Conservatory of Music
The Conservatory of Music (affectionately known as "the Con") is Oberlin's (justly famous) music school. It was founded in 1865 as a private music school and became part of Oberlin College in 1867. The current Dean of the Conservatory is David Stull '89.
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Facilities
The Conservatory was previously housed in Warner Hall, a large stone building where Hall now stands. It now occupies four interconnected buildings on the south side of Tappan Square.
The original structure of three big white buildings was designed by the Japanese-American architect Minoru Yamasaki in 1963. Built around a central courtyard (the only part of the conservatory many college students are familiar with), these are:
- Bibbins Hall, which is primarily faculty studios and administrative offices
- the Central Unit, which includes Warner Concert Hall, Kulas Recital Hall, group rehearsal spaces, concert halls, and the music library
- Robertson Hall, which has at least 150 practice rooms
To the east of Robertson and the Central Unit is the new Bertram and Judith Kohl Building, which was completed in 2010. The Kohl Building now houses the Jazz Studies, Music History, and Music Theory departments. Kohl is connected to Robertson by a third-floor enclosed bridge, which also contains the Sky Bar (named for a famous Cleveland jazz club that closed in 1954).
Tour guides like to tell prospies that the Conservatory houses more Steinway pianos under one roof than any other building in the world, excluding the Steinway factory. (For one thing, it was reported in 1999 that Oberlin had been an all-Steinway school since 1877 (only 23 years after the company was started!) and, according to them, we're the school that's been doing business with them the longest.)
Undergraduate Programs
Conservatory Divisions and Departments
- Division of Conducting and Ensembles
- Division of Contemporary Music
- Historical Performance Program
- Division of Keyboard Studies
- Division of Music Education
- Division of Music Theory
- Division of Musicology
- Division of Strings
- Division of Vocal Studies
- Division of Winds, Brass, and Percussion
Graduate Program
- General Information
- Music Education
- Conducting
- Opera Theater Department
- Historical Performance
- Artist Diploma
