FORT WORTH, Texas (Feb. 23, 2022) –Texas Christian University’s (TCU) School of Music will mark the grand opening of the state-of-the-art Van Cliburn Concert Hall at TCU with a monthlong celebration in April. The concert hall is part of the new $53 million TCU Music Center that partially opened in fall 2020, providing more than 7,500 square feet of rehearsal space and learning resources for TCU’s band, orchestra and percussion programs.
Named for award-winning pianist and international icon, Van Cliburn, the 717-seat Van Cliburn Concert Hall at TCU has an acoustical volume similar to venues that have double to triple the seating capacity. The impressive, yet intimate, concert hall is designed to rival well-known venues such as Fort Worth’s Bass Performance Hall and the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas.
The first public performance in the Van Cliburn Concert Hall at TCU (April 8) will feature the TCU Frog Corps, one of the university’s male vocal ensembles and spirit groups.
Performances will take place in the concert hall almost nightly through the end of April. Notably, TCU will collaborate with the Cliburn, presenting the TCU Symphony Orchestra and 2001 Cliburn Gold Medalist Olga Kern (April 13), and with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra (April 14) in a shared program. A full list of performances with dates, times and ticket information is available via the TCU School of Music’s online calendar.
The TCU Music Center and VCCH at TCU were built as part of TCU’s Vision in Action: Lead On strategic plan to support the nationally renowned School of Music. In addition to hosting TCU music performances, the concert hall will feature events from other arts organizations. The Cliburn will hold its Preliminary and Quarterfinal round concerts of the 16th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition at the Van Cliburn Concert Hall at TCU in June 2022, marking the hall’s first external event.
Like a finely crafted musical instrument
Designed like a finely crafted musical instrument, each space in the TCU Music Center contains carefully selected materials to create the perfect acoustic environment. The concert hall itself is a separate structure within the larger building so outside sound will not impact performances.
On the TCU Music Center’s second floor, visitors will find the Van Cliburn Life & Legacy Exhibit, featuring a memorabilia display and interactive touch screen with links to a website to learn more about Cliburn. The display area provides a glimpse of Cliburn’s remarkable impact, including his Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award, Presidential Medal of Freedom, Kennedy Center Honors Award, and letters and photos with Presidents Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush and Barack Obama.
Impacting students’ experience
Students, faculty and staff have utilized rehearsal rooms and learning resources in the TCU Music Center since fall 2020. In that time, the facilities have significantly impacted TCU’s many music ensembles, such as providing enough space for the 200-plus-member Horned Frog Marching Band to practice inside together for the first time ever and the first dedicated rehearsal space for the TCU Symphony Orchestra in its 100-plus-year history.
“I cannot overstate how transformative the TCU Music Center has been for the School of Music already,” said Sean Atkinson, director of the TCU School of Music. “With the opening of the Van Cliburn Concert Hall at TCU, our students will have access to an incredible on-campus performance venue to enrich their education and share their talents more broadly.”
Located on the east side of campus, the TCU Music Center joins the Fine Arts Building, Mary Couts Burnett Library, J.M. Moudy Visual Arts and Communication Building and Rees-Jones Hall to form the Creative Commons, a green space designed for outdoor performances, events and campus gatherings.
Play a role
The TCU School of Music Seat Campaign allows patrons to leave a lasting impact on the Van Cliburn Concert Hall at TCU. Patrons who wish to make a monetary gift will receive an engraved plate on the arm of a chair with their name or the name of someone special they wish to honor. That gift will support TCU’s investment in world-class talent for years to come.
A full list of grand opening events at the Van Cliburn Concert Hall at TCU is available via the TCU School of Music online calendar. For additional information, visit the TCU Music Center webpage.
###
ABOUT TCU SCHOOL OF MUSIC
The TCU School of Music is a nationally recognized, award-winning institution where students study with outstanding faculty, interact with artists throughout the world and excel from a personalized musical experience. Accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music, TCU’s School of Music program prepares students to become future teachers, performers, scholars, conductors and composers. More information is available on the School of Music website.
- AECOM Hunt: Contractor
- Bora: Lead Architect
- Hahnfeld Hoffer Stanford: Local Architect
- Acoustic Distinctions: Acoustician
- The Shalleck Collaborative: Theater and AV Consultant
- Collaborative Engineering Group: MEP Engineer
- Walter P Moore: Structural Engineer
- OJB: Landscape Architect
Key Donors:
Marcia and John Kleinheinz
Anonymous
The Burnett Foundation
Linda Faye Ferguson
Marcia French
Ann and Ron Koonsman
Dana and David Porter
Nancy Tartaglino Richards and Family