May 13, 2002
Contact: Mark Anderson (509-963-1493/fax 509-963-2301/e-mail: andemark@cwu.edu)
ELLENSBURG, Wash. - Central Washington University’s nationally recognized music department is about to break ground for its new Music Education Facility. The groundbreaking celebration for Phase I of the project will take place Wednesday, May 15, at 1 p.m. at the building site just east of Hogue Technology, near Alder Street and Dean Nicholson Boulevard. Building occupancy is scheduled for winter quarter 2004.
The May 15 celebration will feature music by CWU’s Wind Ensemble, a welcome by music department Chair Peter Gries and remarks from President Jerilyn S. McIntyre, Dean of the College of Arts and Humanities Liahna Armstrong, students and other dignitaries.
Gries said, “The thought of having a facility that will provide our students with enough room to study, practice, rehearse, perform and store instruments after so many years of insufficient, cramped, outmoded and crowded conditions is almost too marvelous to believe.”
The building was approved in Washington state’s 2001-03 budget, which was signed June 26, 2001, by Gov. Gary Locke. The final OK came after much hard work by faculty, staff, students, administrators, legislators, alumni and others.
“We feel the legislature was particularly sensitive to Central’s needs, and supportive considering the tough budget year,” CWU President Jerilyn S. McIntyre, said at the time. “We are especially pleased with the capital budget.”
A total of $14 million for Phase I construction was included in the budget. It will allow for development of an approximately 40,000 square foot, functional building containing the 600-seat concert hall, 150-seat recital hall, four rehearsal rooms, an entry lobby, locker storage, performance library and an administration wing. It will provide the infrastructure to adapt to changing music technologies.
Phase I will also address health and safety issues arising from crowding and excessive use of performance venues in Hertz Hall, which was constructed in 1963 for a music department of 150 students. Since then, the CWU music program has produced more music educators than any other school in the Northwest, and is growing to a projected 326 students in 2010.
Since 1961, CWU has trained music educators that teach in almost every school district in the state and throughout the entire Northwest region.
In Washington state today, CWU music graduates teach more than 250,000 students annually. The quality of the CWU staff has attracted performance majors represented in professional choral and instrumental ensembles throughout the Northwest.
The CWU music program also serves as a valuable cultural resource for the central Washington region. Each year, the music department presents approximately 200 public performances and invites more than 10,000 high school students to participate in music festivals on the Ellensburg campus.
