Eastman School of Music, of the University of Rochester, is pleased to announce the recent renovation of Howard Hanson Recital Hall, an intimate concert venue built in 1976. The hall was completely gutted and renovated to bring it into the 21st Century, with construction taking place over the course of the 2023-24 academic year and into summer. Eastman worked with two Rochester-based organizations to complete the project: CJS Architects and Building Services Group (BSG). This small but mighty 57-seat hall measures just under 1,100 square feet, including its greenroom.
The newly completed renovation has made Hanson Hall one the most state-of-the-art locations on Eastman’s campus. The recital hall now allows for flexible usage, including performances and lectures, due to the installation of a smart control panel and versatile lighting options. Alongside its upgraded technology and trimmings, the hall’s stage features a beautifully restored 1906 Steinway piano.
An especially exciting element of the hall’s makeover is the installation of ‘self-recording’ audio and video equipment for student use, including two 4k cameras, a high-quality hanging stereo microphone and next-day access to the recordings.
“The complete renovation of Howard Hanson Recital Hall complements the recent renovations of Eastman’s other performance venues—Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre, Kilbourn Hall and the Hatch Recital Hall,” said Eastman’s prior dean, Jamal J. Rossi. “Hanson Hall is now a multi-use space that integrates highly advanced technology into an acoustically and aesthetically pleasing hall. I am grateful to the many craftspeople, technicians and Eastman colleagues who brought this project to fruition.”
Many Eastman facilities were revamped under Rossi’s leadership including Lowry Hall, the whole of the main building, the Student Living Center and a major rebuild of Messinger Hall. The modernization of Howard Hanson Recital Hall was his final renovation project before stepping down as dean.
Media only: Lauren Sageer, Assistant Director of Public Relations and Digital Content,
(585) 451-8492, lsageer@esm.rochester.edu
Featured photograph by Kurt Brownell
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About Eastman School of Music:
The Eastman School of Music was founded in 1921 by industrialist and philanthropist George Eastman (1854–1932), founder of Eastman Kodak Company. It was the first professional school of the University of Rochester. Mr. Eastman’s dream was that his school would provide a broad education in the liberal arts as well as superb musical training.
More than 900 students are enrolled in the Collegiate Division of the Eastman School of Music—about 500 undergraduates and 400 graduate students. They come from almost every state, and approximately 23 percent are from other countries. They are taught by a faculty comprised of more than 130 highly regarded performers, composers, conductors, scholars, and educators. They are Pulitzer Prize winners, Grammy winners, Emmy winners, Guggenheim fellows, ASCAP Award recipients, published authors, recording artists, and acclaimed musicians who have performed in the world’s greatest concert halls. Each year, Eastman’s students, faculty members, and guest artists present more than 900 concerts to the Rochester community. Additionally, more than 1,700 members of the Rochester community, from young children through senior citizens, are enrolled in the Eastman Community Music School.
About the University of Rochester:
The University of Rochester is one of the nation’s leading private research universities, one of only 62-member institutions in the Association of American Universities. Located in Rochester, N.Y., the University gives undergraduates exceptional opportunities for interdisciplinary study and close collaboration with faculty through its unique cluster-based curriculum. Its College, School of Arts and Sciences, and Hajim School of Engineering and Applied Sciences are complemented by the Eastman School of Music, Simon School of Business, Warner School of Education, Laboratory for Laser Energetics, School of Medicine and Dentistry, School of Nursing, Eastman Institute for Oral Health, and the Memorial Art Gallery.