Oberlin College & Conservatory

 

Regulations and Procedures of The Conservatory of Music

Any violation of conservatory facilities’ rules and regulations may result in a fine of $50 per occurrence, billed to the student account. Repeat offenses will result in additional fines, loss of privileges, AND judicial proceedings.

1. The facilities of the conservatory are for academic training and conservatory-related functions; use of the facilities for any other purpose requires the permission of the associate dean.
2. Students may enter locked buildings only when accompanied by a teacher or administrative officer. Teachers and administrative officers are not authorized under any circumstances to lend students their keys to rooms or buildings in the conservatory complex. The unauthorized possession of a key to a college building is forbidden.
3. Students are required to show their Oberlin College ID (OCID) when asked to do so by an Oberlin College official.

1. Most practice rooms are not assigned. When an unassigned room is unoccupied, any student may elect to use the room for practice.
2. A student may leave a practice room for a brief period, up to 10 minutes, without giving up the room.
3. Students must take their possessions with them when leaving a practice room or other room.
4. The lids of pianos in Robertson may not be raised while practicing. This is to control the sound level in the practice building.
5. Cutting of reeds is permitted only in Robertson reed workshops.
6. Certain practice rooms are assigned, as follows:

a. Conservatory students majoring in double bass, harp, or percussion instruments are assigned practice rooms at the discretion of the associate dean. Nonmajors will only be granted instrument storage on a space-available basis and must be registered for private study or actively involved in a conservatory ensemble. Storage is generally not available for nonmajors with large instruments.

b. Students studying organ, harpsichord, or fortepiano are assigned keys to the appropriate practice rooms;

c. Students studying tuba will store their instruments in the assigned room in Robertson.

7. Practice rooms that have been assigned to an individual or a group may be used only for practicing and instrument storage. The room windows may not be covered. The room may not be loaned to another student. Use of practice rooms for summer storage of personal items is strictly prohibited.
8. Beverages and food are prohibited in practice rooms. Violators will be fined $50 per occurrence, billed to their student account. Repeat offenders may lose their practice room privileges and face judicial proceedings.

1. Scheduling of classrooms, rehearsal rooms, and concert halls for a period of one semester or more, or for short-term or one-time use must be done in advance. All scheduling is handled through the Concert Production Office, Bibbins Hall 125.
2. Rooms may be reserved for short-term use as follows:

a. Faculty members may reserve classrooms, rehearsal rooms or concert halls for course-related use;

b. Student leaders of authorized chamber music ensembles may reserve a classroom for a rehearsal by their chamber music group or ensemble.

1. Students authorized to give private instruction under the Supervised Student Teaching Program or the Approved Student Teaching Program may give this instruction in the practice rooms of Robertson. They must charge the teaching rate set by the dean for such teaching and may not be exceeded. This rate is published in the Catalog each year and the rate is quoted to persons who inquire about noncredit lessons.
2. Students not in the Supervised Student Teaching Program or the Approved Student Teaching Program who wish to give private instruction may do so at this or any other rate; they may not, however, use conservatory facilities for this instruction.

1. Students are not permitted to take food, beverages, or other liquids out of the student lounge, or from outside the conservatory to areas other than the student lounge. Specifically, no food, beverages, or liquids, with two exceptions, are permitted in practice rooms, rehearsal rooms, classrooms, concert halls, or in conservatory rooms other than in the student lounge. The exceptions are:

a. Reed instrument players, who need a small cup of water for soaking reeds while practicing, may take water to practice rooms, but only in containers with secure covers. These containers must be placed on the table or on the floor, and never on the piano itself;

b. Faculty and staff members are permitted to take food and beverages from the student lounge to their offices or studios.

