For five years, the university’s music building has been the backdrop to late-night rehearsals, first-semester nerves, senior recitals and quiet breakthroughs.
Now, in A&M-Kingsville’s centennial year, it begins a new chapter, with a new name, officially dedicated as the Dr. Steven H. Tallant Music Building in honor of the university’s 19th president.
“Naming this building after me puts my name on this campus, a campus that I love. I know the names of every building on this campus, and I know what those people did,” Tallant said. “All of them contributed to the education of kids from South Texas, and to be next to them, for the rest of my life, nothing could be more meaningful than that. And it’s very comforting for a man my age to have this recognition.”
The path to the ribbon cutting stretched long before champagne corks popped that night. The event was intimate, by invitation only, and attended by some of Tallant’s closest friends, colleagues and collaborators who shared in his more than a decade of service to the university.
Their presence underscored the personal significance of the ceremony, and it was clear the celebration was as much about relationships and impact as it was about bricks and mortar.
And though the night was about the man, the building itself stands as a testament to quality, setting a tone for excellence.
As Kingsville Mayor Sam Fugate put it, “This thing is built high-quality. The sound is incredible. You won’t find anything in Corpus, or San Antonio that compares to the exceptional craftsmanship of this building.”
Mayor Fugate added, “Really and truly, Steven Tallant was the driving force behind the $60 million grant for this building from the state legislature. It was the only fine-arts grant they awarded, and Steve Tallant did it.”
Perhaps no one offers a more personal testament to Tallant’s work and persistence than Dr. Paul Hageman, who served as the director of the School of Music for 33 years, coinciding with Tallant’s presidency.
“Dr. Tallant was the one who got the ball over the goal-line, if you will,” Hageman recalled. “We actually tried three times with the state legislature, and finally, the next one we got it.”
Hageman’s recollections of the legislative hurdles reflect the determination he and Tallant shared to create a building with an influence reaching far beyond the campus.
“This building is a resource, not only for us, but for the entire world,” said Dr. Hageman, noting that the building has hosted everything from UIL competitions to Texas Music Educators Association events – as well as regional, state, national and international conferences.
Beyond its walls, the building’s reach continues to grow. For Tallant, the dedication of the music building is more than recognition. It is a continual testament to a vision realized and a community shaped for years to come.
TAMUK honored former 19th president Dr. Steven H. Tallant by officially renaming the university’s Music Building in his memory. Staff, students, and community members gathered to celebrate his impact on the campus. Reporter Jakob Salinas captured the emotional ceremony as attendees reflected on Dr. Tallant’s legacy and dedication to the arts.