The Classical Guitar Studio at Oberlin Conservatory of Music is modest in size: it hovers between eight and twelve members. All are undergraduates, as, at Oberlin, the student body is all undergraduates. This distinction is important as, unlike at schools with larger programs composed mostly of masters and doctoral candidates, at Oberlin all opportunities fall into the hands of undergrads. Who wins the concerto competition, who is featured as a performer in the guest master class, who sits concertmaster or first chair in orchestra, who gets the lead roles in the operas, who wins the special scholarships, who is selected for honors recitals? At Oberlin, it is always an undergrad.

Guest Artists
We feature several guest artists each year, normally four. Each guest gives a recital and teaches a class. Guests have run the gamut from the hottest young competition winners to the most seasoned masters, from soloists to chamber ensembles, from lutanists to new music specialists, from masters of the standard rep to guitarist-composers, from 19th century guitarists to flamenco guitarist; we cover it all.

Study on Secondary Instruments
Oberlin students can borrow and take lessons on a school-owned Renaissance lute, Baroque lute, theorbo, vihuela and Baroque guitar. (If their own concert classical guitar is out of commission, we have some fine classical guitars we can loan.) In addition, they can take advantage of our extraordinary jazz guitar program for secondary lessons in that area.

Student Performances
Oberlin guitar students have ample opportunities for performance over and above the required degree recitals. They play at the gorgeous Oberlin Museum, Kendal Retirement Home’s formal concert stage, and with Contemporary Music Ensemble, the Baroque Orchestra, and other groups as ensemble members. We have three standard venues for guitar recitals: Kulas Recital Hall (145 seats), Stull Recital Hall (120 seats) and Fairchild Chapel (150 seats), but additional venues have seen guitar on stage as well, including Warner Concert Hall (645 seats), Finney Chapel (1,200 seats), Hall Auditorium (500 seats) and Clonick Hall (150 seats). Few institutions have as many perfect rooms for the guitar.