For college admissions season, I did some reflecting. What makes Oberlin unique? What is it that, when I go home and talk to my friends from high school, sets my liberal arts college experience apart from theirs? And almost instantly I think of music.
The non-stop roll of concerts, recitals, showcases, social dances, musicals, and performances truly come together to form such an important role in our lives here. This obviously stems from the fact that Oberlin has a Conservatory. The way I see it, the Conservatory, beyond drawing in incredibly talented students and faculty, also serves as a magnet for all kinds of college students interested in music, too. Even more broadly, the kinds of students who are interested in a vibrant arts culture in general.
Now, if you’re like me, this sounds neat but not like a major plus at first. I get it. I love music, sure, but so does everyone (everyone with a soul). And I have Spotify. But I promise you, there is no place like Oberlin when it comes to the arts. Musicians from all over the country come here, and participate in the arts scene. Our social lives as students inherently take on this exploratory, dynamic form as we go concert-hopping and attend friends’ recitals.
When I talk to my friends back home, they talk about how many concerts they attended per semester and how much it cost them. I try to list how many (free) concerts I attend per week. It’s unlike anything else.
Anyways, back on track. I realized that all this--what makes up the majority of my social life at the moment--is so deeply informed by the mysterious and elusive Conservatory. Indeed, none other than the elegant building perched on the corner of Tappan Square, with its gleaming koi pond bubbling and obscure activities murmuring behind rhomboid windows.
As a college student, the Con (short for Conservatory--or was that self explanatory?) feels like a maze. There’s so many hallways, all the recital halls are identical and some part of me feels deeply out of place when I step in. I steel myself, prepared to blindly say “oh my god, totally” when someone mentions tonal music or Shostakovich. But honestly, this alien feeling makes no sense. I mean, yeah, are Con students all really busy and have what I perceive as parasocial relationships with their instruments? Yes. But why should that prevent me from gaining a deeper understanding of the place that sparks so much of what makes this campus at large so special?
So. If the Conservatory is what makes Oberlin special, then, gosh darn it, I’m gonna find out what exactly the hell it is. I went undercover in the Conservatory for a week.
Given that both my boyfriend and my best friend are double-degree students (meaning they take both college and conservatory classes), I knew they’d be my way in. With their help, I was able to sit in on a Musicology class (“Music and Propaganda”) twice, one high-level Music Theory class (“Cycles.” I’m not even making that up.), Choir practice, and a Voice Department recital. This definitely isn’t a full Conservatory workload, but I was able to achieve a totally different perspective on the Conservatory and music at large!
First and foremost, I was so impressed by just how engaging the professors of the Con classes I attended were. In Music and Propaganda, a combination of full-body storytelling by Professor Leson and a popcorn-style student discussion inspired real reflection on Cold War era uses of music as a political tool on both a statist and individual level. It was fascinating to watch the dissection of 1950s experimental ballets and musicals.
And in Music Theory, although I had no clue what was going on (I can’t even read music, for the record), I was able to understand that we were structurally taking apart and analyzing what made a dramatic twist in a Chopin piece work--how did it mislead the listener? How did that fit into the music of the era? What made the piece tick? In my notes, I both wrote down that the class felt like a literary analysis and an engineering course. I also felt remarkably welcome in both of these classes. I even noticed a community member from Oberlin seemed to be sitting in on Professor Leson’s class and enjoying it thoroughly.
The Voice Department recital was more of what I was used to seeing of the Conservatory life--the beautiful final products, seeing people I loved onstage finally showing in full force what they slave away at in obscurity week in and week out. But sitting in on the (2 and a half hour long!!) College Choir rehearsal made me appreciate the work behind vocal performances all the more.
In the giant, airy room I had never seen before, I recognized so many of my friends, and saw just how focused and intent they were on singing the music just right. I was also impressed by how choir director Professor Ristow easily communicated with his students in their shared language of music that I had been exposed to that week--they joked about favorite chords and laughed through some of the vocal warm-ups. Then when working on their piece, Ristow didn’t let a single error slide by, and knew exactly where to apply pressure to get the right sound from probably over 40 students at once.
Ultimately, walking away from the Conservatory, I was struck by just how open and welcoming everyone was. From my relationships with Con students, I knew how stressful and sometimes tedious the work could get. But I hadn’t seen the other side of it: the close-knit community, the shared technical and artistic language that brought people together, and the sense of shared focus on and commitment to all the aspects of music.
What I learned from my time undercover in the Conservatory extends beyond observing the mere practice of music. I felt a community that really loved music, and cared about it. I wholeheartedly encourage other College students and prospective students to do this, even if you know nothing about music, like me. It’ll change your understanding of our community as a whole. Otherwise, you’ll just be hearing Con students complain about homework without understanding what it’s a part of and why they think it’s worth it.
I want to say thank you to everyone in the Conservatory who welcomed me, let me sit in on your class, and to all of the students’ hard work! It only makes sense that your discipline and focus, but moreover sense of community and exploration, spills over into the college and town. And as a beneficiary of that, I’m incredibly grateful to what you do to make Oberlin stand out in this really unique way.
Best,
Daniela <3
