Performance Hall to be ready by August
What was once an empty hall will soon be filled with numerous students and instruments as the Performance Hall in the School of Music at Texas A&M University – Kingsville (TAMUK) reaches its final stage of renovation.
The Performance Hall, Room 187, was among the list of facilities affected by the freeze in February 2021. The hall was flooded and had water damage along with other areas in the building. The hall has been under renovation and reconstruction since.
In the meantime, students have been performing in the Recital Hall (also located in the music building) for smaller groups and Jones Auditorium for bigger groups.
“The Performance Hall is being built back to its original condition. So, we will be able to meet, rehearse and perform in the hall as it was originally intended,” Director of School of Music and Regents Professor of Music Dr. Paul Hageman said. “It is a beautiful hall that has superior acoustics which are adjustable, technology for any performance application, flexibility to accommodate any type of performance – from solos to large ensembles and aesthetics and comfort that are as good as any performance hall anywhere.”
Hageman said he worked together with university administration, the A&M system and all their construction partners. The goal for everyone involved is to build the hall back to its original condition.
“The School of Music is very excited to be able to return to our incredible performance hall and we look forward to our students making beautiful and inspiring music in the music hall again,” Hageman said.
He expressed gratitude on behalf of the School of Music to the administration for their support and for ensuring that the project would be completed effectively and efficiently.
Like Hageman, students in the School of Music expressed their eagerness to get back into the restricted areas of the building.
Junior music education major Austin Catache said he is excited that the Performance Hall will be finished soon. He assured that he was not the only one who felt this way.
“It is very important to have a working performance hall to show the beautiful sounds that our music school produces,” Catache said. “Having a beautiful hall is great to showcase all the talent and work that I and the rest of the of the music building put in.”
Senior jazz performance major Joseph Hernandez also expresses excitement.
“[A renovated performance hall] means a step towards finally having a fully realized music building,” Hernandez said. “Ever since my freshman year, which was the first year the new music building was installed, it has always felt like a work in progress.”
Hernandez is looking forward to his junior recital, which will take place Nov. 1 in the Performance Hall. He said he delayed his recital so he could be able to perform in the hall once it was completed, as it was something he always wanted to do.
The Performance Hall is scheduled to return to use on Aug. 1.