Goshen College, Music Center

Goshen, Indiana

Firm

Schmidt Associates

Client

Goshen College

Area

70,847 sq.ft.

Total Cost

$13,561,856

Completion Date

10/2002

An outgrowth of the community’s strong Mennonite faith, the music program at Goshen College embodies the spirit of “making a joyful noise unto the Lord.” The new Music Center reflects this spirit.
Situated on the campus’ northeast side, the new building features concert and recital halls. A large lobby, highlighted by an art gallery, connects the two venues. An adjacent portion of the building is dedicated to the Community Music Preparatory Program. The facility itself is situated to provide a strong student orientation through a symbolic circular outdoor gathering space.
Rehearsal rooms are designed for choral and instrumental groups. Both feature portable risers, natural lighting and audiovisual equipment for performance evaluation. Each, along with the Concert Hall and Recital Hall, is equipped with recording capabilities. Storage areas and a choral library provide support space for these rooms. More than 20 practice rooms and faculty teaching studios provide an intimate setting for individual and small-group rehearsal.
The new facility also houses several music classrooms, each acoustically balanced and equipped to accommodate a variety of programs. Two piano studios are used for private instruction and group lessons. An adjacent computer lab provides seven MIDI workstations for electronic manipulation.
Personal contact among faculty and students also is a high priority at Goshen College. Therefore, administrative offices for music faculty and staff are situated within the new facility. A new music library provides storage for CDs, cassettes and LPs. Listening labs are linked in a local-area network to the main library and enable students to study music on a more personal basis.
The art of music is a time-honored tradition at Goshen College. The Music Center allows students, faculty and the community to lift both voice and instrument in celebration of this heritage.