VOA标准英语2010年-Oberlin Conservatory of Music Gives Di

Having the opportunity to take on a diverse range of classes such as economics and chemistry along with her music studies is the perfect combination for Diane.

Marsha James | Washington DC 10 August 2010

 Oberlin Conservatory 1 of Music Student Diane Lye

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Oberlin Conservatory of Music

"I always knew that I wanted to be a pianist and music was always going to be a part of my life so Oberlin really was a natural choice."

Diane Lye is a recent graduate of Oberlin Conservatory of Music located on the campus of Oberlin College in Oberlin, Ohio.  Studying music started in Singapore for Diane and she says expanding her horizon beyond her comfort zone at home is needed for her growth.  "I came to America because at the late teens of my life the deciding factor for me was where I could grow the most in college and I believe that one must move furtherest away from home, away from one's comfort zone and Singapore at that time was already so familiar to me having grown up and lived there all of my life till the end of high school we actually call it junior college there," she says.

"So, really in deciding where to go for college America was always the first option for me especially because its really such a melting pot of not just cultures, but ideas and mindsets and there was really something an exposure that I wanted because really in thinking about growth and where I could expand the most America was the place, the top choice."

Having the opportunity to take on a diverse range of classes along with her music studies, Diane says is considered a special education model Oberlin offers.  "I did consider a number of choices, but it came down to Oberlin College and Conservatory of Music because I couldn't image anywhere else where there was this perfect combination of rigorous music training as well as a liberal arts college that's so excellent.  So I have a double degree which really is a special educational model that Oberlin has, Bachelor's of Music in Piano Performance and Bachelor of Art in Economics as well as I have extension course work in Chemistry as well," she says.

Oberlin Conservatory of Music Student Diane Lye

"So I picked this because I always knew that I wanted to be a pianist and music was always going to be a part of my life so Oberlin really was a natural choice and it turned out to be a perfect arrangement because I can't image where else I could take such a diverse range of classes for example in one semester of Oberlin I'm able to take private piano lessons with one of the top performers and teachers of piano Monique Duphil also while reading literature and economic history with one of the authorities Professor Allan Thoman and still being able to spend time doing experiments in the lab in chemistry and even on the extra- curriculium forefront I was able to run an on campus investment club with some of really the best and top caliber 2 of colleagues and friends and still work for the dean's office of the longest running conservatory with some of the best and dedicated 3 deans I've ever known. So really this turned out to be a top choice and I cannot image where else I've could have done it."

One of Diane's missions as Co-Chair of Oberlin Finance and Investing Club is to bring awareness 4 to the students at Oberlin on what is happening in the world of economics.  "Oberlin is not really a business oriented campus. Students are more concern with environmental, conservation and things like that so really I felt that this was a lacking component 5 and having found this outlet 6 like I said before I was interested in business forever, so I saw the club as an outlet where by I could use the unifing functions of business and investments to bring people and students of different walks of life be it history majors, environmental science majors, economic majors which is a more traditional track or even music majors like myself to kind of understand the markets, to make meaningful investments in equities 7 in companies that we believe in or that we understand the function," she says. "I have chemistry majors in the club who look at the healthcare sector 8 or geology major who look at the technology sector, but focusing more on environmental rehabilitation 9 companies or whatever so as co-president that was really my mission so to speak to so it was really something that I am proud having done for my colleagues and friends really."

Diane says she was able to find a bridge to help her forge relationships with American students as well as students from other backgrounds.  "There wasn't really a huge barrier, but the thing is I started out mixing with an international crowd and that really helped me transition into slowing interacting with more Americans especially Americans who had an interest in forging bonds and relationships with international students.  So I guess there really wasn't a barrier in the sense that I was able to find a bridge, I think that is the most important thing finding a bridge to help you pave your way to the next path or whatever so that is what I did mix with international students as well as American students who were interested and tolerant of whatever cultural differences."

Although her years at Oberlin are over, she says the work that Oberlin Conservatory continues to do aids in connecting all people in society.  "I think of music or rather musicians as being the helpers of society and the community if you will so I really respect and honor the work that both the faculty 10 and the administrators 11 are doing at Oberlin Conservatory to uphold the tradition of the institution so having said that I see myself as not just as another top barrier of the institution but as really doing the hands on work to share not just the culture but to connect bodies of people in society."