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 Conservatory¹ 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 caliber² of colleagues and friends and still work for the dean's office of the longest running conservatory with some of the best and dedicated³ 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 awareness⁴ 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 component⁵ and having found this outlet⁶ 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 equities⁷ 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 sector⁸ or geology major who look at the technology sector, but focusing more on environmental rehabilitation⁹ 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 faculty¹⁰ and the administrators¹¹ 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."

1 conservatory   

n.温室，音乐学院；adj.保存性的，有保存力的

参考例句：

• At the conservatory,he learned how to score a musical composition.在音乐学校里，他学会了怎样谱曲。
• The modern conservatory is not an environment for nurturing plants.这个现代化温室的环境不适合培育植物。

2 caliber   

n.能力；水准

参考例句：

• They ought to win with players of such high caliber.他们选手的能力这样高,应该获胜。
• We are always trying to improve the caliber of our schools.我们一直在想方设法提高我们学校的水平。

3 dedicated   

adj.一心一意的；献身的；热诚的

参考例句：

• He dedicated his life to the cause of education.他献身于教育事业。
• His whole energies are dedicated to improve the design.他的全部精力都放在改进这项设计上了。

4 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。

5 component   

n.组成部分，成分，元件；adj.组成的，合成的

参考例句：

• Each component is carefully checked before assembly.每个零件在装配前都经过仔细检查。
• Blade and handle are the component parts of a knife.刀身和刀柄是一把刀的组成部分。

6 outlet   

n.出口/路；销路；批发商店；通风口；发泄

参考例句：

• The outlet of a water pipe was blocked.水管的出水口堵住了。
• Running is a good outlet for his energy.跑步是他发泄过剩精力的好方法。

7 equities   

普通股，股票

参考例句：

• These are invested mainly in the OECD bonds and equities. 这些资产主要投资于经济合作及发展组织的债券与股票市场。
• They are also advantage of the global rebound in equities. 它们还在利用全球股市反弹的机会。

8 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

9 rehabilitation   

n.康复，悔过自新，修复，复兴，复职，复位

参考例句：

• He's booked himself into a rehabilitation clinic.他自己联系了一家康复诊所。
• No one can really make me rehabilitation of injuries.已经没有人可以真正令我的伤康复了。

10 faculty   

n.才能；学院，系；(学院或系的)全体教学人员

参考例句：

• He has a great faculty for learning foreign languages.他有学习外语的天赋。
• He has the faculty of saying the right thing at the right time.他有在恰当的时候说恰当的话的才智。

11 administrators   

n.管理者( administrator的名词复数 )；有管理（或行政）才能的人；（由遗嘱检验法庭指定的）遗产管理人；奉派暂管主教教区的牧师

参考例句：

• He had administrators under him but took the crucial decisions himself. 他手下有管理人员，但重要的决策仍由他自己来做。 来自辞典例句
• Administrators have their own methods of social intercourse. 办行政的人有他们的社交方式。 来自汉英文学 - 围城