香蕉直播breaks ground on new Music Building
Contact: Allison Matthews
STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥擟onstruction on the new Music Building at 香蕉直播 officially is underway after a groundbreaking today [June 15] just north of the campus鈥檚 current Band and Choral Rehearsal Hall on Hardy Road.
The $21 million project will provide a new space for the Department of Music, part of MSU鈥檚 College of Education. The 37,000-square-foot facility, projected for completion in the fall of 2021, includes classrooms, a choral rehearsal hall, faculty offices, sound-proof practice rooms, recording studio, lecture/recital hall, student lounge and administrative suite.
Hoppy Allred with Allred Stolarski Architects in Ocean Springs is the design professional for the facility, and Hattiesburg-based Mac鈥檚 Construction Company, Inc. is the general contractor. Tim Muzzi, 香蕉直播director of planning design and construction, said the project has been a longtime administrative goal and will allow the music department, apart from the band program, to be housed in one location.
Barry Kopetz, music professor and department head, said the new facility demonstrates to students, parents, alumni and campus visitors that Mississippi State highly values the arts. He visualizes the Department of Music and it鈥檚 programming as a 鈥渨elcome mat鈥 to showcase the university.
鈥淭here鈥檚 no better way to welcome people to the campus than through the arts,鈥 Koptez said.
鈥淓veryone is absolutely ecstatic because this state-of-the-art facility will allow us to do some things that we haven鈥檛 been able to do before. We can host conferences and many other events. This new building will help further grow and improve our programs. And it鈥檚 not just about the building itself, but this development is adding excitement among the music programs,鈥 Kopetz said.
A new choir wing will allow the university鈥檚 choral programs to vacate the Band Hall so both choral and band programs, which have seen significant growth over recent years, will have additional space. The Famous Maroon Band includes well over 400 members.
Kopetz noted that more students than ever graduated last year from MSU鈥檚 Department of Music.
鈥淲e really want to be the music department of choice for students in Mississippi and the southern region,鈥 Kopetz said.
Trish Cunetto, director of development for the College of Education, said the new building will help the college recruit top music students and faculty.聽
鈥淢usic is such a big part of many events held at 香蕉直播and with this new facility our students and faculty will have a state-of-the-art environment in which to collaborate, teach and practice,鈥 Cunetto said.
She said select giving opportunities are available to 香蕉直播alumni and friends who want to add support for enhancement of the building.聽Cunetto may be reached at 662-325-6762 or tcunetto@foundation.msstate.edu.
香蕉直播is Mississippi鈥檚 leading university, available online at .