Mar 28, 2024  
Course Catalog 2005-2006 
    
Course Catalog 2005-2006 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Music Program


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Courses


Although most courses in the Conservatory are open to qualified students in the College of Arts and Sciences, in reality many Conservatory courses (or the schedules of applied music teachers) become filled entirely with Conservatory students. Thus, although efforts are made to accommodate Arts and Sciences students, they should not expect to enroll in all the Conservatory courses of their choice. Where a course must be limited to majors in that department, such a restriction is usually noted in the catalog statement. The following courses listed below are specifically designed for College students.

Additional Courses


In addition, the following courses, described in the Conservatory section of the catalog, are recommended to qualified College students as first courses in several areas (note carefully any prerequisites and/or other limitations in each case):

Private Study


Private instruction by members of the Conservatory faculty or by advanced students supervised by the faculty is offered in composition, piano, voice, organ, strings (violin, viola, cello, double bass, harp, guitar), woodwinds (flute, oboe, clarinet, saxophone, bassoon), brass (trumpet, horn, trombone, tuba), percussion, and early instruments (harpsichord, fortepiano, recorder, Baroque flute, Baroque oboe, Baroque violin, Baroque cello, viola da gamba). College students are permitted, under the following conditions, to receive credit in private study (see also “Private Study” in the Conservatory of Music section of this catalog): The student must be certified as eligible for credit. This certification must be secured prior to the first semester in which credit is desired, and is based on an audition before the appropriate applied study or composition department. Secondary Private Study auditions are held during the orientation periods and/or during the first week of classes each semester. Results of the audition are normally posted one or two days following the auditions on the bulletin board outside Bibbins 113 in the Conservatory. Requirements for the audition, dates of auditions, andadditional information on applied music or composition study are available, upon request, from the Applied Studies Administrative Assistant, Bibbins 113.

All assignments to teachers in private study are made by the Office of the Associate Dean in the Conservatory. Because of heavy demands for private study on certain instruments or in composition, it is not always possible to place qualified students on teaching schedules. Priority is given to the more advanced students. (See also “Supervised Student Teaching Program” and “Approved Student Teacher Program” in the Conservatory of Music section of this catalog.) A student assigned to private study must contact the teacher before the close of the first week of the semester or forfeit the spot on the teacher’s schedule. College Music Majors must take any required primary or secondary private study for a letter grade.

Normally, College students will receive two hours of credit in applied study per semester and thirty minutes of instruction weekly or four credits in composition and one hour of instruction weekly. Exceptionally talented students, upon the written recommendation of the private study teacher and with the approval of the Associate Dean in the Conservatory, may be given four hours of credit and one hour of applied study instruction weekly. No additional tuition will be charged for the one-hour lesson unless the four hours of credit increase the student’s registered hours to more than 16 for the semester. Students enrolled in the College of Arts and Sciences who wish approval to perform a non-required recital must complete two departmental or studio recital appearances before approval is requested. A student may apply a maximum of 32 hours of private study toward the BA degree. A student whose work does not merit continuation of private study with a teacher may be removed from the schedule.

A student who at his or her own volition discontinues applied study instruction for one or more semesters is not guaranteed a future place on a teacher’s schedule. A student who has discontinued lessons on the piano for more than one semester is required to reaudition. No student may take lessons on more than one instrument without payment of additional tuition (see “Tuition” in the Expenses section of this catalog.)

Musical Organizations


Qualified students in the College of Arts and Sciences are accepted, with or without credit, for membership in Musical Union, Oberlin College Choir, Oberlin Orchestra, Oberlin Chamber Orchestra, Oberlin Wind Ensemble, Oberlin College Community Strings, College-Community Winds, Collegium Musicum, Javanese Gamelan, Mandinka Ensemble, Performing the Music of India, Opera Theater, and various string, woodwind, and brass ensembles under the direction of members of the Conservatory faculty. Each of these may be taken for one credit hour per semester, and may be repeated for credit. A College student may apply a maximum of ten credit hours of ensemble work toward the BA degree. For further details consult the Conservatory of Music section of this catalog.

Major


The Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Music is an integral part of the liberal arts program of the College of Arts and Sciences. Oberlin offers four music majors: one with an emphasis on Music History and Theory, one with an emphasis on Performance, one with an emphasis on Composition, and one with an emphasis on Technology in Music and Related Arts (TIMARA). Students majoring in music are permitted to choose only a single emphasis from the four offered. Students who desire more professional training in music than these programs allow are advised to consider the double-degree program described below. A student may not major in music in the College of Arts and Science if he/she is pursuing a double-degree program.

