<p>Northwestern</a> University announces new $90 million music building -- chicagotribune.com</p>
<p>I am glad the music school finally gets the attention. This has been long overdue.</p>
<p>OMG, is it ever. I remember that building was already deteriorating 30 years ago. </p>
<p>How wonderful for future musicians...a new building, and a new jazz director. Perhaps NU will return to its position as a premier music school. I hope so!</p>
<p>Hate to be a pessimist, but I understand there have been announcements in the past which were unfulfilled. The article doesn't even mention a projected start date. That in itself, could be a warning sign.</p>
<p>But I do hope I'm wrong. That building was old at the turn of the century, the turn of the 20th Century!</p>
<p>It's not even air conditioned.</p>
<p>Northwestern dropped right off of my daughter's list as soon as she visited the music school (she's a Rice grad now). I'm glad they are improving things.</p>
<p>God it's about time! It's suppose to be completed in 2012...let's hope things follow the schedule.</p>
<p>Projected start date is last quarter 2009. Completion date will be 2012.</p>
<p>I cannot believe they have a music school that isn't air conditioned. D is auditioning there tomorrow. I guess A/C won't be necessary tomorrow!</p>
<p>Now I am really curious to see this music school!</p>
<p>The building always reminds me of the set of a Steven King movie, especially in the winter with the radiators hissing. Just walk around the corners carefully...</p>
<p>Very much like a SK movie set.</p>
<p>There might be 1 or 2 rooms with antiquated window AC units but if you get there later in the day during summer, you're stuck in un-airconditioned rooms. This last summer there were more than a few days that were killers with high humidity. The breeze off the lake was no help.</p>
<p>ImperialZeppelin,</p>
<p>I know what you meant about not following through. But looks like this one is moving forward and for real. Northwestern</a> to Build New Music Building
I can't imagine they'd stray from it now given all the publicity. Within just the past 10 years, NU has built a few new buildings for science and engineering. It also completed the 100 million renovation for the engineering building. But very little has been done done for the music school.</p>
<p>Like I said, I hope I'm wrong, but there are some alumni who post here who reported that they were told there would be a new building completed prior to their graduating. It is a damn shame that it has taken so long and has certainly cost the program some good talent over the years...</p>
<p>In the meantime, we can use the line that was used to describe the NEC building, "Historically charming!"</p>
<p>Unfortunately of course, the "historically charming" building was never built as a music facility. I believe it was converted from a dorm or girls schoolhouse or something?</p>
<p>Roland and Almita Vamos teach there... they have a great studio.</p>
<p>Construction is annoying... my school has looked like a disaster site from the street for a couple of years.</p>
<p>a lot of the buildings at northwestern don't have a/c.</p>
<p>Anyone not familiar with the Northwestern music school might be confused! There are several different music buildings. An older building, currently used for piano and voice, is being replaced. There is also a newer building (not really new, probably 1970's!) on Lake Michigan that currently holds strings, wind and percussion studios as well as practice rooms. This is the building of likely to be of most interest to anyone auditioning on these instruments - and it is air conditioned. Rehearsal and concert halls in the newer buildings are also air conditioned.</p>
<p>From NU's website, here are the plans:</p>
<p>Press</a> Release Feb 19 2008, General News, News, School of Music, Northwestern University</p>
<p>hmm, and I had just heard that NWern was to benefit from the relocation of a very famous piano professor</p>
<p>Despite all that is said here about the facilities, my D would love to go to this wonderful school. Her audition last Saturday went well and she came out of there feeling great. The professors she auditioned for were very nice and friendly. She was totally relaxed and never mentioned anything negative about the building we were in. I guess she was just happy to be there!</p>
<p>I will say that the rehearsal rooms were kind of strange. You have to walk into one to get to the other two that are connected to the main room. And, they are not sound proof! When I looked out the window, I could see several window air conditioning units that hopefully help to cool off that building.</p>
<p>They have superb faculty and quality of life is one of the factors in attracting and keeping the best faculty and students. It's just the thought of practicing 4-6 hours at night in that building that is a little scary since pianists really have no choice as far as I know.</p>