<p>Hello, does anyone know how competitive Oberlin's jazz guitar performance admissions are? I know they are most likely very competitive, but how many spots are open? I can't seem to find the information anywhere and would like to know what I'm up against.</p>
<p>That would be an excellent question to ask Bob Ferrazza, the one and only jazz guitar teacher there. Their jazz department is getting its own new building and some major new sources of funding, so information from past years may not be representative of the way things are going to be in the upcoming audition season. They may attract more applicants, making things harder, or they may plan to make the department larger, making things easier, or it may even out. All jazz auditions there are by invitation after they have reviewed your pre-screening CD. I would assume that they only invite those who they think have a reasonable chance, so you do not have a lot to lose by sending in a CD.</p>
<p>Given that there is only one jazz guitar teacher and that there are almost no grad students at Oberlin, it would seem to me that there would be something like two to four slots in a typical year. If the number were regularly more than that, they would probably have to hire a second teacher. The number could be less if Ferrazza does not want a lot of students and is only there part time.</p>
<p>Thanks, I'll email him tonight.</p>