The History-Theory Emphasis major stresses the study of music as one of the liberal arts. A student who chooses this major might go on to graduate study in music, or to a career connected with music such as arts management or music criticism. There is no entrance requirement for the major; a successful audition for secondary private study (see above) is necessary to complete the major requirements.

The Performance Emphasis major is designed to meet the needs of a student who is fully qualified to enter the Conservatory with a major in performance but who prefers to receive a liberal arts degree instead, while still pursuing a fairly rigorous training in performance. The junior and senior years in this curriculum resemble the freshman and sophomore years in a Conservatory performance major. Admission to the Performance Emphasis major is by audition before the appropriate private study department; this audition is equivalent to the audition for admission to the Conservatory. In cases where an applicant is clearly qualified to pursue this course of study, admission to the major may take place before the student arrives at Oberlin. The entrance audition is waived for a student who has passed a Conservatory Second Major Committee Examination. A student in the Conservatory who has failed the Second Major Committee Examination may not audition for the Performance Emphasis music major.

The Composition Emphasis major is intended for the student who is qualified to enter the Conservatory with a major in composition, but who prefers to receive a liberal arts degree instead, while still pursuing fundamental training in composition. The junior and senior years in this curriculum resemble the freshman and sophomore years in a Conservatory composition major. Admission to the Composition Emphasis major requires the approval of the composition faculty. Admission procedures and standards for admission are equivalent to those established for admission to the Conservatory as a composition major. Students interested in this major should consult the Conservatory Admissions office for further information regarding requirements for admission to this major. In cases where an applicant is clearly qualified to pursue this course of study, admission to the major may take place before the student arrives at Oberlin. A student in the Conservatory who has failed the Second Major Committee Examination in Composition may not apply for the Composition Emphasis music major.

The TIMARA Emphasis major is intended for the student who is qualified to enter the Conservatory with a major in Technology in Music and Related Arts (TIMARA), but who prefers to receive a liberal arts degree instead, while still pursuing fundamental training that combines traditional musical skills and understanding with the exploration of the very latest techniques for musical expression. The junior and senior years in this curriculum resemble the freshman and sophomore years in a Conservatory TIMARA major. Admission to the TIMARA Emphasis major requires the approval of the TIMARA faculty. Admission procedures and standards for admission are equivalent to those established for admission to the Conservatory as a TIMARA major—demonstrated musical proficiency comparable to that shown by applicants in such other areas as performance and composition. Students interested in this major should consult the Conservatory Admissions office for further information regarding requirements for admission to this major. In cases where an applicant is clearly qualified to pursue this course of study, admission to the major may take place before the student arrives at Oberlin. A student in the Conservatory who has failed the Second Major Committee Examination in TIMARA may not apply for the TIMARA Emphasis music major.

Normally, admission to the music major will take place before the end of the sophomore year. A student planning to major in music should discuss his or her plans and the requirements for the major with the chairperson of the College Music Major Committee (CMMC) soon after arrival at Oberlin. The student should select an advisor as soon as possible to determine the most advantageous sequence and distribution of courses. Advisors for students electing the History/Theory Emphasis major will normally be drawn from the College Music Major Committee or from the Music History or Music Theory faculties. Students majoring in music with the Performance Emphasis, the Composition Emphasis, or the TIMARA Emphasis will normally be advised by the major teacher.

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. Either MUTH 130 or 131 (Music Theory I) serves as a prerequisite for MUTH 132 (Music Theory II).

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.

Minor


No minor in music exists for College of Arts and Sciences students.

Double-Degree Program


This includes programs of study leading to both the Bachelor of Music and the Bachelor of Arts degrees. The Bachelor of Arts degree may not be in music. Candidates must be admitted to both the Conservatory of Music and the College of Arts and Sciences. This can be done upon first application to Oberlin or any time while in residence. In the latter case, students should address themselves to the Director of Conservatory or College Admissions as necessary.

To satisfy the requirements for both degrees the student must successfully complete all requirements for the degrees of Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Arts and accumulate a total of 152 credit hours. This usually takes at least five years. For more information consult the section “Double-Degree Program” following the listing of all courses in the College of Arts and Sciences in this catalog.

College students preparing to teach or supervise music in public schools are offered a fiveyear double-degree program, plus, in some cases, one summer, leading to both the Bachelor of Arts degree and the Bachelor of Music degree with a major in Music Education. The completion of this program will meet teacher certification requirements in many states. Since the requirements for this program differ considerably from those pertaining to the major in performance, music history, or composition, interested students must consult the Director of the Music Education Division at the beginning of the freshman year. College students should note that MUED 400 (Student Teaching and Seminar) is limited to music education majors in the Bachelor of Music degree program, and that they cannot expect to complete certification requirements for public school teaching unless they pursue a Double-Degree Program. For further information on the Double-Degree Program see that section of this catalog.

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