MSU College of Music to unveil Fairchild Theater "reinvention" with Gershwin performance

Never has a building renovation sounded so lovely. In fact, the nearly completed work on the Fairchild Theater is so comprehensive, MSU College of Music Director of Operations Lori Garza calls it a reinvention. 

 

"Everything was taken back to the bones, and everything within the space was carefully considered regarding how it would affect the acoustics of the space," Garza says. "They looked at every angle."

 

The work, which was part of a $20 million series of renovations, began in July of 2012. Though finishing touches are expected to continue throughout this week, the project will be completed just in time for the grand opening performance on Oct. 28. The 13-artist performance of George Gershwin songs called "S Wonderful" will be a part of the Church West Circle Series.

 

"The human voice will be amazing in the space," says Garza. "Last week we had solo cello in there and it was stunning."

 

This 1940s-era building is now the setting of a state-of-the-art, 462-seat theatre. It will serve as the new home for the MSU College of Music chamber and recital series, guest artists, choral music, opera, contemporary music and jazz. Garza notes just how important such a significant investment in the arts is now, as state and national funding for arts programming is decreasing. 

 

In addition to the Fairchild Theater renovation, the new Byron and Delores Cook Recital Hall opened last year with work by the same acoustics design team, Kirkegaard Associates of Chicago, and construction management team, Christman Company.