Skip to main content

Resources and Forms

a student studying in the library

Dig deeper by taking advantage of our curated list of resources we’ve compiled just for you.

Our own databases, as well as those of other institutions and organizations, have made it easy for SFCM students to locate any specific piece of information they seek in their musical endeavors.

SFCM Databases

Audio and Video Streaming
Music Reference Tools
Newspaper/Magazine

Online Music Reference/Research Tools

Cambridge Companions Online: Series of educational collections written by leading experts covering a wide range of musical genres.

IPA Source: The web's largest library of International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) transcriptions and literal transloations of opera arias and art song texts.

JSTOR (LibGuides): Most widely used research database offering academic journals, ebooks and primary sources.

Music & Performing Arts Collection (LibGuides): Formerly known as the International Index to Music Periodicals (IIMP), which provides an extensive range of research materials including classical music and opera, Theater and popular music.

Oxford Music Online: Covers all aspects of music, including composers, performers, terminology, musical genres and forms. (Includes; New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, New Grove Dictionary of Jazz and New Grove Dictionary of Opera.)

RILM Abstracts of Music Literature: A comprehensive bibliography of writings on music serving the global music research community.

Audio and Video Streaming

Met Opera on Demand: Student Access: Watch and listen to world renown Met Opera performances over the internet.

Naxos Music Library (Audio): Thousands of audio tracks! Includes classical music as well as jazz, new age, educational.

Medici.tv (about): The world's leading classical channel that allows user to access the world's most prestigious performances, competitions and events, historical documentaries, educational programs and master classes.

Transposition Databases

Art Song Transpositions: Offers over 11,000 digital sheet music arrangement of art songs and arias.

Citation Resources

Chicago Manual of Style (including Quick Guide)

Newspaper/Magazine

Chronicle of Higher Education

The Eastman Case Studies: Explores a wide range of case studies applicable to today's musical leaders, including orchestra management, negotiation, diversity & inclusion, licensing and agreements, capital funding and more.

Free San Francisco Public Library Card

The San Francisco Public Library, located just three blocks away from the Conservatory, offers remote access to many online databases, including JSTOR, Academic Search Complete (EBSCO), and full-text journals not available at the Conservatory. All you need is ID and proof of residence in California. Click here to get your card.

* Music Research Tools