Music rehearsal space and dance studio upgrades support better learning experiences for students

This past year, the College of Fine Arts updated two classroom spaces to help support learning needs of students in the Butler School of Music and the Department of Theatre and Dance.

In MRH, an ensemble rehearsal space was overhauled to support ensembles in ethnomusicology, including the Hispanic Caribbean Ensemble, Conjunto and Middle Eastern Bereket. A classroom and an office were combined to create a more useful rectangular room layout, and outdated paneling, dysfunctional built-in cabinets and an unused sink were also removed. Acoustic treatments were added, including kinetic ceiling hangers, acoustic panels and track-mounted acoustic felt panels that cover the wall of mirrors during performances. The improved classroom performs better acoustically and protects the hearing of faculty and students since some of these ensembles have especially loud instruments in their makeup. Lockable instruments storage and a building access control system (BACS) reader were added to provide greater security.

In the Winship Drama Building, two small dance studios were combined to create one large studio with a sprung floor to accommodate tap and hip-hop dance classes. The space was also outfitted with new technology upgrades, including a new audio system and a Zoom-capable presentation system with a projector, room speaker, microphones and audience- and presenter-view cameras. The studio has a wall of windows, and new light-filtering shades with blackout options were also added to create more flexibility for a performance space. Portable bleacher seating was added to enable the studio space to be used to seat audiences for performances.

Both spaces were renovated through UT’s Academic Small Spaces program, which funds 80% of approved projects through the Office of the Provost. Generous support from donors helped cover some of the remaining renovation costs.