Though still under some minor construction, Lincoln Hall opened its doors in August to new and returning music students and faculty for the upcoming school year.
"I think we skipped from the 19th to the 21st century. Our facilities had been cobbled together and now we have something that is state of the art," said Rice Majors '94, circulation supervisor for Lincoln Hall Library.
The additions to Lincoln Hall include: a 2,850 square-foot rehearsal room, an increase in the number of practice rooms for students, 13 new teaching studios for private teaching, a gamelan world-music room, mini-electronic studios, new administrative areas and a 70 percent expansion of the Music Library.
"The Music Library now houses all the records, videos, new and rare books that were once in storage and is open to everyone," said Dr. Bill Davis Scatterday, chairperson of the Music Department.
It also has new reading areas and computer labs for students and faculty.
"The library is huge. It's clean! Lots of space. Great technology," said Brianna Wilson '03.
With the building's renovations and the addition of its impressive 18,640 square-foot wing, Cornell now boasts the premiere, state of the art music facility in the Ivy League, Scatterday said.
"Lincoln Hall was never designed for music. It was initially designed for civil engineering and architecture in 1888," Scatterday continued.
When it was first built in 1888, the cost of the construction was $72,603, but for its reconstruction and expansion, the cost totaled almost $19 million.
"In the early 90's there was an attempt to raise money by going to alumni and some other foundations. We found that the majority of alumni donors were not musicians, but rather music lovers," Scatterday said.
After eight years of careful planning and designing, the architectural company of Schepley Bulfinch Richardson and Abbott (the designers of Kroch Library) began construction in March 1999 and finished in August 2000.
On October 28, there will be an open house from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The Wind Symphony, Jazz Ensemble, the Glee Club and Chorus will all perform. All on and off-campus persons can tour the entire new Lincoln Hall.
"I am very proud of the fact that Cornell is making a statement with the Arts, that a research institution considers music to be a part of the curriculum and an aesthetic necessity on campus," Scatterday added.
Archived article by Sheryl Parker