2. Only music and books may be placed on pianos. Instrument cases and other items must be placed on a table or on the floor.
3. Conservatory-owned equipment and instruments may not be removed from the conservatory complex without authorization from the associate dean. This includes chairs and stands.
4. Student-owned instruments left unattended in practice rooms or elsewhere may be secured and the student notified of this action. Students are reminded that Oberlin College assumes no liability for damage or loss of a student’s property on Oberlin College property. Students are urged to obtain their own insurance coverage for their instruments and personal property. For information on obtaining instrument insurance, contact Michael Straus, assistant dean, (440) 775-8099. Instrument lockers are assigned, as available, through the Concert Production Office, Bibbins Hall 125.

1. Any special use of conservatory instruments must be explicitly authorized by the appropriate conservatory staff member each time the instrument is so used. The staff members are:

a. John Cavanaugh, director of piano technology, (440) 775-8275.

b. Michael Straus, assistant dean, (440) 775-8099.

2. No faculty or staff member or student is permitted to regulate, tune (keyboard instruments), or repair any conservatory-owned instrument unless authorized to do so by a conservatory technician or by the assistant dean.
3. Pianos in Robertson may not be moved, even slightly, without authorization from the director of keyboard technology.
4. Any use of pianos for compositions requiring direct manipulation of strings, hammers, dampers or the instrument action is forbidden without authorization each time by the director of keyboard technology with a single exception:

a. Certain pianos in Robertson may be used as prepared pianos without further authorization. Upon request, Mr. Cavanaugh will arrange for these rooms to be locked and reserved for individual use for a short period when an extensive preparation is contemplated.

1. The buildings in the conservatory complex are open daily during the school year from 7:30 a.m. to midnight, except for vacation periods.
2. Students found in the conservatory complex without authorization when the buildings are closed will be subject to judicial proceedings.
3. Outside building doors are unlocked during the hours the buildings are open, with the following exceptions:

a. Bibbins: the outside doors are locked no later than 11:45 p.m.

b. Central Unit: Warner Concert Hall foyer doors are locked except when a concert is scheduled in Warner; exterior doors to rooms 21 and 25 are always locked. (Student lounge doors remain open until 11:45 p.m.)

c. Robertson: the outside doors are locked and students must use their OCID to enter.

d. Kohl: Kohl Plaza entrance doors require OCID key card access, with the exception of business hours (8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.). Access is available through the basement and third floor entrance.

4. Exterior doors must not be propped open.
5. Practice room windows must not be covered.

1. Smoking is not permitted in the conservatory complex or within 30 feet of the building entrances and air intake fans.
2. Any open flame or burning of any material, such as candles, incense, etc. is strictly prohibited in the conservatory complex.
3. No tables, chairs, stands, instruments, instrument cases, carts, etc., may be left unattended blocking traffic in hallways anywhere in the conservatory complex.

1. Lights in concert halls, large rehearsal rooms, classrooms, practice rooms, and other rooms in the conservatory complex are to be turned off when a room is not in use.
2. The use of concert halls, large rehearsal rooms, and classrooms by only one or a few persons is to be curtailed when rehearsal or class area of appropriate size is available.

1. Music stands, tables, and chairs borrowed from a room must be returned when finished. Music stands may not be taken from one building in the conservatory complex to another, nor may they be removed from the conservatory complex without authorization from the Michael Straus, assistant dean.
2. Persons using concert halls, rehearsal halls, or classrooms are expected to return the equipment in the room to its proper location when finished. Instruments and equipment moved into a concert hall for a performance must be returned to the regular storage area when the concert is over.
3. Heavy equipment must not be dragged along the floor; a dolly or wheeled platform should be used.
4. Students and faculty members must not move, connect, or disconnect audio equipment in classrooms, rehearsal rooms, or concert halls. The Audio Department should be contacted at (440) 775-8272 to send someone to move, connect, or disconnect equipment.
5. Signs, notices, and posters may be placed only on public-use bulletin boards. They are not to be placed on walls, doors, or windows.

Any violation of conservatory facilities’ rules and regulations may result in a fine of $50 per occurrence, billed to the student account. Repeat offenses will result in additional fines, loss of privileges AND judicial proceedings.

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