▁of ▁African - American ▁compos ers ." ▁These ▁efforts ▁have ▁helped ▁Ober lin ▁remain ▁committed ▁to ▁its ▁values ▁of ▁freedom , ▁social ▁justice , ▁and ▁service . ▁ ▁It ▁is ▁also ▁the ▁oldest ▁continu ously ▁operating ▁co ed uc ational ▁conserv atory , ▁since ▁its ▁incorpor ation ▁with ▁Ober lin ▁College , ▁the ▁first ▁co ed uc ational ▁college . ▁The ▁college ▁and ▁conserv atory ▁were ▁listed ▁as ▁a ▁National ▁Historic ▁Land mark ▁on ▁December ▁ 2 1 , ▁ 1 9 6 5 , ▁for ▁its ▁significance ▁in ▁social ▁progress . ▁ ▁Due ▁to ▁the ▁conserv atory ' s ▁affili ation ▁with ▁El ish a ▁Gray , ▁invent or ▁of ▁the ▁elect rome chan ical ▁oscill ator , ▁and ▁Th ad de us ▁C ah ill , ▁invent or ▁of ▁the ▁tel harm on ium , ▁Ober lin ▁Conserv atory ▁plays ▁a ▁role ▁in ▁the ▁orig ins ▁of ▁electronic ▁music . ▁The ▁T IMA RA ▁( Te chn ology ▁In ▁Music ▁And ▁Rel ated ▁Arts ) ▁program ▁was ▁the ▁world ' s ▁first ▁conserv atory ▁program ▁in ▁this ▁field , ▁established ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 7 . ▁ ▁Ober lin ▁Conserv atory ▁was ▁the ▁recip ient ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁National ▁Medal ▁of ▁Arts , ▁the ▁highest ▁award ▁given ▁by ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁government ▁to ▁artists ▁and ▁arts ▁pat rons ▁in ▁recognition ▁of ▁the ▁wealth ▁and ▁depth ▁of ▁their ▁cre ative ▁expressions . ▁The ▁Ober lin ▁Conserv atory ▁of ▁Music ▁is ▁the ▁only ▁professional ▁music ▁school ▁to ▁be