New Music Facilities

College Majors Music Major
1

When my son and I toured the New England Conservatory of Music a few years back, we were very disappointed to find its facilities in dilapidated condition with some classrooms visibly moldy and equipment that were clearly outdated. As soon as we got back from the tour, however, I read an announcement of the planning of a new building construction, the first one since 60 years ago at NEC. Well, I haven’t seen the new building personally, but it apparently opened this past September:

https://archpaper.com/2017/09/new-building-new-england-conservatory/#gallery-0-slide-0

Less than two weeks ago, Princeton held a multi-day celebration of the opening of their new Lewis Center for the Arts Complex, which includes a new 3-story Music Building:

https://music.princeton.edu/new-music-building-lewis-center-arts-complex
https://www.princeton.edu/news/2017/09/15/four-day-festival-celebrate-opening-lewis-arts-complex

Then, today, not to be outdone, Harvard announced their own plans to build a new 9,000 square-foot arts building that will house “an audio recording studio, sound editing stations, and performance spaces”:

https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2017/10/17/allston-arts-building-plans/

Having an easy and convenient access to great music facilities could play a significant role in any students’ thoughts when making a college or conservatory decision. My son and I for one was so turned off by our experience at NEC that, although other factors played into our decision making, he ended up not even auditioning for it.

With such exciting new music facilities going up, I thought it’d be very helpful to create a thread where we can list any new music facilities that are either being planned or already opened recently. My knowledge is limited to these three, along with Stanford’s Bing Concert Hall which opened in 2013 (I’d consider it “recent”):

http://live.stanford.edu/plan-your-visit/venues/bing-concert-hall

Any others?

2

I think Berklee’s 160 Mass Ave building opened in 2015. 16 stories with dorms, Caf and a lot of studios/labs/rehearsal rooms. I believe the price tag was in the $100 million range.

U Mich recently (2015 or 16?) renovated the original School of Music building, to the tune of $30 million. I think they generally updated the building but I know there was a big improvement in studios / technology.

The Kohl building at Oberlin is relatively recent, within the last 10 years. I know the jazz dept is in there.

3

The UM renovation included renovation of the existing Moore music bldg. as well as a 34K square foot expansion.

" the new wing houses a welcoming new entrance and lobby, a rehearsal hall for large ensembles, a music technology center, a state-of-the-art lecture hall, a suite of percussion practice rooms and new classrooms,.

In addition to the many new spaces in the Brehm Pavilion, the entire building received substantial renovations resulting in a 25-percent increase in practice rooms; a public commons; significant acoustical, aesthetic and functional improvements to existing rehearsal and performance spaces; and a reconfiguring of faculty offices and studio space to accommodate a music program that has grown exponentially since the original building was first planned in the 1950s."

4

DePaul’s School of Music plans to complete construction on the Holtschneider Performance Center on the Lincoln Park Campus by Spring 2018.

You can watch a live construction video at https://offices.depaul.edu/information-services/construction/current/music/Pages/construction-videos.aspx.

The new facilities will include the 505-seat William E. and Mary Pat Gannon Hay Concert Hall, a 140-seat recital hall, a smaller 81-seat recital hall, and the 76-seat Philip Corboy and Mary Dempsey Jazz Hall. There will also be an underground parking garage, an atrium cafe, rehearsal rooms and practice rooms, and a sound recording technology suite.

5

Not so “new” but I remember D3 touring Boston University’s music building before and after the practice rooms were renovated … think “dungeon” to “silicon valley.” She still didn’t apply, but was less freaked out about warming up in there.

6

About a decade old the Wirth Music Building at McGill is impressive:
http://www.archdaily.com/12569/new-pavilion-for-the-mcgill-university-schulich-school-of-music-saucier-perrotte-architectes
It is juxtaposed with the Victorian era Strathcona Music Building.

7

Frost was completing a renovation in 2015 when my son was auditioning there - the Patricia Louis Frost Music Studios. And Oberlin’s jazz building was brand new. I think I was more impressed than my son (junior at NEC!).

8

University of Richmond’s music building (Booker Hall of Music) is currently under renovation during the 2017-2018 school year, with the concert hall renovation planned for Summer 2018. Lots of plans, but one of the big things is completely overhauling the HVAC system, which hasn’t been replaced since the building was built (in the 60s? iirc). Last year, North Court was renovated, which features a newly renovated recital hall and a new choir room. On a related note, the Modlin Center for the Arts at UR also finished some renovations this summer, including adding a new dance studio and a new acting studio, in addition to the existing spaces.

9

http://www.music.northwestern.edu/about/facilities/index.html

Ryan Center for the Musical Arts - the new home of Northwestern University’s Bienen School of Music - opened in 2016 and is a beautiful lakeside treasure. My favorite space is one of the recital halls that seats 400 and features a 40-foot glass wall with views of Lake Michigan and Chicago. “Undulating walls of Forest Stewardship Council–certified wood, covered with a thin layer of African moabi wood, provide optimal acoustics, and the hall is equipped with state-of-the-art sound and video equipment for recording.” Due to its prow-like shape, the students refer to it as the S.S. Bienen.