KU School of Music presents final concert in Swarthout Recital Hall before renovations

LAWRENCE - The University of Kansas will celebrate the end of an era and anticipate the beginning of another at a special concert decommissioning Swarthout Recital Hall at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 15. The concert will be the final performance in the hall - the School of Music’s primary concert venue - prior to the beginning of renovations. The event is free and open to the public.

The program will feature performances from faculty artists Julia Broxholm, Peter Chun, Edward Laut, Véroniqué Mathieu, Richard Reber, Steven Spooner, John Stephens and Dean Robert Walzel.

“This concert honors a space that has served the University of Kansas musical community for over half a century,” said Walzel. “We also celebrate the start of the next chapter in our beloved recital hall’s history.”

Swarthout Recital Hall has been the principal academic performance space for the School of Music since 1957, hosting more than a million patrons. Nearly every day of the school year, one or more recitals are held in Swarthout, and many graduating seniors perform their senior recitals in the hall to cap their educational experience.

The renovation -- anticipated completion in spring 2015 -- will completely remake the hall by replacing everything back to the cinder block super-structure and constructing an entirely new performance space with modern seating, acoustical treatments, audio, lighting, and recording and webcasting capabilities. The renovation of the outdated recital hall -- arguably the most used concert facility in Kansas -- will allow the University to more effectively support students and contribute to the cultural fabric of the region. 

For more information, contact the KU School of Music at 785-864-3436 or visit www.music.ku.edu.