The TCU Music Center houses the Van Cliburn Concert Hall at TCU, which will open its doors for performances in April.
The new, brilliantly designed Van Cliburn Concert Hall at TCU will enhance the student experience and pay homage to its namesake as part of the TCU Music Center at Texas Christian University’s nationally renowned School of Music. The concert hall’s grand opening will be celebrated with a month of events in April.
The concert hall is part of the TCU Music Center that provides 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 TCU Frog Corps, one of the university’s male vocal ensembles, will present the first public performance in the Van Cliburn Concert Hall at TCU (April 8). Notably, the TCU Symphony Orchestra will perform with The Cliburn and pianist Olga Kern (April 13) and with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra (April 14).
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.”
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.
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