Program Overview
TIMARA
Technology in Music and Related Arts (TIMARA) is for students who desire careers that combine traditional music skills with exploration of the latest techniques for electroacoustic musical expression. We offer a structured course of study that emphasizes the application of technology as a resource for careers in composition, new media, and performance.
TIMARA studios house a broad range of vintage and modern equipment.
Photo credit: Yingran Zhang '16
Program Facts
- Program Type: Major, Minor
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- Bachelor of Music (BM)
- Division: Contemporary Music
Chair
Tom Lopez ’89,
Professor of Computer Music and Digital Arts
Quick Links
The Silent Film Ensemble, shown in a working session, performs live soundtracks to films of all kinds—often in Oberlin's historic Apollo Theater.
Ensembles for TIMARA Students
TIMARA majors participate in diverse, eclectic ensembles for credit and for fun. Majors can choose to join one of the many faculty-organized ensembles—Oberlin Improvisation and NewMusic Collective (OINC), Silent Film Ensemble, Oberlin Synthesizer Ensemble, Creative Music Lab—or they can form their own!
Established by TIMARA students, the Silent Film Ensemble performs live, improvised avant-garde soundtracks to historic, surreal—sometimes homemade—films. Projects stem from collaborations between students in TIMARA and the Cinema and Media Program.
See More Performance EnsemblesTIMARA Faculty
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Andrew Garver
Associate Professor of Recording Arts and Production
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Aurie Hsu ’96
Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
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Steven Kemper
Associate Professor of Technology in Music and Related Arts
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Tom Lopez ’89
Professor of Computer Music and Digital Arts
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Eli Stine ’14
Assistant Professor of Computer Music and Digital Arts
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Andrew Tripp
Associate Professor and Chair of Recording Arts and Production
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Francis Wilson ’12
Visiting Assistant Professor of Computer Music and Digital Art
Upcoming TIMARA Events
Concert: OINC
Details: Date, Time, and Location
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Time
7:30 pm EDT -
Location
Birenbaum Innovation and Performance Space
Hannah Sandoz Concert
Details: Date, Time, and Location
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Time
8:30 pm to 10:00 pm EDT -
Location
Cat in the Cream Coffeehouse
TIMARA News
Expressive Machines
March 21, 2025
How do we think about musical expression, especially in relation to robots and machines? That’s the question Steven Kemper aims to answer in his research. In the age of artificial intelligence—and the various concerns surrounding it—Kemper’s research proves that robots can, in fact, enhance human creativity.
Conservatory Celebrates Standout Students for 2024
May 13, 2024
Annual reception held May 13 in Stull Recital Hall.
Oberlin Musicians Collaborate at California’s Hidden Valley Institute
February 1, 2024
Winter Term projects culminate in performances involving TIMARA, dance, chamber music, and jazz.
Life After Oberlin
TIMARA graduates enter the next phase of their careers with robust creative portfolios, extensive technical experience, and connections to an expansive network of TIMARA alums who are eager to share their experiences. Oberlin TIMARA alumni pursue many different pathways and careers after graduation including:
- Software engineer
- Composing and producing content for radio shows and podcasts
- Record label founders
- Founding and leadership roles in music technology companies
- Audio engineering
- Sound design for theater and film
- Hardware development
- Studio management
- Higher education faculty
- Professional musician
- Community engagement and work with social justice organizations
Notable Alumni
Cory Archangel ’00
Post-conceptual artist, composer, curator, writer, teacher.
Hunter McCurry ’10
Software engineer at Spotify.
Isaac Jones ’13
Technical producer and sound designer for WNYC’s “10 Things That Scare Me” podcast.