Zankel opens doors to community

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.

Zankel also features the 600-seat Helen Filene Ladd Concert Hall, a considerable increase from the relatively intimate 235-seat Filene Recital Hall in the Filene Music Building.

The new concert hall features three tiers, including a balcony, and the stage lies before a three-story glass wall.

The hall includes surround sound, a projector and sprung floors that absorb jump impacts during dance performances. "We look forward to talking with the Dance and Theater departments, particularly since it is now possible to have live music during performances," said Thomas Denny, professor and chair of the Music Department.

The apron of the stage descends into an orchestra pit and the platform could rise to add stage space or descend to audience level to create more seating.

Acoustically tunable, the hall can adjust the level of resonance to host a full orchestra, classical guitar performance and other types of shows.

The music center also has a rehearsal room for choruses, bands, jazz ensembles and chamber ensembles, including the 90-seat Elisabeth Luce Moore Hall.

Groups outside of the college community will benefit from the new facilities as well. Ensemble ACJW, a music group from the Capitol District, will perform in the "Carnegie Hall Premiers" series in at 8 p.m. on Feb.5 in Zankel.

The music center will host high-profile events and lectures unrelated to music in the future.

The final portion of the vast new music center stores geothermal heating and cooling systems, which Northwoods and the Murray Atkins Dining Hall also hold. The system creates a 65 percent humidity level favorable to certain wooden instruments.

The system is projected to reduce energy costs and carbon emissions. Zankel also includes other sustainable elements, such as the use of recycled materials and renewable supplies in the lobby and concert hall.

"The stunning facility will provide a gateway not for just the campus, but also for a new era in the college's already rich musical tradition," Denny said.