Week 9: Oberlin Conservatory

Ready, Set, Oberlin! A week-by-week guide to prepare for your arrival

Issue #9

Oberlin Conservatory

Dean Quillen

Bill Quillen, Dean of the Conservatory

It is my great honor to welcome you to Oberlin, and to invite you to join us in exploring music in the conservatory.

You’ve chosen a campus with access to musical resources that are unlike any other place in the world. Perhaps you are a conservatory or a Double Degree student preparing to join this dynamic community. Maybe you’ve chosen a college major, but look forward to weaving music into your Oberlin experience. Or maybe the thought of pursuing music here hasn’t even crossed your mind yet. Regardless of the path that brought you to Oberlin, we are here for you—to enrich your experience through performances and to guide you in studies of your own.

So, welcome to Oberlin, and welcome to the conservatory! We look forward to seeing you this fall and seeing the discoveries you’ll make throughout your time with us.

Bill Quillen

Dean of the Conservatory

Music is Embedded in Oberlin's DNA

Choir

Whether or not you choose to study music formally, your opportunities to play or simply experience it here at Oberlin are wide.

If you intend to take Conservatory courses for credit, all students new to Oberlin will have the opportunity to register for classes from August 7-16, and schedules will be finalized during Orientation.

There are also many ensembles that are open to college students. Some require an audition and faculty consent to participate.

During orientation, certainly plan a visit to the Academic, Community, and Music Resource Fair. Staff will help you sign up for private lessons (for credit or without credit), learn about conservatory ensembles you can perform with, and find out about practice space or how to borrow an instrument.

500 Performances Means There's Something for Everyone

Rhiannon Giddens Concert

Oberlin Conservatory alumni are innovative performers and independent thinkers who create and excel across the musical spectrum. And each year these accomplished musicians—including Grammy-winning artists Rhiannon Giddens ’00, Chris Eldridge ’04 (Punch Brothers), and Sullivan Fortner ’08—return to campus to share their experiences and guidance with current students. They give performances, master classes, and talks, and form valuable connections that can help you on your journey.

We also like to say "The world comes to Oberlin". Guest musicians are brought here each year for short residencies and free performances - many of them collaborating with students and faculty. Revered concert artists appear regularly in the annual Oberlin Artist Recital Series in the historic Finney Chapel. Even better, a generous gift from two Oberlin alumni have made it possible for all Oberlin College and Conservatory students to access free tickets to every concert on the 2024-2025 Artist Recital Series! Visit Arts at Oberlin throughout the year to learn about these events.

Jazz Performance

Some of the most exciting events are organized by students of the Oberlin Jazz Society, Oberlin College Black Musicians Guild, Latinx Music Union, and Modern Music Guild. There’s always room to get involved with these groups.

Students performing opera

You won’t want to miss seeing your conservatory classmates on stage—in the two fully-staged opera productions each year or in any number of solo and ensemble settings covering five centuries of music from Renaissance to contemporary and jazz to electronic. Stay up to date at calendar.oberlin.edu.