<p>A friend of mine has a son who is a talented pianist, possibly interested in attending Oberlin, but not as a conservatory student. One question he has is what kind of piano instruction would be available. Presumably the top teachers will spend their time with hand-selected conservatory students, not with college students. Is this true? What kind of access do non-Con students have to top-flight piano teachers?</p>
<p>He would have to audition for a place in a teacher’s studio once there. Most non-Conservatory students who are not in the College music major will be placed into either a 2 credit hour (half hour per week) lesson with a faculty member (although usually not with the teachers who are most in demand with the conservatory students because their studios tend to be full) or a non-credit lesson with a conservatory student in their junior or senior year who is being mentored in that teaching situation by a faculty member. Exceptional students can get full 4-credit hour (hour per week) lessons with faculty. There is a nominal charge for the non-credit lessons with the conservatory students. There is no charge for the for-credit lessons unless the semester total goes over 16 credit hours, in which case a hefty tuition surcharge applies.</p>
<p>It may also be possible to arrange for private paid lessons with some faculty members, but this would not be done through the school and would not carry any academic credit.</p>
<p>There is more information at [Program:</a> Musical Studies - Oberlin College - acalog ACMS?](<a href=“Program: Musical Studies - Oberlin College - Acalog ACMS™”>Program: Musical Studies - Oberlin College - Acalog ACMS™)</p>
<p>Further information:</p>
<p>[Oberlin</a> Blogs | Blog Entry: “Opportunities for College Musicians”](<a href=“http://blogs.oberlin.edu/applying/applying/opportunities_f.shtml]Oberlin”>http://blogs.oberlin.edu/applying/applying/opportunities_f.shtml)</p>
<p>My D1 was quite possibly not at the level of your friend- though she was pretty good- but she took lessons (different intrument) from a Con student who was an experienced teacher 'back home", and D1 said she was the best teacher she ever had. Her interests were purely extracurricular.</p>