Zankel opens doors to community
Audrey Nelson
Issue date: 2/5/10 Section: News
After over 20 years of discussion and 33 months of construction, Skidmore's Arthur Zankel Music Center is complete.
The building is a voluminous 54,000 square-feet, over twice the size of the Therese W. Filene Music Building. Music majors are enthusiastic about the spaciousness of Zankel, which cost $32.5 million to build.
The initial funding came from the late Arthur Zankel, a Skidmore trustee who donated $46 million to the college-the largest gift in Skidmore history-$15 million of the college's was allocated to the music center.
The remainder of his gift has funded numerous other opportunities, including a Zankel scholarship for need-base students from New York City and the establishment of an arts administration program.
Parents, alumni and various donors provided additional financial support, which will be used towards a keyboard lab, in-class pianos, musical staff, white boards and sound systems in the classrooms.
"There's so much more space [in Zankel] and there always seems to be a practice room open," Aaron Wallace '12 said. He is especially grateful to have two lockers in which to store his clarinet and saxophone.
Kim Davie '11 is also pleased with the new facilities. Her favorite changes from Filene are the soundproof classrooms and practice rooms. "Before, you could clearly hear the piano in the room next door during class, which was pretty distracting," Davie said.
The Music Department faculty is delighted by the new music center and pleased with the transition from Filene.
"You never knew when a light fixture would fall on you," said Gordon Thompson, a professor in the Music Department, in reference to Filene in a joking manner. With the additional space he can now teach 40 students in his "1960s British Rock" course compared to the 30 available spots last semester.
The building holds both administrative offices for faculty and classroom space for professors and students. Music students will have exclusive access to the building at night by swiping their Skidmore ID cards. Rehearsal bands, however, will not.
The building is a voluminous 54,000 square-feet, over twice the size of the Therese W. Filene Music Building. Music majors are enthusiastic about the spaciousness of Zankel, which cost $32.5 million to build.
The initial funding came from the late Arthur Zankel, a Skidmore trustee who donated $46 million to the college-the largest gift in Skidmore history-$15 million of the college's was allocated to the music center.
The remainder of his gift has funded numerous other opportunities, including a Zankel scholarship for need-base students from New York City and the establishment of an arts administration program.
Parents, alumni and various donors provided additional financial support, which will be used towards a keyboard lab, in-class pianos, musical staff, white boards and sound systems in the classrooms.
"There's so much more space [in Zankel] and there always seems to be a practice room open," Aaron Wallace '12 said. He is especially grateful to have two lockers in which to store his clarinet and saxophone.
Kim Davie '11 is also pleased with the new facilities. Her favorite changes from Filene are the soundproof classrooms and practice rooms. "Before, you could clearly hear the piano in the room next door during class, which was pretty distracting," Davie said.
The Music Department faculty is delighted by the new music center and pleased with the transition from Filene.
"You never knew when a light fixture would fall on you," said Gordon Thompson, a professor in the Music Department, in reference to Filene in a joking manner. With the additional space he can now teach 40 students in his "1960s British Rock" course compared to the 30 available spots last semester.
The building holds both administrative offices for faculty and classroom space for professors and students. Music students will have exclusive access to the building at night by swiping their Skidmore ID cards. Rehearsal bands, however, will not.
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