musicology 300-level elective Credits: 3
Music Theory 400-level elective Credits: 3
Liberal Arts electives Credits: 24
Free electives ⁵ Credits: 12

Graduate Credits: 30G Hours

(G = Graduate credit courses)

Principal Private Study (HP) ¹ Credits: 16
Ensembles (HP) Credits: 4
MHST 301 (Intro to Music Research and Writing) Credits: 3
HPRF 503 (Sem in Performance Practice) ⁶ Credits: 3
HPRF 512 (Spec Topics in Perf Practice) ⁶ Credits: 3
APST 602 (Lecture-recital) ⁷ Credits: 1

Undergraduate Non-Course Requirements

Private Study Committee Exams:

First Major Committee - Freshman Year, Second Semester
Second Major Committee - Sophomore Year, Second Semester

Performance Requirement:

Junior Recital ^{8, 9}- Junior Year, First or Second Semester
Senior Recital ⁹- Senior Year, First or Second Semester

Graduate Non-Course Requirements

Private Study Committee Exam - Senior Year, Second Semester
Master’s Recital - 5th Year, Second Semester
Recital Hearing - 5th Year, Second Semester
Comprehensive Exams - 5th Year, Second Semester
Keyboard proficiency ¹⁰ - 5th Year, First Semester
Language proficiency ¹¹ - Senior Year, Second Semester

Notes

¹Secondary study of the HP instrument is typical, but not required. At the discretion of the HP faculty, these secondary lesson credits may be used toward the Applied Study requirement for the Master’s degree (i.e., 2-2-2-2-4-4).

²String students must participate in the Large Ensemble program APST 710 (Oberlin Orchestra), APST 711 (Chamber Orchestra), APST 720 (Oberlin Wind Ensemble), APST 723 (Contemporary Music Ensemble) every semester in residence as assigned. Students must complete a minimum of six semesters of Large Ensembles to fulfill graduation requirements. Students may elect between zero and two credits per registration, and may use any credit in excess of eight toward the free elective requirement (the zero credit option may only be used if a student has registered for 17 credits). Double-degree students are required to participate for the first consecutive eight semesters in residence. Transfer students must register every semester on campus.

³For violin, viola and cello majors only. One semester must be in APST 805 (Contemporary Chamber Music) or APST 723 (Contemporary Music Ensemble). Only one semester of Contemporary Music Ensemble, APST 843 (Baroque Ensemble), or JAZZ 700 (Jazz Ensemble-Large Group) may be counted toward this requirement (please note that you may not apply a single ensemble experience toward both large and small ensemble requirements). One semester of APST 806 (Advanced String Quartet Seminar), a two-credit course, will satisfy only one semester of the chamber music requirement. All required ensemble credits must be earned in on-campus ensembles. Transfer students are required to participate in a small ensemble in every semester of enrollment up to a maximum of six semesters. Double bass majors are required to take APST 285 (Orchestral Repertoire for Double Bass) for four semesters. It is recommended that Double bass majors fulfill the other two credits of this requirement with APST 812 (Double Bass Ensemble).

⁴One course in Music History beyond MHST 101 is required.

⁵Violin majors must take one credit of APST 130 (Viola Class) or must satisfactorily complete APST 800 (Chamber Music) or APST 805 (Contemporary Chamber Music) playing viola with the prior approval of the String Department. This requirement may also be waived by examination.

⁶HPRF 503 and 512 may be taken in either order; both may be offered in alternate years.

⁷Students must have demonstrated baccalaureate competence in music history and music theory before enrollment for the lecture recital; the lecture recital cannot take place in the same semester as the master’s recital.

⁸Two performances on a student recital (division, studio, or honors recital) are required before the junior recital. Two additional performances on a student recital (see above) may be substituted for the junior recital.

⁹The junior and senior recitals may be performed during the first or the second semester, or during Winter Term. The senior recital cannot be given until the junior recital requirement has been satisfied.

¹⁰Required of non-keyboard majors. Requirement may be satisfied by passing a proficiency exam or taking an appropriate course in consultation with the keyboard faculty.

¹¹Examination of reading proficiency in French or German.