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Music Education at Oberlin Conservatory
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Description
This work serves as an exemplary case study on the evolution of music education in the US from 1833-2017 through the history of the Oberlin Conservatory.
While nominally the history of music education at Oberlin, this book also illustrates changing views and values related to music, evolution of musical taste, and its place in society. The history of teacher education writ large, particularly in terms of qualifications and teacher certification requirements, is also a core part of this in-depth narrative.
The Oberlin Conservatory is allegedly the first institution in the United States to offer a Bachelor of Music Education degree, beginning in 1922. Music forms a part of Oberlin almost from the institution's inception in 1833, through choral singing as a part of worship services. Following the conservatory from its nascent days as a musical institution, where choral singing was a part of worship services, to the influence of Mendelssohn's Leipzig Conservatory to the development of a bachelor's degree in music education, through the institution's golden age and subsequent evolution through social, political, and educational changes, and finally onto the program's decline in enrollment and institutional support.
This unique study of music education is institutionally specific but with broader implications for the value and importance of music education in contemporary higher education curricula as well as society at large.
Table of Contents
List of Tables
Acknowledgements
1. Introduction
2. Music at Pre-Conservatory Oberlin: 1833 – 1865
3. Founding of the Conservatory and its Early Growth: 1865 – 1884
4. The Birth of Music Education as Oberlin Enters the 20th Century: 1884 – 1907
5. Karl W. Gehrkens Transforms the “Discard Heap:” 1907 – 1917
6. The Three-Year Certificate and Bachelor of School Music: 1917 – 1922
7. The “Golden Age” of Music Education at Oberlin: 1922 – 1942
8. From World War II to Salzburg: 1942 – 1964
9. A Time of Transition and Unrest: 1964 – 1970
10. Radical Curricular Change, Radical Social Change: 1970 – 1983
11. Rebuilding, Stability, and Death: 1983 – 2017
12. Summation and Reflection on 116 Years of Music Education
Appendix – List of Oberlin Music Education Alumni
Index
Product details
| Published | May 14 2026 |
|---|---|
| Format | Ebook (Epub & Mobi) |
| Edition | 1st |
| Pages | 312 |
| ISBN | 9798765159279 |
| Imprint | Bloomsbury Academic |
| Publisher | Bloomsbury Publishing |
About the contributors
Reviews
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Tim Groulx's thorough and meticulous history of Music Education at Oberlin Conservatory chronicles the establishment, growth and eventual demise of a rich music education program. This story of the people involved and the courses they created will resonate music educators passionate about 'music for all.
Jane Southcott, Professor Emeritus, School of Education, Culture and Society, Monash University, Australia
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Music Education at Oberlin Conservatory is a compelling and informative study that will interest scholars of music education history as well as alumni of the institution. Drawing on extensive primary sources, Timothy Groulx presents meticulous research through clear, engaging, and accessible prose.”
Phillip M. Hash, Professor of Music Education, Illinois State University, USA
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With Music Education at Oberlin Conservatory, Timothy L Groulx has created a landmark publication in the history of music teacher education. His story of Oberlin is more than a chronicling of events. Above all it is a story about humans. Groulx wears his scholarship lightly in weaving together a narrative from archival material and interviews conducted with the last music education faculty members and conservatory dean. This has a resonance that extends beyond the walls of one institution, transcending national boundaries to serve as a reminder that we must never take music education for granted.
Mary Stakelum, Area Leader for Music Education, Royal College of Music, UK
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In a detailed history of music teacher education at Oberlin Conservatory, Timothy Groulx traces the program's rise and decline from its beginnings in the late nineteenth century. Drawing from extensive institutional records, the narrative reveals the enduring influence of institutional foundations on program development while highlighting the dedication and innovation of generations of music education faculty. A unique story of music education in conservatory culture set within the broader context of societal change, the book is an important contribution to American music education.
Marie McCarthy, Professor of Music Education, University of Michigan, USA

























